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Huskers Have a Heck of a Half then Hold on as the Blackshirts Bully the Buffs

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Huskers Have a Heck of a Half then Hold on as the Blackshirts Bully the Buffs


On a gorgeous Saturday evening in early September, the Nebraska Cornhuskers stormed out to a 28-0 halftime lead and then held off the Colorado Buffaloes 28-10 with a dominating defensive performance. The old rivals from the Big 8 and Big 12 are not scheduled to play each other again, but the Huskers notched their first victory against the Buffs since 2010 after losing the last three contests, and their 50th overall win in the series (50-21-2).

After a brilliant first half, the outcome was never really in doubt. Head Coach Matt Rhule said setting the tone early in the game was a top goal for Nebraska tonight and every game, and he was happy they did that from the opening snap. Colorado’s first five drives, which amassed a total of 12 yards, ended with a punt, turnover-on-downs, pick-six, punt and punt. The Buffaloes netted minus-2 yards of total offense in the first quarter and had just 112 yards at intermission.

Nebraska’s defensive intensity and offensive execution completely overshadowed the undisciplined “Primetime” fiasco from Boulder. The tale of two systems revealed that you have to recruit and develop experience in the trenches vs relying too heavily on the transfer portal. You also have to field a team of at least 22 starters that is melded together versus featuring two future NFL players who demand a spotlight and a platform. It was gratifying to see that hard work and dedication can win out over narcissistic ambition and trash talking prima donnas.

Then there was a second half that featured a very conservative offensive approach combined with the most odoriferous display of officiating in recent memory. The B12 crew took over the game and disrupted the flow for both teams. I don’t understand why in these intersectional contests, you don’t employ officials from a neutral conference. During two of Nebraska’s fourth quarter possessions, there were seven penalties called in nine plays from scrimmage. In total, the Huskers were flagged 12 times for 105 yards (nine of them in the second half) and the Buffs committed 9 infractions for 104 yards. The penalties called back a 45-yard gain by Jacory Barney and a 71-yard touchdown by Rahmir Johnson. Even more surprising was that Colorado mostly escaped holding calls even though defenders were tackled or had their jerseys stretched by offensive linemen. Bad calls impacted both teams (the roughing the passer call on CU was a bit dubious), but the disparity in how holding was called brought the official’s objectivity into question.

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Particularly frustrating was the Husker offensive series in the fourth quarter after the defense secured a turnover on downs at the CU 28-yard line. With a great opportunity to score and effectively blow out the Buffs, the Huskers moved back 15 yards because of a pair of penalties before punting (which was blocked) giving Colorado the ball at their own 42-yard line. The subsequent Colorado drive featured a bogus targeting call on linebacker Mikai Gbayor that extended the drive and led to the only Buffalo touchdown with 8:45 remaining. Rant over.

Defense ruled the day as Colorado was held to 260 yards of offense with just 16 net yards rushing. This marks the 10th time in 14 games under Matt Rhule the Huskers have limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing, including seven games with 75 or fewer yards. The Blackshirts finished with ten tackles for loss, six sacks, and two takeaways (a pick six and a forced fumble recovery). Buff star receiver Travis Hunter got his yards (10 catches for 110 yards) but Jimmy Horn was held to just 3 catches for 26 yards and their cadre of other speedy receivers totaled just 81 yards. Nebraska has held each of its past six opponents at Memorial Stadium to 14 or fewer points. One of the Colorado scribes stated that this was likely the toughest defense the Buffaloes will face all season (and that includes a contest against Utah).  

Four Huskers had a team-high six tackles – Isaac Gifford, DeShon Singleton, Tommi Hill and Mikai Gbayor. Linebacker John Bullock (5 tackles) led the team with two tackles for loss. He stepped up big-time when Colorado was in Nebraska territory in the fourth quarter. The senior stuffed the Buffs on a 4th and 1. Ty Robinson was a man on a mission finishing with two tackles including a sack, a TFL, a pass breakup, and a QB hurry. Oh, and he also blocked a field goal. Nebraska also had sacks from Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler, MJ Sherman, Princewell Umanmielen, and Willis McGahee IV. .   Tommi Hill’s pick six was his fifth career interception, and his first interception return for a touchdown. McGahee also forced the fumble that was recovered by Jimari Butler.

