Connect with us

Nebraska

Key stats of the game in Nebraska's win over Boston College

Published

on

Key stats of the game in Nebraska's win over Boston College


Key stats of the game in Nebraska’s win over Boston College

NEW YORK — Nebraska held on and got the job done on Saturday.

Advertisement

The Huskers traveled to New York City to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College and will fly home with a 20-15 win.

It wasn’t pretty — is it ever with this program? — as NU led 20-2 with three minutes left in the third quarter but allowed BC to score two touchdowns in the final 6:11 of the game.

NU ends its 2024 season with a record of 7-6 (3-6 in Big Ten). That’s the most wins since the 2016 team went 9-4. It’s also the first bowl victory for the Huskers since the 2015 team beat UCLA 37-29 in the Foster Farms Bowl.

Here are three key statistics that stood out from NU’s win over the Eagles.

A good showing in the red zone from Nebraska’s offense

One of the top stats that usually equals winning football involves making the most of your trips to the red zone. On Saturday, the Husker offense was good enough once it entered BC’s 20-yard line.

Advertisement

NU finished the game by scoring points on three of its four red zone opportunities, and all of them were touchdowns. All three of NU’s scoring drives that entered the red area lasted at least seven plays, too, so the Huskers were going on some drives in Yankee Stadium.

The only red-zone appearance that didn’t end in a score was a fake field goal that had punter/holder Brian Buschini attempting to run the ball on a fourth-and-goal from the BC 8-yard line. That didn’t work as Buschini got 1 yard to seal a turnover on downs.

Nebraska turned the ball over twice, but John Butler’s defense put out the fires

NU’s offense turned the ball over twice in the game, both of which came in the first half thanks to a Dylan Raiola interception and an Emmett Johnson lost fumble.

Those could have been back-breaking mistakes, but they weren’t because defensive coordinator John Butler’s defense, which featured several young players getting opportunities, stood tall after each turnover.

The Huskers did not allow BC to score points off those turnovers. NU may have bent — the Huskers allowed BC to convert 5-of-10 third downs in the first half — but it never really broke until late in the game when the Eagles scored their first touchdown at the 6:11 mark of the fourth quarter.

Advertisement

On a wet and slippery field, yes, there were missed tackles and sloppy play at times. But the Huskers flew around like a team who had fun in the city for a week before flipping a switch and winning a football game, just like Matt Rhule wanted.

If BC was going to win this game, it needed to run the ball — that didn’t happen

Nothing against BC quarterback Grayson James. He played as well as he could and made some good throws while being pressured by NU’s defense all day.

But if BC was going to win this game, it needed to have an effective run game. That didn’t happen — BC would have liked to have its first-team All-ACC right tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who opted out — as the Husker defense limited the Eagles’ rushing attack to just 47 yards overall and 40 in the first half. That rushing total rises to 64 yards if you take away the 17 sack yards NU’s defense had.

BC entered the game with a top-50 rush offense nationally at 176 yards per game, good for 46th in the country.

The defensive front that played for NU today — guys like Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Cam Lenhardt, Elijah Jeudy, Keona Davis, MJ Sherman, Willis McGahee and Co. — held up well against BC’s offensive line and tight ends and allowed the linebackers behind them, like Javin Wright, Vincent Shavers Jr. and John Bullock, to clean up, which they did.

Advertisement

The Wright-Shavers-Bullock trio combined for 18 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

ENJOYING INSIDE NEBRASKA?

>> GAIN ALL-ACCESS with an annual or monthly subscription for less than $10/month

>> NEW SUBSCRIBERS get 30 days FREE

>> Sound off on the hot topics on our INSIDER’S BOARD

>> Follow us on Twitter (@NebraskaRivals)

Advertisement

>> Follow us on Instagram (@nebraskarivals)

>> Subscribe for FREE to the Inside Nebraska YouTube channel





Source link

Nebraska

Big Ten Report – Nebraska takes first place from Michigan, is 16-0

Published

on

Big Ten Report – Nebraska takes first place from Michigan, is 16-0


It was a very exciting and high-scoring Saturday in Big Ten basketball. Michigan’s flaws finally caught up to the Wolverines. Their loss to Wisconsin became a source of hope for everyone else in the Big Ten. Nebraska keeps rolling, and the Huskers now look like the top team in the conference, with star Lamar Wilkerson going off in yet another game.

Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from Saturday night in Big Ten basketball:

No. 10 Nebraska 83-77 vs Indiana

Jamarques Lawrence and Lamar Wilkerson battled in a shootout as both players had career nights. Indiana has been hot this season, almost as hot as Nebraska. Ultimately, the Cornhuskers proved to be battle-tested once more, and Lawrence led the Cornhuskers to overcome a 16-point deficit to secure a big victory. The Cornhuskers continue to be one of the best stories in college basketball, as their win streak moves to 5 in a row in the Big Ten. They are 16-0 overall.

Wisconsin 91-88 vs No. 2 Michigan

Down goes Goliath. Just like I said in one of the last Big Ten reports, no game is a layup. Michigan almost lost its last game to Penn State. Every team the Wolverines face will give them their best, and all they have to do is upset them. The Badgers did exactly that. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell both had 20-point showings and looked like stars. The Badgers entered the second half down 14 points, and just like last game for the Wolverines, another lead was lost. Michigan missed 8 of their last 9 shots, to end the game, which was one of the biggest reasons for the loss of the lead. The Wolverines were not on their game, and for the first time this season, and it cost them big time.

Advertisement

No. 5 Purdue 93-85 vs Penn State

Braden Smith puts together a complete game, flashing his scoring ability and his elite decision-making. The Boilermakers took care of business and handled Penn State exactly like Michigan should have. Penn State’s hot three-point shooting start kept them in this game, but it was the Boilermakers’ insane crowd, insane defense, and stars stepping up that propelled them to an 8-point win.

UCLA 67-55 vs Maryland

Another day, another game where the Terps get outmatched. The Bruins were coming off two losses heading into this game, and they got the exact bounce-back game they needed. While the Bruins were amazing defensively, the Terps still dominated the glass. That makes for trouble for the Bruins against the competent Big Ten teams. Had the Terps been able to buy a bucket, they fairly well could have stolen this game. Instead, the Terps move to 0-5 in the Big Ten. The Terps can’t catch a break early in this season, while the Bruins get the exact break they needed to move forward.

Overview

Michigan does not learn from its last game, and they suffer their first loss of the season. The Badgers get a huge scoring outburst from their two guards, as another guard, Braden Smith, is dominant in an impressive win by Purdue over Penn State. As the Big Ten is continuing to ramp up the dominant newcomer, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are now the leader of the sole undefeated team in the conference.

What’s next

Illinois and Iowa highlight the day with a big-time matchup to start the Sunday slate. Big implications in this game, and whoever wins can really consider themselves a legitimate Big Ten contender. Northwestern and Rutgers will match up after that one, and both teams could desperately use a win to get back on track and build some type of momentum. The final game will be Ohio State and Washington squaring off. The Buckeyes will look to build some consistency before their matchup against Michigan. Bruce Thornton getting hot again would definitely help with that.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nebraska

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman

Published

on

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman


New Husker offensive line coach Geep Wade has stayed busy in his first few weeks on the recruiting trail for Nebraska football.

Advertisement

Nebraska extended a scholarship offer Saturday to in-state offensive lineman Barrett Kitrell. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Class of 2027 interior lineman from Ashland confirmed the offer on social media. Iowa offered him earlier in the week, and he has other Division I offers from South Dakota State, Kansas and Iowa State.

Advertisement

Kitrell has visited a number of schools through his junior season, stopping at South Dakota State, Wyoming, Iowa State, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

Kitrell has family ties to Nebraska football across two generations. His father, Barry, was a fullback for the Huskers from 1984-88. His brother Bo was a Husker fullback and tight end 2014 to 2018.

In addition, Barrett’s brother Blake was a Tulsa wide receiver, while brothers Brett and Bryce played at Ohio, having been recruited by Frank Solich.

Advertisement

Barrett Kitrell is a three-sport athlete for Ashland-Greenwood, competing in football, basketball, and track and field for the Bluejays. He has seen varsity action in all three seasons of his football career, playing in 33 games. The Bluejays have won a playoff game each of the past three seasons, advancing to the Class C1 semifinals this past year.

Kitrell becomes the third offensive line prospect offered by Wade and the Huskers this week, joining Grinnell, Iowa, prospect Will Slagle and 2028 prospect Wyatt VanBoening from Mundelein, Illinois. VanBoening also is the son of a former Husker, Simon VanBoening, a linebacker on the Huskers’ 1997 roster.

Advertisement

Nebraska offensive line coach Geep Wade | Nebraska Athletics

Advertisement

The Huskers are aiming for a massive overhaul of their offensive line, starting with replacing Donovan Raiola as the position coach. Wade, who came to Nebraska from Georgia Tech, has been retooling his line in early 2026 with transfer portal additions, bringing in Iowa State’s Brendan Black and South Carolina’s Tree Babalade. Nebraska has seen three linemen choose to exit via the portal: Brian Tapu, Houston Kaahaaina-Torres and Jason Maciejczak.

