Nebraska’s bowl drought is over. For the first time since 2016, the Cornhuskers are invited to the postseason. It’s also the first time the program has earned a win over Wisconsin since 2012. What led to the Huskers’ dominant effort?
Ground and Pound
Nebraska’s offensive line played one of their best games as a unit against Wisconsin. This allowed sophomore running back Emmett Johnson to rush for 116 yards on the day. Dante Dowdell was also a strong point. Against USC, the Oregon transfer had multiple tough runs against the Trojans. This allowed the sophomore to pick up where he left off against the Badgers. On multiple occasions, Dowdell was able to power his way into the Huskers’ endzone for easy touchdowns throughout the contest. The Huskers can build on their rushing success in Kinnick Stadium. The only obstacle will be Phil Parker’s stingy Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes only allowed 227 yards on the ground against the Terrapins. A large part of this was due to the play of defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett. The senior from Cedar Falls sacked Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr twice and had four solo tackles. Max Llewellyn also dialed up the pressure. He had one sack and two tackles.
Read more about the threat that Hurkett poses to Nebraska’s offense in The Top Storylines From Nebraska vs Iowa
Vertical Threats Attack
Dylan Raiola returned to his proper form against Wisconsin. After struggling to pass the ball downfield in the Huskers’ past few games, the freshman quarterback put up 293 passing yards on the Badgers’ defense. Give credit to Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. His simplified scheme allowed the Georgia native to maintain consistency through the air. In addition, the jet sweep was a powerful asset for Nebraska against Wisconsin. With just nine receptions, Jacory Barney Jr’s 85 yards are the most catches by a freshman in the team’s history. It’s a sign that the freshman has established himself as a master of the jet sweep. But does he still have more left in the tank against Iowa? Hawkeye cornerbacks TJ Hall and Sebastian Castro will test his ability to stretch the field. It wouldn’t be a surprise if their experience kept the talented freshman in check. But he also runs explosive routes. This has paid dividends for Matt Rhule in the past few months. But Barney has only been featured on shorter pass plays. If Holgorsen wants to unlock Barney’s full potential, he has to utilize him downfield. His 40-yard catch against UCLA was a perfect example of this.
Jahmal Banks with a toe-tapping TD for Nebraska!!! 🎯 @HuskerFootball pic.twitter.com/zzMKlFj2MR
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 23, 2024
Bend, Don’t Break
John Butler’s secondary struggled to stay disciplined against Wisconsin. The Huskers had multiple blown coverages against the Badger’s wideouts. Senior wide receiver Bryson Green had a 42-yard touchdown reception, and Vinny Anthony had a 42-yard score. Luckily Nebraska’s defensive line did just enough to stop Wisconsin. On the team’s sixth drive of the game, senior defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher forced running back Tawee Walker to fumble the football. And in the fourth quarter, the Blackshirts came up big again. Senior linebacker John Bullock stopped the Badgers on fourth down, which led to a Deshon Singleton interception. It’s safe to say that Tony White can’t accept these lulls against Iowa. Kaleb Johnson is one of the most talented backs in the Big Ten. So far this season, he’s rushed for a little over 1,000 yards and has 21 touchdowns. Tight end Luke Lachey has also established himself in Tim Lester’s offense. The senior has 218 receiving yards this season.
