Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Saturday, October 2, 2021 | 6:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Cory Provus, Matt Millen, Elise Menaker)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Jeremiah Sirles, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big Ten
Last Game: at Michigan State (L 20-23 OT)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost (33-30, 6th year overall | 14-23, 4th year NU)
Frost vs. Northwestern: 1-2
WILDCATS
Record: 2-2, 0-1 Big Ten
Last Game: vs. Ohio (W 35-6)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (108-83, 16th year overall and at NU)
Fitzgerald vs. Nebraska: 5-5
Numbers to Know
8 - Eight of the ten meetings between Nebraska and Northwestern since the Huskers joined the Big Ten have been decided by one score. Six of the 10 games have been decided by three points or less, with the schools splitting those six games.
0 - Nebraska's defense held Michigan State without a first down in the final 30 minutes of regulation last Saturday night. The Husker defense ranks 26th in the nation allowing 16.4 first downs per game.
4 - Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He is one of just four players in the country to lead his team in rushing, passing and scoring.
The Matchup
Nebraska returns to Lincoln for a two-game homestand at Memorial Stadium, beginning with a prime-time contest on Saturday against defending Big Ten West champ Northwestern. Game time at Memorial Stadium is set for shortly after 6:30 p.m., with the game televised on BTN.
Saturday's game is Nebraska's Homecoming contest and the start of five home games over the final seven games of the season.
Nebraska enters the game at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play following a heartbreaking 23-20 overtime loss at No. 20 Michigan State on Saturday night. The Huskers dominated the second half of the game, and held a touchdown lead late in the game, but a Spartan punt return touchdown forced overtime, where the Spartans escaped with the three-point win.
The Blackshirt defense continues to perform at an elite level. Nebraska held Michigan State to 254 yards of total offense, including just 14 second-half yards and no first downs in the final 30 minutes of regulation.
Northwestern comes to Lincoln with a 2-2 mark, including an 0-1 record in Big Ten action. The Wildcats opened the season with a home conference loss against Michigan State, and have since won two of three non-conference matchups, including a 35-6 victory over Ohio on Saturday in Evanston. Coach Pat Fitzgerald's squad controlled the line of scrimmage against Ohio, rushing for 373 yards in the victory.
Each of the five Nebraska-Northwestern matchups in Lincoln since 2011 have been decided by one score, including two Nebraska wins on the game's final play.
Series History
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 8-6
In Lincoln: Nebraska leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13 (2020 in Evanston)
Current Win Streak: Northwestern, 1 game
Saturday's matchup between Nebraska and Northwestern will be the 15th all-time between the two schools, with Nebraska holding an 8-6 advantage. The teams have split 10 meetings since Nebraska joined the Big Ten and the series has a history of close games.
- The five games in Lincoln since 2017 have been decided by a total of 17 points, with the largest margin being a seven-point Northwestern overtime victory in 2017. The 2013 and 2019 Husker victories were both decided on the game's final play, marking two of just three walk-off Nebraska wins in Memorial Stadium history.
- Overall, eight of the 10 meetings since 2011 have been decided by eight or fewer points, including each of the past four games.
- The schools met four times prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten, with the Huskers holding a 3-1 edge. Nebraska defeated Northwestern 66-17 in the 2000 Alamo Bowl, a Husker record for points scored in a bowl game.
- The schools are set to open the 2022 season against each other on Aug. 27 in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Nebraska vs. Northwestern Big Ten History
2011: Northwestern 28, #9 Nebraska 25 (Lincoln)
2012: Nebraska 29, Northwestern 28 (Evanston)
2013: Nebraska 27, Northwestern 24 (Lincoln)
2014: #19 Nebraska 38, Northwestern 17 (Evanston)
2015: Northwestern 30, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2016: #20 Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13 (Evanston)
2017: Northwestern 31, Nebraska 24 (OT) (Lincoln)
2018: Northwestern 34, Nebraska 31 (OT) (Evanston)
2019: Nebraska 13, Northwestern 10 (Lincoln)
2020: Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13 (Evanston)
Nebraska to Celebrate Homecoming vs. Wildcats
This weekend will serve as Homecoming on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. This marks the 110th Homecoming Game in Nebraska history, with Nebraska owning an all-time record of 82-23-4 (.771) in Homecoming Games. Nebraska has won nine of its last 11 Homecoming games, including a 6-2 record against Big Ten teams on Homecoming.
Huskers Welcome Wildcats for Big Ten Home Opener
After playing its first two Big Ten Conference games away from Lincoln, the Huskers will play host to Northwestern for their league opener. Nebraska is 7-3 in Big Ten home openers since joining the league in 2011, including a 30-23 win over Penn State last season.
Last Five Nebraska Big Ten Home Openers
2016: #15 Nebraska 31, Illinois 16
2017: Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17
2018: Purdue 42, Nebraska 28
2019: #5 Ohio State 48, Nebraska 7
2020: Nebraska 30, Penn State 23
Primetime in Memorial Stadium
Nebraska will play its first night game in Memorial Stadium since a 2019 matchup with Ohio State in Lincoln. It is just the third night game for NU in Scott Frost's four seasons as head coach.
