Nebraska went into halftime with a 14-0 lead over Rutgers, but the first 30 minutes were as much about the Huskers cleaning up their own mess as they were about building the cushion.
The opening drive was messy from the jump. Nebraska dealt with two penalties, a dropped pass and headset issues that took an indeterminate amount of time to get sorted out.
Even so, the offense eventually found its footing. Anthony Colandrea connected with Luke Lindenmeyer for a 15-yard touchdown after Jacory Barney dropped what would have been a 38-yard score earlier in the possession.
Barney also fielded two punts on the 5-yard-line, something that ought to come up in halftime discussions.
The second touchdown drive looked much smoother. Starting 90 yards from the end zone, Nebraska got an early break when Rutgers was flagged for defensive holding, moving the Huskers out of a hole with an automatic first down.
The key play was a 40-yard hookup with Carter Nelson, who continues to show up on big-play highlights. That set Nebraska up at the 6, and Colandrea finished the drive himself for the 14-0 lead.
Defensively, the Blackshirts gave up a big play or two, but mostly kept Rutgers bottled up. The Scarlet Knights were held to 65 yards, while Nebraska piled up 244. Colandrea finished the half 8-for-12 for 119 passing yards, with the touchdown to Lindenmeyer, and added 48 rushing yards along with his score on the ground.
Action continues shortly.
In Other News...
Fred Hoiberg Just Landed The Kind Of Recruit Nebraska Never Gets
Nebraska basketball has added a recruit it almost never gets, signing five-star forward Dawson Battie and giving Fred Hoiberg a centerpiece for the 2027 class. The 6-foot-8 forward from Texas is now the highest-rated prospect in program history by composite score, a notable milestone for a program that has spent years trying to climb into a different recruiting tier. He joins four-star wing Ty Schlagel in a class that already looks like a meaningful step forward for the Huskers.
Hoiberg has made a point of emphasizing fit as much as talent, and both Battie and Schlagel were described as players who match the system and the culture Nebraska is trying to build. Batties decision matters not just because of the ranking attached to him, but because he chose Nebraska over several top programs, the kind of competition the Huskers usually have trouble winning. For a program looking to turn recruiting momentum into something more lasting, this is the sort of signing that can change the conversation, even if the real payoff is still down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Brings A Dangerous Early Test For Nebraskas Defense
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Boise State has already made a habit of piling up points and sits atop the Pac-12 in several statistical categories, which is exactly the kind of profile that can stress a Nebraska defense still trying to establish its identity. The Cornhuskers also have South Dakota waiting next, so this stretch offers a quick read on where Nebraska stands and how much margin it has before the seasons first real tests start to stack up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Wrestling Leaves Stillwater With One Troubling Question
Nebraskas trip to Stillwater on Nov. 13 turned into a rough measuring stick against one of the sports standard-bearers. No. 2 Oklahoma State handled the No. 3 Cornhuskers 27-6 in a dual that tilted early, leaving Nebraska with little margin to work with and not much time to regroup before another ranked test arrives.
Meyer Shapiro was one of the few bright spots for Nebraska, showing plenty of fight even in defeat, but the larger concern is how the Huskers respond after getting pushed around by the Cowboys. They get a quick chance to reset against No. 24 Penn on Nov. 21, with that dual set for ESPN+ and another opportunity to show whether Stillwater was a one-night setback or a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]