On a hot and windy day, Nebraska’s football homecoming in October feels more like early August. The temperature was 97 degrees at kickoff and the wind was regularly blowing with gusts of more than 20 miles per hour.

As for the play on the field, neither team came out of the gate swinging.

Nebraska went for a 4th-and-1 deep in its own territory before later getting conservative and ultimately opting to punt. Rutgers blocked that punt. On the ensuing possession, in which a running back was averaging eight yards per carry, the Scarlet Knights set up for a 42-yard field goal, opting to fake it and let the defending champions try to score four yards. He didn’t.

On the next possession, the Huskers would strike first. On the seventh play of a 75-yard drive, Dante Dowdell scored a one-yard score on fourth down.

Then the teams traded punts, Rutgers missed a 52-yard field goal off the upright, and then a change of interceptions left NU with the ball at its own 28. Seven plays later, Janiran Bonner trotted into the end zone to give the Big Red a 14-0 lead.

Rutgers had a chance to score before halftime, but Ceyar Wright denied Athan Kaliakmanis at midfield.

On the final possession of the half, Nebraska got to the Rutgers 40-yard line, but stalled and decided to punt as time expired in the half.

Rutgers got inside Nebraska’s 40-yard line on its first four possessions but managed no points.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 11 of 18 passes for 120 yards. The Huskers rushed for 97 yards, with a 40-yard lead from Dowdell.

Kaliakmanis threw for 73 yards and completed 6 of 15 passes. Kyle Monangai rushed for 64 yards on eight carries in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he only managed two touches of the ball for a total of one yard.

Rutgers will have the ball to start the second half.

Nebraska Athletics Notes

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