Offensively, for the second game in a row, Dylan Raiola has driven the Huskers down the field for an opening touchdown and he has led Nebraska to touchdowns in the two-minute drill to end the first half. Nebraska finished with 334 yards in total offense compiling 185 yards passing and 149 yards rushing. The offensive line did not yield a sack, and the squad protected the ball allowing the Huskers to win the turnover battle 2-0. Despite converting 3 of 6 third down attempts in the first half, they were 0 for 6 in the second half and punted five times before kneeling to end the game in their final series. Colorado committed to stopping the run after intermission as the Huskers had just 62 yards on 18 carries (9 for 12 yards in the 4th). There is much to clean up before Nebraska enters league play in two weeks as it will likely require playing 60 minutes of productive football and being blanked in the second half won’t cut it.

Dylan Raiola completed 23 of 30 passes for 185 yards and a TD toss. He probably had more yards rushing in the first quarter (12 yards) than in his last three years of high school combined. What a difference a year makes. Last year the Husker QB committed four turnovers, and the team lost by 22 points. Granted, Raiola was very fortunate on the 18-yd touchdown toss to Rahmir Johnson, as the ball should have been intercepted, but perhaps the old Latin proverb is true that “fortune favors the bold.”

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Dante Dowdell (17 carries for 74 yards) led all rushers and opened the scoring for the second straight week with a 12-yard first quarter touchdown run and added a one-yard TD in the second quarter. He not only punished defenders but held on to the ball. Rahmir Johnson (9 rushes for 33 yards) caught an 18-yard TD pass to close the first half scoring. Johnson finished the game with 82 all-purpose yards, including 49 receiving yards on a career-high eight catches.   Jacory Barney added 28 yards on two carries but could have had a lot more sans the penalties. He also recorded 6 catches for 29 yards. This guy can fly if the Huskers can just get him the ball in space. Last week’s leading receiver, Isaiah Neyor, was held to 31 yards receiving on 4 receptions and Jaylen Lloyd had a huge 36-yard reception at the 2-yard line to set up a second quarter touchdown. Nate Boerkircher had a career long 25-yard reception on a 3rd and 24 play and Thomas Fidone had a solo catch for 13 yards but continues to spring runners and receivers with his fine blocking on the edge.

Special teams remain a mixed bag of blessings and curses. Punter Brian Buschini had a 60-yard punt downed at the Colorado 2-yard line in the second quarter which resulted in a Nebraska pick-six on the ensuing play. The 60-yard punt was the fifth of Buschini’s Nebraska career.   Buschini finished the night with a 50.8-yard average on five punts including three punts inside the 20-yard line. He also kicked off three times recording a solo touchback. Let’s not forget that Dylan Raiola had a 40-yard punt (net 20 as it rolled into the endzone). Nebraska blocked a second-quarter Colorado field goal, marking Nebraska’s fifth blocked kick in the past two seasons, including four field goals and one punt. Unfortunately, Tristan Alvano missed a 32-yard field on the first play of the second quarter. That short a distance should be a gimme for a second year-starter. The kickoff team also gave up a 61-yard return to Jimmy Horn in the first quarter. With those type of return men, we need someone who can consistently kick the ball through the endzone.

The bottom line is that the Huskers are now 2-0 as opposed to the 0-2 start a year ago. It feels a lot better, doesn’t it? The crowd at Memorial was loud and rocking throughout and the Huskers have two more night games in the next 13 days. Next week, 2-0 Northern Iowa comes to Lincoln after scoring 10 fourth quarter points to defeat St. Thomas Saturday 17-10. It should present a good tune-up for the Huskers before playing Illinois September 20th. The Illini defeated 19th ranked Kansas Saturday 23-17 to also move to 2-0. Kansas has a pretty solid offense and Illinois shut them down. The dreams of being 7-0 before Ohio State means that the Huskers will have to continue to improve as there are at least three teams in that stretch that can throw a wrench into that plan. But for now, enjoy the win and recognize the Huskers are building something special again.  Go Big Red!!

