Huskers Soar Past Panthers with Dominant 34-3 Win

Lincoln, NE – Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola led the charge as the No. 23 Nebraska Cornhuskers cruised to a commanding 34-3 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. With this win, the Huskers improve to 3-0, backed by a strong offensive performance and a smothering defense.

In front of the 399th consecutive sellout crowd, Raiola completed 13-of-16 first-half passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, propelling Nebraska to a 21-3 halftime lead. He finished the game with 247 passing yards and two scores before making an early exit in the fourth quarter as backup Heinrich Haarberg took over to close out the game.

Nebraska’s offense amassed 423 total yards, including 281 through the air and 148 on the ground. Emmett Johnson added to the Huskers’ scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, while the Blackshirts’ defense stifled Northern Iowa, holding them to just 301 total yards.

Isaac Gifford led the defense with 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, as Nebraska’s defense controlled the game from start to finish.

The Huskers now look ahead to their Big Ten Conference opener as they host unbeaten Illinois on Friday, Sept. 20, which will mark the 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) on FOX.

Game Summary

Nebraska 34, Northern Iowa 3
Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, NE)
Attendance: 86,547

Scoring Summary

First Quarter
NEB – Carter Nelson 24-yard pass from Dylan Raiola (Tristan Alvano kick), NEB 7-0
UNI – Caden Palmer 31-yard field goal, NEB 7-3

Second Quarter
NEB – Isaiah Neyor 18-yard pass from Raiola (Alvano kick), NEB 14-3
NEB – Jacory Barney Jr. 10-yard run (Alvano kick), NEB 21-3

Third Quarter
NEB – Alvano 31-yard field goal, NEB 24-3
NEB – Alvano 21-yard field goal, NEB 27-3

Fourth Quarter
NEB – Emmett Johnson 36-yard run (John Hohl kick), NEB 34-3