- Historically, Nebraska has a strong history of success in night games at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers are 47-8 all-time in home night games since its first prime-time game at Memorial Stadium in 1986.
- Nebraska is 6-3 in home primetime games against Big Ten foes since joining the league in 2011.
About Northwestern Football
Northwestern University has fielded a football team since 1882 and was a founding member of the Big Ten Conference (originally the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives) in 1896. The Wildcats have won eight Big Ten Championships (1903, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1995, 1996, and 2000) and have won two Big Ten West Division titles (2018 and 2020). Northwestern has had 14 consensus All-America selections and 142 First-Team All-Big Ten selections in program history.
First Year: 1882
Overall Record: 545-677-44
Bowl Record: 6-10
Conference Titles: 8
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Ryan Field
Capacity: 47,130
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Enrollment: 8,327
Colors: Purple and White
About 2021 Northwestern
Schedule/Results (2-2, 0-1)
Michigan State (L 21-38)
Indiana State (W 24-6)
at Duke (L 23-30)
Ohio (W 35-6)
at Nebraska
Rutgers
at Michigan
Minnesota
Cockeye
at Wisconsin
Purdue
Illinois
Northwestern is 2-2 entering Saturday's game. The Wildcats began the season vs. Michigan State, falling to the Spartans 38-21. In Week Two, Northwestern hosted Indiana State and claimed its first win of the season with a 24-6 victory. The Wildcats suffered a 30-23 setback at Duke in Week Three before bouncing back to earn a decisive 35-6 win vs. Ohio last weekend at home.
The Wildcats feature one of the more dominant rushing attacks in the country this season. Northwestern ranks 24th nationally with 214.0 yards per game on the ground. Evan Hull has 478 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 119.5 yards per game. Hunter Johnson has completed 45-of-75 passes for 424 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions, while Ryan Hilinski heared the start against Ohio. Bryce Kirtz leads the receiving corps with 193 yards on 16 receptions and 48.3 receiving yards per game.
Defensively, Northwestern ranks 11th in the conference in total defense, allowing 396.5 yards per game. Chris Bergin paces the Wildcats on defense with 45 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
About Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald is in his 16th season at Northwestern and boasts a 108-83 career record with the Wildcats and overall. Fitzgerald served short stints at Maryland, Colorado and Idaho as defensive graduate assistants and linebacker/special teams coach before returning back to his alma mater. In 2001, Fitzgerald joined the Wildcats as the defensive backs coach. From 2002 to 2005 Fitzgerald served as NU's linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator before being named head coach in 2006.
In his 15 years as head coach, Fitzgerald has taken the Wildcats to 10 bowl games and two Big Ten Championship Games, including most recently in 2020. Northwestern finished last season with a 7-2 record and posted a victory in the Citrus Bowl over Auburn.
Fitzgerald was a standout linebacker for Northwestern in the mid-1990s earning consensus All-America honors. He helped lead Northwestern to a pair of Big Ten Championships and a Rose Bowl berth in 1995. The 46-year-old Fitzgerald is a native of Orland Park, Illinois and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Last Meeting: November 7, 2020
Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13
EVANSTON - In another game between Nebraska and Northwestern that came down to the final play, Luke McCaffrey's pass to the middle of the end zone intended for Wan'Dale Robinson fell incomplete to allow the Wildcats to escape with a 21-13 win over the Huskers at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., on Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska suffered its second defeat to open the season despite putting up 442 yards of total offense and 28 first downs against Northwestern, while holding the unbeaten Wildcats to just 317 total yards and just 14 first downs.
The Huskers pounded the ball up and down the field against a stout Northwestern defense, rushing for 224 yards on 43 carries (5.2 ypc), while holding Northwestern's potent ground attack to 148 yards on 38 totes (3.9 ypc).
Nebraska also controlled the time of possession (32:27-27:33) for the game and matched the Wildcats in the turnover department as both defenses recorded a pair of interceptions. The Huskers were also penalized for 55 yards (9 penalties), compared to 64 (8 penalties) for Northwestern, but the Wildcats made more plays in the red zone on both sides of the ball to walk away with their first 3-0 start to a season since 2000.
Junior quarterback Adrian Martinez led the Nebraska ground game with 102 yards on 13 carries, while adding 125 yards by completing 12-of-27 passes in three quarters of action. Redshirt freshman Luke McCaffrey added 49 yards on eight carries while completing 12-of-16 passes for 93 yards in just over one quarter of action.
Senior running back Dedrick Mills also played a big role in the Husker offense, carrying 19 times for 59 yards, including Nebraska's only touchdown, while adding a career-high six receptions for 33 yards. Freshman Marcus Fleming led the Nebraska wide receivers with five catches for 75 yards, while sophomore Wan'Dale Robinson added four receptions for 32 yards.
Northwestern jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Drake Anderson's 41-yard run with 8:29 left in the first quarter. It capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 2:43 of clock and put the Wildcats in the driver's seat.
