Instant Takes: Nebraska 28 - Purdue 10
Nebraska football (4-1, 1-1) overcame a scoreless first half to beat Purdue 28-10 on the road in Ross-Ade Stadium. The Huskers earn their first Big Ten game of the season and advance to 4-1.
The Boilermakers fall to 1-3 and 0-1 in the Big Ten.
Nebraska’s offense ignited for 21 second-half points. Linebacker John Bullock earned his first career pick-six to slam the door shut.
Here are instant takeaways from the game in West Lafayette.
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Third-down difficulties
Nebraska did not convert a third down until the end of the third quarter. The Huskers scored on touchdown with their first third-down conversion of the game. Jahmal Banks earned a six-yard TD catch for NU’s first points of the game with 2:49 left in the third.
The Huskers went 0-for-6 on third down in the first half. Because of that, they kicked three field goals. All three were unsuccessful, one missed and two blocked. NU went 1-for-8 on third downs vs. the Boilermakers.
Early in the fourth quarter, Nebraska went for it on third-and-goal at the one-yard line and came up short again. Carter Nelson took the handoff and jumped, trying to get the ball to cross the line. The defense read it perfectly.
The Huskers went for their first fourth down conversion of the game. They brought in fullback Barret Liebentritt. Dowdell scored with his fullback’s block.
Husker Quarterback Dylan Raiola went 17-for-27 for 257 passing yards and one touchdown. He was dialed in and determined to start the second half. As usual, he made some great passes in important moments.
Banks had a team-high five receptions for 82 yards. Jacory Barney Jr. led the team with 66 rushing yards on four carries and added 28 receiving yards and two catches. The freshman was outstanding.
Rushing attack
The rushing attack was key on both sides of the ball for Nebraska.
Purdue averaged 183 rushing yards per game ahead of Saturday. The Huskers had allowed 94.3 per game, ranked No. 23 nationally. Nebraska averaged 140 rushing yards in their first four games.
Neither team rushed well in the first half. Nebraska had 49 rushing yards. Barney used his explosiveness for a 31-yard play on a reverse in the first drive. Outside of Barney’s 38 yards, NU had 10 rushing attempts by a back for 11 yards.
However, Nebraska pulled ahead and dominated the run game. Nebraska finished with 161 rushing yards on 32 carries.
After 37 rushing yards in the first half, Purdue finished with 50 rushing yards. The Husker defense forced -22 yards from QB Hudson Card. They earned five sacks for a loss of 35 yards. NU had 51 total tackle-for-loss yards. James Williams had two sacks and MJ Sherman added 1.5. Both had a career-high number of sacks in a single game.
One of the major storylines of the offense was how the Huskers were going to figure out which talented running backs would contribute the most. The group has been good so far but not great, as expected. However, a new back emerged against Purdue – Emmett Johnson.
Dante Dowdell earned the start, with Rahmir Johnson coming in next. Dowdell had 21 rushing yards on nine carries and one touchdown. Rahmir had nine yards on five carries with a long rush of six yards.
Emmett Johnson, who Rhule wanted to get more involved against Purdue, had a strong second half. He had 39 rushing yards on five attempts in the third. He finished with eight carries and 50 rushing yards. The sophomore added 48 receiving yards on three catches.
On second-and-29, Johnson broke free for a 27-yard run. A personal foul on the defense gave NU the first down. Barney scored two plays later with a 29-yard touchdown run to go up 21-3.
Johnson will be very involved in Nebraska’s offense going forward.
Huskers don’t panic
Nebraska’s offense and special teams did not play well in the first half. The Huskers offense did not convert a third down or score a point. They have 210 yards but nothing to show for it. John Hohl and the field-goal team were unsuccessful on three field goals.
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NU had several big plays called back due to penalties, something they have dealt with this season.
On their second drive, Nebraska lined up with Heinrich Haarberg under center and Raiola split out wide on fourth-and-1 on their second drive. However, right tackle Bryce Benhart committed a false start to force the field-goal team to come on. Backup kicker John Hohl missed the 42-yard field goal wide right.
Nebraska’s next offensive drive was snuffed out by another penalty. Head Coach Matt Rhule strongly disagreed with the call when it happened and after the replay.
On fourth-and-3, a 22-yard touchdown pass to Rahmir Johnson was called back due to a Thomas Fidone pass interference. The refs reviewed the call and came to the same conclusion. Fidone was running across the field as a defender was running to the opposite side. Fidone leaned his shoulder inside to avoid the defender running very close to him.
Rhule seemed to say “He didn’t even touch him,” to the refs on the sideline.
Rhule was charged with an unsportsmanlike penalty in the fourth quarter.
The Huskers had 11 penalties for 94 yards against Purdue. The Boilermakers had 165 penalty yards and 13 total penalties. Their secondary was called for six pass interferences, four occurred in the second quarter.
It would have been easy to panic. The veterans on this team have participated in many bad halves of football. But the Huskers came out of the locker room with adjustments and they executed.
Nebraska scored 28 points in the second half. Bullock had a massive pick-six 40 seconds after a Barney touchdown. NU went up 28-3 and put the nail in the coffin. Purdue didn’t score a touchdown until 1:29 left on the clock.
Special teams entering code red
Nebraska’s special teams have been, by far, their biggest weakness this season.
Hohl, the backup, has missed two field goals and two blocked attempts in his last five quarters of football. He missed what could have been the game-winner against Illinois.
The Huskers’ field goal unit allowed two blocked kicks vs. the Boilermakers. Both were bad snaps. Aidan Flege snapped the first blocked FG and Camden Witucki was the second snapper. Hohl was blocked on a 44-yard attempt and a 32-yarder. He missed his first field goal attempt of the game, wide left on a 42-yard attempt.
In the second half, Nebraska did not kick a field goal. They opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 and earned the touchdown. Hohl made all four extra-point attempts.
Luckily for the Huskers, Brian Buschini punted well. He has pinned two of his three punts inside the 20-yard line in the first half. His first punt was almost pinned at the one-yard line, but Nebraska wasn’t able to stop it from going into the endzone for a touchback.
The punter finished with 103 yards on three punts. He even had a couple of good tackles. Buschini didn’t punt in the second half.
Overall, Nebraska’s special teams have been and are even more of a concern after the hot mess vs. Purdue. Close games are inevitable in the Big Ten. Missing field goals and/or getting them blocked will lose you games. NU saw that firsthand vs. Illinois.
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