Nebraska
Dave Feit’s Nebraska-Iowa Recap: Historic Collapse Overshadows Emmett Johnson’s Amazing Season
In the past, I have compared the University of Iowa football team to cockroaches.
As utterly derogatory as that might seem, I mean it as a sincere compliment.
There are no surprises with how a roach approaches their business. They are who they are. Individually, they’re rather unremarkable. But they are a species that is collectively greater than the sum of their parts. They work as a team to ensure their survival.
Speaking of which, roaches are notoriously hardy. Once you allow them into your house, they are particularly difficult to eradicate. If a nuclear war broke out tomorrow, the only survivors would be cockroaches, a box of Twinkies, and Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa Hawkeyes completing one of their nine passes to a wide open tight end for a 43-yard gain.
Iowa embraces their inner cockroach. Ferentz has made “annoyingly hard to defeat” the identity of himself and his entire program. They’re never flashy (and they likely have a ceiling), but Iowa is as consistently reliable as turkey leftovers on Black Friday.
Meanwhile, there’s Nebraska. I don’t remember enough from my college entomology course to come up with a suitable insect comparison for the team once known as the Bugeaters. That’s probably because any insect species that struggles to score, cannot defend themselves, and generally acts disinterested in self-preservation is not likely to survive for very long.
On Friday, the Huskers almost made it to halftime before their mistakes and miscues started to snowball into an ugly 24-point loss. It was a bitterly disappointing result on a bitterly cold day at the end of a regular season that slid off the tracks.
Nebraska now has the better part of a month before their next game. Those four weeks – and the two after the bowl – will be absolutely crucial in determining the short and long-term future of the program. Which coach(es) – if any – leave? Which players depart via the portal – or for the NFL draft? Who comes in to fill those spots?
Nebraska’s laundry list of flaws will not get solved before the bowl, so the staff would be wise to study the Iowa tape and – at least for one game – apply the cockroach mentality to their preparation.
Husker fans may cringe at the notion of trying to replicate Iowa’s approach – even for one game – but the opportunity to a) leave fans with a good taste in their mouth, and b) be able to show a slight improvement in the overall record should not be understated.
This is a historic end-of-season collapse.
Nebraska lost this game by 24 points. They lost their previous game (at Penn State) by 27. In the history of the program, there have been nine other instances of back-to-back games with losses by 24 or more points. Only two happened since Bob Devaney was hired in 1962.
The most recent was in the middle of the 2007 season. NU lost at Missouri by 35, then to Oklahoma State by 31 on homecoming. Steve Pederson was fired the next day. Bill Callahan would win only one of his remaining five games before he was fired.
Before that*, we go back to the end of the 1990 season. The Huskers lost to Oklahoma by 35, and then by 24 to co-national champion Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl. Tom Osborne would go 78-6-1 in his next seven seasons, winning the conference seven times along with three national championships.
*The end of the 2001 season (26-point loss at Colorado, 23-point loss to Miami in the Rose Bowl) is a single point away from making the list. Frank Solich would coach for two more seasons, going 16-12.
It feels as if the program is closer to a 2007 repeat than a 1990s-esque run of dominance. But ask anybody who remembers the 1990 season, and they’ll tell you that were legitimate questions about if Osborne was slipping from the “can’t win the big one” towards “can he even get back to the big one?”
I’m not suggesting Rhule is on the Callahan or Osborne path. The parity in today’s game makes a 1990s style run impossible for everyone outside of the Ohio State/Georgia tier. Personally, I think Nebraska will be rewarded for having patience. Fred Hoiberg is currently putting together a strong case for the virtues of not firing a coach after three or four seasons.
But the Penn State and Iowa losses should not be swept under the rug. Legitimate cracks have been exposed in the foundation Rhule has built. They demand attention and a plan of action.
Don’t be surprised if there are staff changes before the bowl game.
Matt Rhule – fresh off a contract extension – is not going anywhere. But the status of the rest of the staff could (should?) be up in the air.
Let’s be blunt: the conference season was disappointing. In Nebraska’s five league losses, the Huskers were outscored by an average of 30 to 15. Giving up way too many points and not scoring enough is a great way to get fired. The last two losses – by a combined score of 77-26 – show a program heading in the wrong direction.
