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WATCH: Casey Thompson leads Nebraska to touchdown on first drive of the season

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz08/27/22

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Casey Thompson Nebraska
On3 Nebraska/Casey Fritton

It didn’t take long for the Nebraska offense to showcase its new look. The Cornhuskers got the ball first after Northwestern deferred — and Casey Thompson went to work.

Thompson, on his first drive as Nebraska starting quarterback, led the 75-yard scoring drive, capped off by a perfectly placed 32-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda to get the Cornhuskers on the board first and take a 7-0 lead over Northwestern.

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It was the first time Mark Whipple showcased his offense at Nebraska, and he picked up right where he left off at Pitt. Thompson went 5-for-6 for 68 yards on the opening drive, which is a similar style Pitt ran last year with Kenny Pickett under center.

What’s at stake for Scott Frost, Nebraska in Week 0 against Northwestern

The game has plenty of implications for Scott Frost and the Cornhuskers. Rumors continue to swirl about the Nebraska coach’s job security after he took a pay cut as part of a restructured contract this offseason, and he revamped the coaching staff. Ahead of the game, ESPN’s Pete Thamel said Frost has a lot at stake in the Week 0 matchup, making it one of the biggest season openers of his career.

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“There’s a lot at stake for [Frost] this season,” Thamel said. “He took a million dollar pay cut and agreed to a new contract that essentially cuts his buyout in half from $15 million to $7.5 million. So essentially, Scott Frost agreed to a deal that would make it easier for his alma mater to fire him if it doesn’t work out this year.

“You can’t stress enough how important the Week 0 opener in Ireland is. Nebraska’s only Big Ten win last year came over Northwestern, they beat them 56-7. They’re essentially two-touchdown favorites. If there’s ever a must-win opener for a coach, Scott Frost is facing it this weekend.”