Nebraska tight end Austin Allen (11) runs for a first down after a third-quarter reception against Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin (right) on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Austin Allen was able to look back at his first touchdown of the season and smile, even though Nebraska had fallen in a close game to Michigan and even though, as it turns out, the scoring play shouldn’t have counted in the first place.
Allen, the fifth-year junior tight end from Aurora, sneaked behind the Wolverines’ linebacking corps and hauled in a play-action pass from Adrian Martinez for a 41-yard touchdown to get NU on the board for the first time early in the third quarter and spark a 29-point second half.
“That was a really good feeling,” Allen said. “It wasn’t so much of a good feeling when I watched it on film and we were in an illegal formation, technically. I probably would’ve strangled somebody on the outside if they got that called back, but it was really nice to get, kind of, the ice broken for the season.
“Hopefully the floodgates are open now for more to come.”
Indeed, Nebraska had five men lined up in the backfield and got away with it.
He was also right about the floodgates part.
The 6-foot-9, 260-pounder followed up that night against the Wolverines with the best game of his career Saturday in NU’s 30-23 loss at Minnesota.
Allen caught five passes for 121 yards and another touchdown, essentially doubling his previous best outing (61 yards against Fordham earlier this year).
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