For the first time since 2016, Nebraska has clinched a bowl game berth, doing so in a resounding 44-25 Senior Day win against Wisconsin.
“Especially proud of those seniors, 30 of them, all different journeys to get here, but especially the guys who have been here a long time.” Coach Matt Rhule said in his postgame media availability. “They’ve been through three coaches, different ADs, they’ve stood in the gap, and it’s not easy to do in a place like this with expectations. They’ve done it.”
Both teams were fast out of the gate, as the Huskers would score on their opening drive on a 5 yard touchdown rush from Heinrich Haarberg, while Wisconsin would score four minutes later on a short passing Touchdown.
After both teams traded punts, disaster struck for Nebraska, as the Huskers would cough it up at their own 15. It looked at the time to be disaster, but Wisconsin’s field goal attempt from Nathanial Vakos was wide left.
The Huskers would take the missed field goal on the ensuing drive to the house, as Dante Dowdell would find the endzone from 12 yards out for the first of four rushing touchdowns on the ground, three of which were from Dowdell.
Wisconsin would only respond with a field goal, and the Huskers would take all the momentum in the final minute of the half.
After Vakos’ second missed field goal of the game, the Huskers would work methodically to eat three minutes of the clock, with Dylan Raiola finding Jahmal Banks for a 5 yard touchdown pass. On the next Badger drive, Nash Hutmacher would force a Badger fumble, recovered by Stefon Thompson, and John Hohl would turn that into a made field goal from 37 yards out, allowing Nebraska to go into the locker room up 24-10.
Wisconsin’s opening drive of the third quarter resulted in a 3 and out, while Hohl would connect from 45 yards out for another field goal. The next Wisconsin drive went down to the Nebraska 26, but would be stuffed by John Bullock and Mikai Gbayor for a turnover on downs, and Nebraska would engineer a 7 play, 74 yard drive that ended in Dowdell’s second touchdown.
The Badgers would try and get back into the game with two passing touchdowns, but Nebraska would keep them out of arms reach with another Hohl Field goal (from 26 yards out) and Dowdell’s final touchdown, leaping over the offensive line to secure the Huskers sixth win.
Emmett Johnson led the way with 113 rushing yards on 16 carries, while Dowdell had 41 yards on 10 carries, with three scores. Raiola was 28-38 passing for 293 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Isaac Gifford and DeShon Singleton led the team with 6 tackles, while Malcolm Hartzog, Javin Wright and Ty Robinson had five tackles. The Blackshirts werent able to sach Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke, but Singleton would intercept him late in the fourth quarter.
“It’s a surreal moment today, super proud of our guys going out and competing for 60 minutes to get this win today.” Robinson said.
With Wisconsin scoring all of their touchdowns through the air, it ensured something that hadnt happened since 1939. It was last during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential tenure that Nebraska last didnt allow a rushing touchdown inside the confines of Memorial Stadium. It was also the first win for Nebraska over Wisconsin since Barack Obama’s tenure (2012).
Nebraska was last at the Music City Bowl on December 30, 2016, where they lost to Tennessee 38-24. Their last win is the San Francisco Bowl in 2015, when they defeated now-B1G opponent UCLA 37-29.
