Cornhuskers beat the heat and then Rutgers 14-7 to move within a win of bowl eligibility
From left, Nebraska's Alex Bullock, Janiran Bonner, Bryce Benhart and Justin Evans Rutgers celebrate Bonner's touchdown against Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
LINCOLN, Neb. — Dante Dowdell and Janiran Bonner scored on 1-yard runs, and Nebraska leaned on its defense on a day Dylan Raiola struggled to beat Rutgers 14-7 on Saturday.
The Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) prevailed in the hottest conditions ever for an October game at Memorial Stadium and moved within one win of becoming eligible for their first bowl since 2016.
The Scarlet Knights (4-1, 1-1), whose offense scuffled for 3 1/2 quarters, made it a one-score game with 4:08 left when Athan Kaliakmanis hit Ben Black with an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Temperature at kickoff was 97 degrees with a swirling and gusty wind and Raiola, Nebraska's freshman quarterback, never was able to find a rhythm. He completed just 13 of 27 passes for 134 yards, all season lows.
The defensive performance, however, surely was one former Nebraska great Ndamukong Suh could appreciate. Suh, a 2009 Heisman Trophy finalist and consensus All-American before he went on to a long NFL career, was on hand for his Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame induction.
Suh led the Huskers out of the tunnel before the game and then watched the Blackshirts sack Kaliakmanis four times, limit Kyle Monangai to 78 yards on 19 carries and hold Rutgers to 264 total yards.
Rutgers had great chances to score. The Scarlet Knights' second blocked punt of the game set them up at the Nebraska 2, but the Huskers held them out of the end zone on three straight plays after Monangai appeared to score but was marked short of the goal line with no challenge from coach Greg Schiano.
Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai (5) carries the ball against Nebraska during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
Later, Nebraska's Marques Buford Jr. slipped in coverage, leaving Black wide open to run under Kaliakmanis' deep ball along the sideline. But the ball bounced off the side of Black's helmet and to the turf.
THE TAKEAWAY
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights' identity has been the run game, and they might have given up on it too soon. They rushed for 70 yards on their first two possessions, and Monangai broke off three runs of at least 14 yards. They went away from the run in the second quarter, and when they tried to go back to it in the second half, there wasn't much there and they netted just 79 for the game.
Nebraska: As great as the defense played, the Huskers go into their open date with concerns on offense. Raiola was just 2 of 9 for 14 yards in the second half, and the run game averaged 2.3 yards per carry largely because of Raiola getting sacked four times.
Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, left, sets up a pass against Nebraska during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
BUSCHINI BOUNCES BACK
It was a rough day for Nebraska's punter until the fourth quarter. Rutgers’ Flip Dixon partially blocked Brian Buschini’s first punt, clipping his foot and leaving the punter shaken up and face down for a minute. Buschini walked off under his own power but moved gingerly and held his right hip. Then came the third-quarter punt block.
With Nebraska in punt formation early in the fourth quarter, Buschini received the snap, took a step and then pulled up and threw a pass Isaiah Neyor turned into a 30-yard gain. The Huskers ended up punting, and Buschini got off a 41-yarder that pinned Rutgers at its 5. His last one went 69 yards and forced Rutgers to start its final possession at its 11 with 2:28 left.
UP NEXT
Rutgers: Hosts Wisconsin.
Nebraska: Open date before visiting No. 23 Indiana on Oct. 19.
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