MORE: Tad Stryker: Blackshirts Pack a Punch

MORE: Gallery: Nebraska Football Beats Colorado for First Time Since 2010

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MORE: Gut Reaction: Nebraska Football Dominates Colorado

MORE: Big Ten Football Week 2 Capsules

MORE: Stryker Pregame Perspective: Who Will Lead the Huskers’ Running Game?

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





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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana

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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana


A windy day led to a wild slugfest at Hawks Field Saturday, but No. 24 Nebraska baseball knocked off Indiana, 12-7, clinching the conference series for the Cornhuskers while running Nebraska’s home record to 11-0.

The Huskers scored three runs in the first and two in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead. The Hoosiers answered with three in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the NU lead to 5-4. Nebraska took control of the game with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to grow the lead to 12-4. IU scored one in the eighth, but drew no closer.

Drew Grego was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Dylan Carey drove in five runs and hit a home run, while always drawing a pair of walks. Case Sanderson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of walks. Jeter Worthley added a 2-for-4 showing with an RBI and a walk. Carson Jasa (5-1) earned the win, throwing 5.2 innings for NU. He allowed four hits while striking out 10 and walking five. For Indiana, Owen ten Oever was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Cooper Malamazian was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Huskers aim for the sweep Sunday at Hawks Field against Indiana. First pitch is slated for noon with pregame coverage at 11:30 a.m. on KLIN.

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands


LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Hundreds of Nebraskans protested against the Trump administration Saturday along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln, and thousands protested near Northwest Radial Highway in Omaha as part of No Kings demonstrations statewide.

Protesters along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln on March 28, 2026. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

The third iteration of No Kings protests organized border to border gatherings to vent displeasure at President Donald Trump and his administration’s policy decisions. The Lincoln protest was held on the Helen Boosalis Trail between North 27th Street and North 56th Street.

“I don’t like what’s going on … I know it’s not the world I want to live in,” said Ford Kloepper, a 17-year-old Lincoln resident.

Kloepper said people his age are going to take the “brunt” of Trump’s “mistakes.” He pointed to the recent U.S. conflict in Iran as a motivator to protest for him, as he doesn’t want to get “drafted into a war in the Middle East for no reason at all.”

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Many of the protesters, much like previous demonstrations, held anti-Trump signs with slogans like, “Trump lies” and “Stop Trump, save democracy.” Others held American flags and wore costumes. Volunteers from different groups gathered signatures for ballot initiatives and at least one candidate. One of the petitions sought to let voters decide on a state constitutional amendment requiring larger majorities to repeal or change any law passed by voters. Volunteers for nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn collected signatures to get him on the November ballot. 

People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Organizers planned 18 protests across Nebraska. In Omaha, the rally was held at Gallagher Park, with thousands of protesters filling the sidewalks and grassy areas near the intersection of Maple Street and the Northwest Radial. 

Organizers said the spot let protesters draw attention to historic Benson and all of the restaurants, galleries and coffee shops that have made the neighborhood a cultural destination since 1887.  Among the crowd filled with a variety of ages and races was Lorin and Elwin Moseman, waving signs that said, “End Wars Before Wars End Us” and “No Kings No ICE.”

It was the Mosemans’ third anti-Kings rally, and despite the chill of the day, they said they wouldn’t have missed it. 

“It could have been an ice storm,” said Elwin, who was motivated in particular by “the Epstein files and Trump being in them, this stupid war we’ve got involved with Iran.”

His wife, Lorin, said she came to “stand up for democracy.”

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“I want to show up, stand up and speak out about our country,” she said, decrying “leadership incompetency from the very beginning.”

She said the nation needs a presidential job description and interview, and she was not short on words to describe her disgust and disappointment about current leadership: “Shameful, disgusting, exhausting.” 

“We’re in a broken world,” she said.

Nearby, a bundled up woman in a wheelchair held onto a sign that said, “I’m mad about everything.”

Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in...
Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in the Omaha demonstration on Saturday. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Sara Peterson led buses carrying about 75 protesters from First United Methodist Church of Omaha. She said people felt a sense of unity and joy seeing the chanting crowd, which she said reflected her group’s makeup — diverse in age, ethnicity and political party.

“We’re not alone,” she said “It’s an exciting day to be a part of.”

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Peterson called the rally a “tangible sign of people coming together … for democracy.” Her group included church members and their friends — some of whom never participated in such a protest or rally before but felt the urge and were nudged “out of their comfort zone to take back our country and democracy.

Since the return of Trump for a second term, the anti-Trump group has organized national protests. Nebraska, much like the rest of the nation, saw multiple demonstrations throughout 2025. 

The group also bought ads in local newspapers ahead of the Saturday protests. Nebraska Republican Party chair Mary Jane Truemper had no immediate comment on the protests.

As Election Day gets closer, political observers have wondered how organizers might harness the political energy, whether the demonstrations might signal a coming wave of change at the polls, or whether momentum will fizzle after the crowds go home. Some have argued Democrats and progressives are good at mobilizing people for large-scale protests but have lagged conservatives in building local infrastructure to affect sweeping policy changes.

Back in Lincoln, Erik Betts, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, said the political winds are in Democrats’ favor, and he feels the possibilities are endless, even in a reliably red state. He said he thinks Osborn could beat Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, and he hopes the “blue” wave might be large enough to beat Nebraska 1st Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a former speaker of the Legislature. 

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“We need to really show up this time …We’ve got to take this motivation … and make a difference,” Betts said. 

Betts said events like these help him stay hopeful because it reminds him that he is not alone.

“When you are in your own house and just scrolling on social media, it’s easy to feel just defeated,” Betts said. “So I come out as much to show support for everyone else, to feel that maybe a bunch of people agree with [me] and things can change.”

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.

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Omaha woman fighting for medical debt relief in Nebraska

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Omaha woman fighting for medical debt relief in Nebraska


OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For many families, beating a cancer diagnosis isn’t just about physical recovery. One Omaha cancer survivor is now using her voice to fight for medical debt relief across Nebraska.

Diana Gleisberg Meredith thought she had an upper respiratory infection in January 2024.

“In January of 2024, I felt like I had some kind of upper respiratory – maybe Pneumonia, RSV…” Meredith said.

She was sent from her primary care doctor to the emergency room to a hospital by ambulance in a five-hour span.

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“The ER doctor identified that it was cancer, likely lymphoma,” Meredith said.

Diagnosis came as new mother started treatment

The diagnosis came as Meredith became a new mom. She knew she had to immediately start treatment.

“It’s life changing. You go from not having a care in the world to thinking you’re going to die and how is that going to affect my baby. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through emotionally, physically and mentally,” Meredith said.

Meredith said there’s an invisible burden that comes with the diagnosis.

“Not everybody is lucky to have the financial support or the human support to help them,” Meredith said.

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Treatment costs could add up to millions

Meredith had 12 chemo treatments. Each used four medications, with one of those costing more than $130,000. For one family, this could add up to millions.

After Meredith entered remission, she began fighting for medical debt relief for other Nebraskans.

“Nebraskans all throughout the state and right here in Omaha – they’re having to make those decisions about should they save their life, or how do they care for their family,” Meredith said.

Advocacy group plans Washington trip

She works with Blood Cancer United alongside other Omaha mothers whose children are cancer survivors. They hold fundraisers like “Light the Night,” collecting thousands of dollars and supporters.

In May, they’ll travel to Washington, D.C., for training on how to push for change at the federal level.

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“Our office of public policy gets together to help train these volunteers, help them get to know each other better and develop familiarity with what it means to go to a lawmakers office in Washington DC,” said Dana Bacon, senior director of government affairs for Blood Cancer United.

Meredith is fighting for lower interest rates on medical debt, no foreclosures on homes over medical debt and paused interest rates.

“It’s probably the most stressful thing that you’re going to go through, and then having to add medical debt on top of it? To be honest it’s hell,” Meredith said.

Other states are already protecting families from medical debt. Meredith said Nebraska should be next. Iowa is one of the states that limits liens and foreclosures when a family is drowning in medical debt.

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