I’m not going to call for anybody to be fired, but there are assistants whose production has been underwhelming. I don’t think any of Nebraska’s three coordinators are going to leave, but stranger things have happened. Based on what I saw in 2025, Mike Ekeler is the one I’d focus the most effort (and resources) on retaining.
An extra wrinkle is the current chaotic coaching carousel. With so many staffs turning over, there were will be plenty of opportunities for coaches who may not be happy to take a lateral move (like Tony White and Terrance Knighton did last winter).
My advice for Matt Rhule: if there are staff openings this offseason, avoid the urge to seek out the next up-and-coming coach. While Rhule does have a good track record of identifying talent (Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Penn State’s Terry Smith got their breaks on a Matt Rhule staff), he has his share of misses as well (Garret McGuire and Bob Wager). Go with lower-risk options.
Emmett Johnson absolutely deserved to be a finalist for the Doak Walker Award.
Last week, the three finalists were named for the award given to the best running back in college football. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy, and Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss were the finalists who beat out Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson.
It was a bad decision that is already aging poorly. Johnson had a career-high 217 yards rushing and a touchdown against Iowa. That is the 23rd most rushing yards by a Husker in a single game, and first 200-yard game in over a decade. Johnson currently has 1,451 rushing yards (eighth best single season, fifth best by a junior). EJ has 1,821 all-purpose yards in 2025, the ninth best season in school history, ahead of Mike Rozier’s 1982 campaign.
If – and this is a gigantic (and unlikely) if – Johnson plays in the bowl game, he could climb even higher. Johnson would need 47 rushing yards to pass Ken Clark for the seventh best rushing season, and 161 yards to surpass Ameer Abdullah’s 2014 season for sixth place. On the all-purpose charts, 74 yards would pass both Abdullah (2012) and Lawrence Phillips for seventh place. 163 yards of total offense would get Emmett Johnson into the top 5, ahead of Ahman Green and Johnny Rodgers (1971). 191 all-purpose yards would give Johnson the third most in school history, trailing only Mike Rozier’s Heisman Trophy season and Ameer Abdullah’s fantastic 2014 campaign.
Alas, this is likely wishful thinking as I’d be shocked if Johnson plays in the bowl game.
In theory, Johnson should be named a first-team All-Big Ten pick – the first Husker running back to earn that honor since Ameer Abdullah in 2013. If Johnson can be named a first-team All-American, he would be the first Husker back since Mike Rozier in 1983.
Regardless of his records or accolades, Emmett Johnson has put together one of the greatest seasons by a Nebraska running back. Ever.
Why did Nebraska throw for the end zone late in the first half?
On first-and-ten from the Iowa 24, Emmett Johnson gained six yards on the ground as the clock ticked under four minutes in the second quarter.
Nebraska was already within field goal range, and was likely to come away with points. At that moment, the priority needed to shift from “we gotta score as soon as possible” to “we must score AND make sure Iowa does not have enough time to answer.” Remember: at this point, Iowa had scored on three of its four possessions. Nebraska absolutely wanted and needed a touchdown, but it was more important to secure another first down to burn clock.
The smart play in that situation would have been to run it on second down. Maybe Johnson picks up the first down, maybe it’s a short gain setting up a third-and-two. Either way, another 30 seconds ticks off the clock.
Instead, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen called a pass to the end zone on second-and-four. In the best-case scenario, NU scores a touchdown and gives Iowa the ball with 3:45 and all three timeouts. TJ Lateef’s throw for Dane Key fell incomplete. On third-and-four, Johnson picked up a single yard. NU ran the play clock down to 1 before calling a timeout. Kyle Cunanan drilled a 35-yard field goal, but Iowa got the ball back with 2:53 and all three timeouts.
The Hawkeyes tried to play conservative – running on first and second down. But Kamari Moulton gained 34 on second down, carrying the ball to the NU 40. Kirk Ferentz decided to put his foot on the gas. Iowa did what Nebraska should have done: five of their next seven plays were runs. When Iowa finally scored their inevitable touchdown, Nebraska had less than 40 seconds to respond.*
*That drive was a separate fiasco that had NU facing a fourth-and-five at their own 31-yard line.
For a coach who talks about winning the “middle eight,” it was a dreadful sequence, especially considering that Iowa was set to receive the second-half kickoff. Instead of potentially leading 20-17, NU trailed 24-16.
