Saturday, September 24
Ryan Field
6:30 p.m.
Northwestern
1-3 , 0-1
13
vs
24
Nebraska
4-0 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Nebraska
0
10
14
0
24
Northwestern
0
7
6
0
13
Team Stats
NEB
NU
Total Yards
556
388
Pass Yards
246
251
Rushing Yards
310
137
Penalty Yards
60
36
1st Downs
26
23
3rd Downs
7
5
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
35:23
24:37
2nd Quarter
NEB 3, NU 0
NEB - Brown, Drew 23 yd field goal 13 plays, 74 yards, TOP 5:47
NEB 3, NU 7
NU - Thorson, C. 42 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 1 plays, 42 yards, TOP 0:09
NEB 10, NU 7
NEB - Newby, Terrell 4 yd run (Brown, Drew kick), 2 plays, 63 yards, TOP 0:42
3rd Quarter
NEB 17, NU 7
NEB - Carter, Cethan 4 yd pass from Armstrong Jr. (Brown, Drew kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:52
NEB 17, NU 13
NU - Carr, Austin 24 yd pass from Thorson, C. (Mitchell, Jack kickfailed) 5 plays, 52 yards, TOP 1:24
NEB 24, NU 13
NEB - Westerkamp, J. 10 yd run (Brown, Drew kick), 9 plays, 79 yards, TOP 4:17
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
24
TD
1
YDS
249
INT
2
CMP
1
TD
0
YDS
2
INT
0
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballK
/ FootballQB
/ FootballNo. 20 Nebraska Tops Northwestern in Big Ten Opener, 24-13
9/24/2016 10:20:00 PM | Football
STORIFY SOCIAL MEDIA RECAP
EVANSTON, Ill.— Aiming for its second-straight victory under the lights at Ryan Field Saturday night, Northwestern was unable to stymie No. 20 Nebraska in a 24-13 loss to the Huskers to kick off Big Ten play.
Austin Carr set a career-high for receptions for the second-straight week and Clayton Thorson threw for 249 yards on 24 completions. Justin Jackson rushed for 84-yards on 20 rushes, while Godwin Igwebuike led the game with 15 total tackles.
Northwestern moves to 1-3 (0-1 B1G), while Nebraska is now 4-0 (1-0 B1G).
Northwestern had not allowed a point in any first quarter this season, and were looking to extend that streak to four games. Nebraska almost snapped the run on their first drive, as Terrell Newby sprung a 49-yard run to the goal line. But as Newby dove and stretched for the end zone, the ball popped loose, tumbling out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.
As the teams battled for field position, Northwestern had a chance to take an early lead, but Jack Mitchell's 27-yard field goal attempt went wide right. While no more chances materialized in the first, the Cornhuskers were able to split the uprights with a 23-yard field goal just over a minute into the second, claiming a 3-0 lead.
Both offenses shifted up a gear in the second quarter, gaining a combined 307 yards. Northwestern gave their response to Nebraska's score four minutes later when Clayton Thorson ripped off a 42-yard touchdown run for a 7-3 lead. It was Thorson's first scoring run since October 24, 2015, at Nebraska.
Despite giving up yardage, the Wildcats defense was bending but not breaking. With the Cornhuskers again looking ready to score, Igwebuike forced a fumble at the goal line, which Joseph Jones recovered for Northwestern's second touchback off of a fumble in the game.
Northwestern received the ball with just 101 seconds left in the half after Nebraska scored to reclaim a 10-7 lead. Starting from their own 22, the Wildcats drove 57 yards to the Nebraska 23, with 19 seconds remaining. Jack Mitchell lined up for the 40-yarder, but the Wildcats opted for a fake field-goal, which garnered just two yards and sent the game into the half at 10-7.
The offensive floodgates burst in the second half, with the first three drives all going for touchdowns. After Nebraska's opening score, Northwestern went 52-yards in just five plays, with Carr hauling in a 24-yard touchdown to cut NU's deficit to 17-13. It was Carr's third straight game with a touchdown reception, the first Wildcat to do so since Jeremy Ebert in 2011. But the game would again shift back Nebraska's direction, as Mitchell missed a PAT and the Cornhuskers found the end zone once more, taking a 24-13 lead to the end of the quarter.
Needing stops in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats defense pinned the Cornhuskers behind the NU 41 for the final 15 minutes. While Northwestern was able to gain 70-yards in the quarter, including a thrust to the Nebraska 27, but couldn't put more points on the board, falling 24-13.
Northwestern now hits the road for the first time this season for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff at Iowa next Saturday, Oct. 1.
EVANSTON, Ill.— Aiming for its second-straight victory under the lights at Ryan Field Saturday night, Northwestern was unable to stymie No. 20 Nebraska in a 24-13 loss to the Huskers to kick off Big Ten play.
Austin Carr set a career-high for receptions for the second-straight week and Clayton Thorson threw for 249 yards on 24 completions. Justin Jackson rushed for 84-yards on 20 rushes, while Godwin Igwebuike led the game with 15 total tackles.
Northwestern moves to 1-3 (0-1 B1G), while Nebraska is now 4-0 (1-0 B1G).
Northwestern had not allowed a point in any first quarter this season, and were looking to extend that streak to four games. Nebraska almost snapped the run on their first drive, as Terrell Newby sprung a 49-yard run to the goal line. But as Newby dove and stretched for the end zone, the ball popped loose, tumbling out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.
As the teams battled for field position, Northwestern had a chance to take an early lead, but Jack Mitchell's 27-yard field goal attempt went wide right. While no more chances materialized in the first, the Cornhuskers were able to split the uprights with a 23-yard field goal just over a minute into the second, claiming a 3-0 lead.
Both offenses shifted up a gear in the second quarter, gaining a combined 307 yards. Northwestern gave their response to Nebraska's score four minutes later when Clayton Thorson ripped off a 42-yard touchdown run for a 7-3 lead. It was Thorson's first scoring run since October 24, 2015, at Nebraska.
Despite giving up yardage, the Wildcats defense was bending but not breaking. With the Cornhuskers again looking ready to score, Igwebuike forced a fumble at the goal line, which Joseph Jones recovered for Northwestern's second touchback off of a fumble in the game.
Northwestern received the ball with just 101 seconds left in the half after Nebraska scored to reclaim a 10-7 lead. Starting from their own 22, the Wildcats drove 57 yards to the Nebraska 23, with 19 seconds remaining. Jack Mitchell lined up for the 40-yarder, but the Wildcats opted for a fake field-goal, which garnered just two yards and sent the game into the half at 10-7.
The offensive floodgates burst in the second half, with the first three drives all going for touchdowns. After Nebraska's opening score, Northwestern went 52-yards in just five plays, with Carr hauling in a 24-yard touchdown to cut NU's deficit to 17-13. It was Carr's third straight game with a touchdown reception, the first Wildcat to do so since Jeremy Ebert in 2011. But the game would again shift back Nebraska's direction, as Mitchell missed a PAT and the Cornhuskers found the end zone once more, taking a 24-13 lead to the end of the quarter.
Needing stops in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats defense pinned the Cornhuskers behind the NU 41 for the final 15 minutes. While Northwestern was able to gain 70-yards in the quarter, including a thrust to the Nebraska 27, but couldn't put more points on the board, falling 24-13.
Northwestern now hits the road for the first time this season for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff at Iowa next Saturday, Oct. 1.
••••••
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