Nebraska defeats Rutgers 14-7: Game recap

Rutgers’ attempts to pound the rock inside were denied once, then twice before a potential touchdown catch was stopped short of the goal line by defensive back DeShon Singleton. As a raucous home crowd rose to full voice on the fourth-down try, Rutgers’ quick, shaky pass to the outside fall incomplete.

It was simply that kind of night for a Rutgers team that found it impossible to break through against the Blackshirts. The Husker defense led the way as Nebraska defeated Rutgers 14-7 on a warm, windy fall afternoon where temperatures reached 97 degrees inside Memorial Stadium prior to kickoff.

In a game where possessions were at a premium, Nebraska (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) crucially made the most of its first half chances.

After having a punt blocked on its opening drive of the game, Nebraska came up with a big special teams play of its own when it sniffed out a Rutgers (4-1, 1-1) fake field goal attempt. Rather than attempting a long field goal into the wind, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano dialed up a fake kick which the Huskers were well-prepared for and stopped in its tracks.

That big play set up an ensuing Nebraska touchdown drive in which quarterback Dylan Raiola found running back Rahmir Johnson for a 36-yard gain on a well-timed screen pass. Nebraska needed to gain the tough yards to finish the drive off, though, as it ultimately faced a fourth-and-goal from the Rutgers 1-yard line.

Behind a jumbo offensive package that included additional offensive linemen and fullback Barret Liebentritt, running back Dante Dowdell crossed the goal line untouched for a 1-yard rushing score.

Nebraska’s success in third-and-short situations and on fourth down, where it often brought Liebentritt and lineman Micah Mazzccua into the game, helped the Huskers take a 14-point halftime lead. Nebraska converted 5-of-10 third-down opportunities and two fourth-down tries during the first half alone.

While Rutgers found plenty of initial success behind running back Kyle Monangai, who averaged 8 yards per carry in the first quarter, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t turn it into points. Rutgers drove into Nebraska territory on four of its five first-half possessions but came away empty-handed every time.

On one possession where the Scarlet Knights lined up for a fourth-down try, a false start led to Rutgers punting it away instead. Even Rutgers’ most successful drive from the game’s opening 30 minutes, an eight-play, 42-yard march down the field, fizzled out when a 52-yard field goal try sailed wide right.

Nebraska soon gave its opponent an opportunity to get back into the game when Raiola, throwing into traffic over the middle of the field, didn’t see Rutgers’ Flip Dixon preparing to step in front of his slant pass.

Dixon’s takeaway marked Raiola’s third interception of the season, setting up a Rutgers drive on the plus side of the field.

Four plays later and the ball was headed the other way. A second-down sack from Ty Robinson pushed the Scarlet Knights back, and seeking to create something on fourth down, quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis found Nebraska defensive back Marques Buford instead.

Buford’s takeaway set up Nebraska with a rapid-fire touchdown drive which was needed to give the Huskers a two-score advantage at the break. NU broke off two big plays in rapid succession, first a 31-yard throw from Raiola to Jahmal Banks which was swiftly followed by an 18-yard Johnson run.

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield then dialed up a look for Janiran Bonner at the right time to catch the Rutgers defense on its heels. Bonner, typically a blocker for Nebraska, took just his second rushing attempt of the season 11 yards into the end zone for a 14-0 Nebraska lead.

A second Husker interception, one which required an acrobatic effort from Ceyair Wright to prevent the ball from hitting the turf, contributed to the Nebraska defense earning its third first-half shutout in six tries this season.

Needing a response down 14 points, Rutgers simply found itself unable to come up with the game-changing play it needed to break through the Nebraska defense. Even during a third quarter which was nearly entirely played on the Nebraska side of the field, nothing changed from Rutgers’ first-half struggles.

The Scarlet Knights’ third quarter drives resulted in a punt, turnover on downs and another punt. A major missed opportunity — in which a blocked punt set up Rutgers at the 2-yard line — loomed large. And when Nebraska’s own struggles as a special teams unit led to Rutgers taking over at the 28-yard line following a short punt, the Scarlet Knights simply went backwards.

As Rutgers desperately abandoned its ground game late in the contest in search of passing production, the Nebraska pass rush feasted. Nash Hutmacher and James Williams crashed the backfield for sacks on back-to-back plays, stopping yet another Rutgers drive in its tracks.

The Scarlet Knights needed nearly 56 minutes of in-game action to record their first points, an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kaliakmanis to Ben Black.

Nebraska will spend next Saturday on a bye week, one that the Huskers will enter with a two-game winning streak and 5-1 record overall.