Assuming Dylan Raiola leaves, does Nebraska go after a starting quarterback or a backup to Lateef?
For the sake of this question, let’s assume Dylan Raiola enters the transfer portal when it opens. If that happens, Nebraska’s quarterback depth in 2026 would be:
The quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class (Dayton Raiola) has decommitted, and it seems unlikely that Nebraska will sign a high school senior.
Obviously, NU will be shopping heavily in the quarterback aisle when the portal opens. But what kind of quarterback (and how many) do they pursue? Will they go after a proven starter? A talented backup? Multiple guys? And what skillset does Rhule and Holgorsen want in a quarterback? A drop-back guy like Raiola? A more mobile player like Lateef? A true dual-threat option?*
*If you think these are a ton of question marks, or the returning production is scary, I’d suggest you don’t consider the running back room.
I don’t want this to sound overly dramatic, but I think the fate of Nebraska’s 2026 season will be determined by what happens in the transfer portal.
Does Iowa want this game more than Nebraska does?
Since joining the Big Ten in 2011, the Huskers are 4-11 against the Hawkeyes, including 10 of the last 11. While I’ll be the first to note just how bad Nebraska has been for much of that stretch (eight losing seasons), one thought sticks out whenever Nebraska and Iowa meet:
Iowa wants to win this game more than Nebraska does.
There’s no single thing that makes me say that. It is more of a vibe that I – and others – get from watching the two teams. Iowa appears more focused, more physical, and has proved willing to manufacture a perceived slight into a major grievance. The Huskers tend to treat the Iowa game the same as games against Illinois or Maryland.
I’m not suggesting Nebraska needs to talk trash before or during games, nor should the Huskers engage in faux tough guy stunts like refusing to shake hands. But I’d like for Nebraska to treat Iowa the same way they treated Colorado in 2024: a team that we never, ever want to lose to again. I guarantee the team on the other side of the field feels the exact same way.
A “Huskerigami” is a final score combination (win or lose) that has never happened in the 130+ year history of Nebraska football.
Final score: 40-16
Is that a Huskerigami? No. It has happened once before. The first time was a 1962 win at Kansas. Sophomore Gale Sayers – who spurned the home state Huskers during his recruitment – rushed for 107 yards. Former Husker head coach Bill Jennings – fired by NU after the 1961 season – was an assistant coach for KU.
5 Things I loved
- Emmett Johnson. Off the top of my head, EJ’s first half – 19 carries for 177 yards and a touchdown, plus a 13-yard reception – was the finest first half by a Husker back since Roy Helu against Missouri in 2010. Johnson’s growth and development have been a delight to watch. If he played his final game in a Nebraska uniform (as I suspect), he has a place on the short list of best Husker backs in the 21st century.
- Javin Wright. He has been Nebraska’s best defensive player in 2025, likely to end the season leading in tackles and tackles for loss, and near the top in sacks and interceptions despite missing a game. His perseverance after multiple career-threatening injuries is inspiring.
- Donovan Jones. When looking at Nebraska’s defense, it is very easy to be disappointed by their performance in several areas. But I try to remind myself how young this group is. Jones is one of four redshirt freshmen who started on defense against Iowa. He’s going to be a good one as an upperclassman.
- Kyle Cunanan. With three field goals against Iowa, Cunanan is now 16-19 (84.2%) on the season. That’s the highest percentage in a full season since Drew Brown was 12-14 (85.7%) in 2017. Connor Culp was 13-15 (86.7%) in the shortened 2020 season.
- Jacory Barney Jr. He had more return yards (98) than Kaden Wetjen (71). Yes, there are some asterisks on both sides of that stat, but I respect how Barney has continued to be present in special teams as his touches on offense have dwindled.
Honorable mention: Marques Watson-Trent, Kade Pietrzak, Derek Wacker, Kevin Gallic, Kamdyn Koch, the 2025 seniors and everybody else who played their final game as a Husker.
5 Areas for improvement
- Defense. Since the 2001 Colorado game, Nebraska is 2-45 when they allow 40 points or more. Friday was the 29th straight loss when the opponent scores 40+. John Butler’s Blackshirts are getting whipped at the line of scrimmage.