Kitrell could add athleticism to the offensive line, as he finished second in the Class B discus as a sophomore with a personal-best throw of 172’2 while finishing fourth in the shot put. Kitrell averaged four points and four rebounds per game for the Ashland-Greenwood basketball program as the Bluejays claimed the Class C1 championship in 2025.

Kitrell becomes the 16th interior offensive line offer for Nebraska’s 2027 class. The class is headlined by four-star quarterback Trae Taylor and in-state rising stars Tory Pittman III and Matt Erickson.


More From Nebraska On SI

Advertisement

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nebraska

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska

Published

on

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska


play

  • Indiana men’s basketball lost to Nebraska 83-77 after leading by as many as 16 points.
  • Coach Darian DeVries cited a bad stretch, including key fouls on Tucker DeVries and turnovers, as the turning point.
  • The Hoosiers have three more opportunities for a Quad 1 win in their upcoming games.

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries thought his team played well for about 28 minutes Saturday afternoon.

In those 28 minutes, IU built up as much as a 16-point lead against undefeated Nebraska. The Hoosiers went on a 12-2 run to end the first half, then extended that lead early in the second half.

Advertisement

Then, the defense started crumbling. Tucker DeVries picked up two fouls in the course of 21 seconds, forcing him to the bench. The Hoosiers started turning the ball over.

And Indiana’s upset bid fell apart, as the Hoosiers dropped an 83-77 decision to the Cornhuskers (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten).

“It’s disappointing, for sure,” Darian DeVries said. “We played well for a good 25, 27, 28 minutes, whatever, and then just had a bad stretch in there, and the game flipped. That’s why the turnovers are a big piece of that. We had, (a 16-point lead) and Tucker picked up his third and fourth foul on back-to-back possessions. Then they went on a 10-0 run right after that. That was a big turning point in the game, I thought, when he picked those two up.”

It seemed like the coaching staff (and fans) didn’t agree with those fouls, either.

Advertisement

Tucker DeVries’ third foul came as he fell on the ground while trying to defend Berke Buyuktuncel’s shot. Buyuktuncel continued to attempt a shot after the fall, and he got tangled in DeVries’ legs, falling himself, and officials called a foul on DeVries. Both Tucker and Darian DeVries, along with the crowd of 13,000 fans, didn’t agree with that foul.

Tucker DeVries’ fourth foul, which forced him to the bench for eight minutes, came just 21 seconds after his third. On the Hoosiers’ next offensive possession, DeVries attempted to shoulder his defender to get more space, and got called for the offensive foul and the turnover.

Indiana (12-4, 3-2) turned the ball over on four of its next five possessions, Darian DeVries said, and Nebraska capitalized for a 12-2 run to tie the game.

“I just think we didn’t have the type of possessions we needed after (Tucker DeVries) went out again, and most of them, it was just turnovers,” Darian DeVries said. “We didn’t get shots at the goal. I thought there might’ve been one or two in there where I think Lamar (Wilkerson) drove it hard and tried going through contact, and we didn’t get one there, but outside of that, we just didn’t get very good possessions. Our movement wasn’t as good.”

Advertisement

After Nebraska went on that run, all the momentum shifted to the Cornhuskers. In ways, the Hoosiers couldn’t get out of their own head, and the mistakes kept coming.

“We’ve talked to them a lot about that next play mentality,” Darian DeVries said. “Win that next play, and not compound mistakes. I thought tonight, again, for a stretch there was a period where we let one mistake turn into two. Then, instead of digging in and really making sure we get a quality possession the next time, we compounded it with another turnover. It led to back-to-back-to-back. All of a sudden your lead is gone, and momentum is real. It shifted pretty quickly there.”

This game, especially taking into account the 16-point lead Indiana once had, was a crucial opportunity for the Hoosiers to get their first Quad 1 win of the season.

But the Hoosiers, sitting at No. 30 in the NET rankings, still have three straight Quad 1 opportunities coming up in two road tilts at Michigan State and Michigan and a home game against Iowa in the next two weeks.

Advertisement

Those games, much like Nebraska, will be tall tasks. But, DeVries said, if the Hoosiers can execute for a full game like they did in those 28 minutes on Saturday, they’ll have a chance at them.

“When they’re executing the way that they did the first 25 minutes, it looks really good,” DeVries said. “And they’re doing a great job, and they’re defending and getting movement and things.”

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending