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Nebraska Cornhuskers Pummel Northern Iowa Panthers

Nebraska football closes out the nonconference slate with a perfect 3-0 record, the latest victory coming over Northern Iowa.

Kaleb Henry

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers running back Amauri Pesek-Hickson (5) runs against Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Isaac Gifford (2) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers running back Amauri Pesek-Hickson (5) runs against Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Isaac Gifford (2) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
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No emotional letdown for the Nebraska football team.

After dominating Colorado a week ago, the Cornhuskers equally handled the Northern Iowa Panthers. The 34-3 victory improves the Big Red to 3-0, perfect through the nonconference slate.

The Huskers opened the game with an eight-play drive that was capped off by a Carter Nelson touchdown catch. That was the true freshman from Ainsworth's first career score as a Husker.

UNI answered with a 16-play, 10:04 drive that ended with a field goal. After that, the Panthers remained good at burning clock but not so good at scoring points.

Nebraska added two more touchdowns - through the air to Isaiah Neyor and on the ground by Jacory Barney Jr. - and a field goal from Tristan Alvano by halftime. After the break,

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) passes against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the second quarter at Mem
Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) passes against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The Huskers racked up 423 total yards, while the Panthers put together 301 yards.

Dylan Raiola played just over three quarters at quarterback. He finished 17-for-23 through the air for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The turnover is the first of his career at NU, and came on his 80th career pass.

Defensively, the Blackshirts forced just one three-and-out but got the Panthers to punt four times and go 0-for-2 on fourth downs. Malcolm Hartzog grabbed an interception in the third quarter.

Nebraska stays home next week to host Illinois. The Friday game will kick off at 7 p.m. CDT and be televised on FOX. That contest will be the 400th consecutive sellout of Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska Cornhuskers place kicker Tristan Alvano kicks a PAT during the second quarter against the Northern Iowa Panthers.
Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers place kicker Tristan Alvano (30) kicks a PAT during the second quarter against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska Athletics Notes

  • Nebraska improved to 15-0 all-time against FCS opponents with the victory. It was the first meeting between Nebraska and UNI.
  • Nebraska completed non-conference play with a perfect 3-0 record for the first time since 2016.
  • Nebraska out-scored UNI 14-0 in the second quarter. In three games this season, Nebraska has out-scored the opposition 51-0 in the second quarter. In 2023, Nebraska was out-scored 81-66 in the second quarter.
  • Nebraska has won each of its three games this season by at least 18 points. This marks the first time NU has won three straight games by at least 18 points since the 2014 season.
  • The Nebraska defense held UNI to three points. It marks the ninth opponent in 10 home games under Matt Rhule to score 14 or fewer points. It was the 10th consecutive opponent Nebraska has held to 24 or fewer points, the longest such streak since a 14-game stretch in 2009 and 2010.
  • Nebraska held its third straight opponent to open the season to 10 or fewer points. This is the first time Nebraska has held the first three opponents to 10 or fewer points since 2005. On the season, the Huskers have allowed 20 points, their fewest points in the first three games of a season since the 2005 season (16 points) and the first time allowed 30 points or less in the first three games of a season since 2009.
  • Nebraska did not allow a touchdown in the first quarter and has allowed just one first-quarter touchdown in its past 10 games. Nebraska has not allowed an opening drive TD in 10 straight games and has allowed only one opening drive TD in the last 16 games.
  • Nebraska limited UNI to 301 total yards, the 10th consecutive opponent held under 400 yards, marking its longest such streak since a 10-game streak in 2009.
  • Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 17-of-23 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, setting a career best in passing yards and tying his career high in touchdowns. He completed 13-of-16 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, including 11 straight completions at one point.
  • Raiola connected on better than 70 percent of his passes for the third straight game. He is the first Husker quarterback to complete at least 70 percent of his passes in three straight games since Jeff Quinn in 1980.  
  • Freshman receiver Carter Nelson scored his first career touchdown on the game’s opening series, catching a 24-yard pass from fellow freshman Raiola. Nelson finished the game with four receptions for 48 yards.
  • The Raiola to Nelson connection for a touchdown pass on the opening series marked the first TD connection for two Husker freshmen since Adrian Martinez threw a 28-yard TD pass to Maurice Washington at Iowa in 2018.
  • True freshman Jacory Barney Jr. scored his first career touchdown in the second quarter on a 10-yard rush.
  • Sophomore receiver Jaylen Lloyd had a 59-yard reception in the second quarter to set up a Husker touchdown. Lloyd’s 59-yard catch was his second catch of 36 yards or more this season. Five of Lloyd’s eight career receptions have covered at least 36 yards, including four catches of more than 50 yards.
  • Safety Malcom Hartzog Jr. intercepted a pass in the third quarter for his second INT of the season and the fifth of his career.
  • Linebacker John Bullock had a career-high nine tackles, bettering his eight stops last season against Louisiana Tech.
  • Isaac Gifford finished with 10 tackles, one shy of his career high. It marked his fourth career game with double-digit tackles.
  • Running back Dante Dowdell and linebacker Stefon Thompson made their first career starts at Nebraska in tonight’s game.
  • Tonight’s game captains were RB Rahmir Johnson, Jack LB MJ Sherman, LB John Bullock and P Brian Buschini.

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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