- Offense. Dylan Raiola was on a scooter and TJ Lateef played the majority of the game with a hamstring injury. But Lateef was equally hamstrung by his receivers dropping catchable passes. Nebraska struggled to extend drives, settled for field goals, and largely failed to do anything that didn’t involve Emmett Johnson.
- Takeaways. Another game without a sack, interception, or forced fumble. The absence of defensive turnovers adds another layer of pressure on a team that feels like it has zero margin for error.
- Special teams. It’s hard to out special teams Iowa, but a long kickoff return, a safety on a punt return, 32 yards per punt, and a facemask penalty on the kicker is never going to get it done.
- Corporate logos on the field. Did you notice the Verizon logo on the Memorial Stadium turf? I know it’s a part of doing business in 2025, where “additional revenue streams” is a popular buzz phrase. I think it’s ugly and would have zero impact on my decision to switch carriers.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced today that it is submitting a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Healthy Choice Waiver to include candy as an ineligible purchase. Once approved, the restriction will take effect November 1, 2026.
“DHHS continues to strengthen our Healthy Choice Waiver by adding candy to the list of items ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits,” said Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Office of Economic Assistance (OEA). “This step supports healthier SNAP purchasing decisions and reflects the Department’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Nebraskans.”
The change builds on the current Healthy Choice Waiver, which already prohibits the purchase of soda and energy drinks, a policy that took effect January 1, 2026.
Excessive consumption of sugar can contribute to a range of serious health conditions, including heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and dental decay. Research from the USDA has shown that SNAP participants have a higher prevalence of obesity than both income-eligible and higher-income nonparticipants.
That same study found that SNAP participants, on average, consume more added sugars and fewer fruits and vegetables than non-participants. Another study from the University of Minnesota found that restriction of sugary foods led to an increase in healthier purchases and a decrease in sugary food purchases.
Prior to the implementation date, educational information will be sent to SNAP participants, retailers, and community members outlining the changes. Additional information including the definition of candy, will be shared in the following weeks on the SNAP Healthy Choice Waiver webpage at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Healthy-Choices-Waiver.aspx. This will include frequently asked questions (FAQ), information on healthy alternative purchases, and other community resources.
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln expects to confer a record 3,800-plus degrees during commencement exercises May 8-9.
Pinnacle Bank Arena, 400 Pinnacle Arena Drive, will host a ceremony for students earning graduate and professional degrees, 3 p.m. May 8, and two ceremonies for those earning bachelor’s degrees, 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. May 9. Doors open to the public at 1:30 p.m. May 8 and 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. May 9. A College of Law ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. May 9 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, 1600 Court St., with doors opening to the public at 1 p.m.
Interim Chancellor Katherine S. Ankerson will preside over the ceremonies. The morning undergraduate ceremony will feature graduates in the Colleges of Business, Education and Human Sciences, Fine and Performing Arts, Journalism and Mass Communication, and Public Affairs and Community Service. The afternoon undergraduate ceremony will feature graduates in the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Architecture, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering.
DeMoine Adams, motivational speaker and former Husker football student-athlete, will deliver the keynote address, “The Power of People,” during the morning undergraduate ceremony. Nebraska Builder Awards will be given to College of Architecture alumni and university supporters Scott W. Killinger and Richard L. Youngscap during the afternoon undergraduate ceremony.
Adams is the founder and CEO of The Game Plan — Ready, Set Perform, a Lincoln-based leadership and motivational speaking business that aims to inspire people to lead with purpose and be winners in the game of life. He also recently served for five years as CEO of TeamMates Mentoring, co-founded by legendary Husker football coach Tom Osborne. A first-generation college graduate, Adams holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of Arts in educational psychology from Nebraska.
A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Adams was a standout Blackshirt defensive end and helped lead the Huskers to a Big 12 championship and national championship Rose Bowl appearance. He also earned Academic All-American and All-Big 12 honors. He went on to play professionally in the National, Canadian and Arena football leagues.
A native of Hebron, Nebraska, Killinger earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska in 1961 and a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966. He has since built an international career as an architect, educator and civic leader. He is principal and founding partner of Kuang Xing International, a 50-person architecture, landscape and urban design practice based in Beijing and Philadelphia, and a founder of the Killinger Center for Urban Studies in China, which has strong ties to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has taught and lectured at the university and served as the interim dean of the architecture college in 2015-16. He has also taught and lectured at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Savannah College of Art and Design, and leading Chinese universities.
A longtime advocate for his alma mater, Killinger served on the College of Architecture’s Professional Advisory Council from 2004-2015 and as a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation since 2012. In 2008, he received the distinguished Alumni Master award from the Nebraska Alumni Association. He is also a member of the NU Foundation’s Burnett Society for sustained philanthropic giving.
Youngscap is a lifelong Nebraskan, earning a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska in 1961. His early career was marked by a commitment to thoughtful urban development and land conservation. In 1965, he acquired 16 acres in southeast Lincoln to protect it from high-density urban sprawl — a decision that led to the creation of Firethorn Golf Club, one of Nebraska’s most celebrated golf venues. In the 1990s, he recognized the potential of Nebraska’s Sandhills region, an ancient seabed with unique natural features ideal for golf. Partnering with architects Bill Coore and the PGA’s Ben Crenshaw, he developed the Sand Hills Golf Club, which opened in 1995. The course, celebrated for its minimalist design and harmonious integration with the natural landscape, has consistently been ranked among the top courses in the world.
In 1997, Youngscap received the Dr. Herbert H. Davis Memorial Award from the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was honored with the Virgil A. Parker Special Recognition Award by the Nebraska Golf Association for his contributions to golf in Nebraska.
To maintain a secure environment, the commencement venues enforce a clear-bag policy that limits the size and type of bag that may be brought inside. Details are available here. To avoid inconveniences, guests and graduates are encouraged to arrive early and travel light.
No tickets are required for the ceremonies. All seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The public may sit in any non-reserved seats in Pinnacle Bank Arena other than on the main floor, which is set for graduates, faculty and dignitaries. Accessible seating is available on the concourse level in Sections 106, 107, 110, 112, 114, 117 and 118. Beverage stands will be open. Open captioning for people with hearing impairment will be provided through the ribbon screens at the corners of the arena concourse level. Guest services and first aid will be on Level 3 at Gate 112.
Paid parking, including accessible spaces, is available in Haymarket area garages and on the street. Additional information can be found here.
A drop-off area for mobility-restricted guests will be available on the south side of the U.S. Post Office building, 700 R St., directly east of Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Graduating students are to check in no later than 2:20 p.m. for the graduate and professional degree ceremony, 8:20 a.m. for the morning undergraduate ceremony and 2:20 p.m. for the afternoon undergraduate ceremony. Graduates should enter the south lobby, off R Street. A graduate-only entrance sign will be posted. Participants should bring their graduation regalia, as well as their NCard, or a photo ID and NU ID number, for check-in. Graduates will be given a name/number card to find their place in the processional lineup. They should bring this card to the stage to receive their diploma. Limited coat room space will be available, so graduates are encouraged to leave personal items with family or friends.
Guest parking for the College of Law ceremony is available in Lot 58, east of the Devaney Center. Guests should enter the venue via the north ramp. Accessible parking is also available east of the building. Attendants can direct guests to accessible seating. Limited guest services will be available.
Law graduates should park in Lot 57, just south of The Ice Box; enter through the Francis Allen Training Complex, northwest of the Devaney Center; and proceed to the track area. They should check in no later than 1:15 p.m. Graduates should bring their gown, tam and hood, as well as any honor cords or medallions. Personal items should be left with family or friends or in a locked vehicle. Graduates will return their robes in the track area following the ceremony.
Those participating in the Family Traditions Ceremony should arrive at 12:30 p.m. and follow signs to the main level of the Devaney Center, near the Athletic Training Office. The ceremony will begin at 12:45 p.m. and conclude in time for graduates to report for lineup.
The graduate and undergraduate ceremonies are expected to last about two-and-a-half hours, and the College of Law ceremony is expected to last 90 minutes to two hours. Graduates and their guests are asked to stay for the entire ceremony.
The commencement livestreams can be accessed here. The ceremonies also will be broadcast live on Spectrum channel 1303, Allo channel 23 and Kinetic channel 1080.
Additional information on May commencement is available here or by emailing commencement@unl.edu. For more information on the College of Law ceremony, contact Paige Debrie at 402-472-5117 or pdebrie2@unl.edu.
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