That score held until the second quarter when Nebraska got on the board with Connor Culp's 38-yard field goal with 11:29 left in the half to cut Northwestern's margin to 7-3. Culp's kick capped a 14-play, 56-yard drive engineered by Martinez, who converted twice on fourth down inside Wildcat territory to extend the drive before it stalled on the Northwestern 20.
On the second play of the Wildcats' ensuing drive, redshirt freshman defensive back Myles Farmer intercepted a Peyton Ramsey pass that initially hit Husker defensive back Marquel Dismuke on the top of the helmet and ricocheted into the air. Farmer caught the ball at the Nebraska 40 and returned it eight yards to put the Husker offense back on the field in great starting position.
After a 28-yard completion from Martinez to Fleming and a Martinez 13-yard run, the Huskers were knocking on the door with 1st-and-10 at the Northwestern 11. However, the Wildcat defense stiffened and forced the Huskers to settle for Culp's 36-yard field goal to trim the margin to 7-6 with 8:54 left in the half.
Nebraska's defense continued to thwart the Cats on the next drive, forcing a three-and-out to give the Husker offense the ball in good position again on its own 36. Martinez moved the Big Red into the red zone again, before the drive stalled at the Wildcat 20. Culp came out to attempt his third field goal of the quarter, but missed wide right to keep the lead in Northwestern's hands.
The Wildcats picked up their only first down of the quarter on the following drive, before Farmer nabbed his second interception of Ramsey in the quarter. Farmer pulled the ball out of the air at the Wildcat 40 and sprinted down the Northwestern sideline to the NU 3 before a touchdown-saving tackle from Ramsey. Farmer, who made his first career start in place of senior safety Deontai Williams, added three solo tackles to his two interceptions on the day.
Nebraska turned the second Farmer interception into seven points one play later on a Mills three-yard blast to give the Huskers a 13-7 lead with 1:25 in the half. In the quarter, Nebraska outscored the Wildcats 13-0, out-yarded Northwestern 134-23, and ran 30 plays compared to just 14 for the Cats.
Despite Nebraska's second-quarter domination, Northwestern went back in front on the scoreboard with its opening drive of the second half. Ramsey found John Raine on a two-yard pass to cap a 10-play, 61-yard drive that used up 4:57 to put the Wildcats up 14-13 with 9:53 left in the third.
The two defenses shut down the offenses on the next two drives before Martinez got the Huskers moving again on their second possession of the second half. On a drive that started at Nebraska's own 8, Martinez converted a 3rd-and-11 with a 19-yard run, then added a 28-yard sprint on the next play to put the Big Red in Northwestern territory. Four plays later, Martinez was 2nd-and-9 at the Northwestern 25-yard line but threw an interception in the middle of the end zone to Wildcat Brandon Joseph.
While the interception potentially kept points off the board for the Huskers, Nebraska's defense forced a quick three-and-out, giving the ball back to the offense at the close of the third quarter.
Luke McCaffrey, who played sparingly in the first three quarters, took over at quarterback on the drive. The Huskers picked up a first down but were forced to punt from their own 24. Will Przystup stepped up with a booming 56-yard punt, but Northwestern's Riley Lees slipped through the coverage for a 36-yard return to set the Wildcats up on the Nebraska 44. Six plays later, Ramsey connected with Lees on a 10-yard touchdown pass to extend Northwestern's margin to 21-13 with 9:53 left in the game.
McCaffrey returned to lead the offense and quickly completed three passes and rushed twice for 21 yards to drive the Huskers back inside the Northwestern red zone. A Northwestern pass interference penalty on the next play put the Huskers 1st-and-Goal at the Wildcat 3. After a pair of unsuccessful McCaffrey runs, Northwestern was called for pass interference again in the end zone to give the Big Red another chance on 1st-and-Goal at the NU 2. Mills was thrown for a two-yard loss, before a McCaffrey pass on the next play was intercepted by Chris Bergin to end another long Husker drive with no points.
Northwestern took over at its own 7 with 6:05 left and moved the ball near midfield until its drive stalled with just over two minutes left.
McCaffrey and the Nebraska offense returned to the field for the final time, needing to go 92 yards in 2:14 to try and tie the game with a touchdown and two-point conversion. He began the drive by going 5-for-5 through the air to move the Huskers to their own 46 with 57 seconds left. A pair of McCaffrey runs then pushed Nebraska 23 more yards to the NU 31, before an 11-yard completion to Mills put the Huskers at the Wildcat 20. After another six-yard completion to Mills got the Huskers to the 14, McCaffrey was faced with 4th-and-4 with seven seconds left. His pass intended for Robinson in the end zone on Nebraska's final play fell incomplete.
Overall, Luke Reimer led the Husker defense with 10 tackles, including seven solos and a sack, while Collin Miller added six stops and Dicaprio Bootle and JoJo Domann each pitched in five tackles.
NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (2-2, 0-1) | at | NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (2-3, 0-2) |
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WHEN: Saturday, October 2, 2021 | 6:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Cory Provus, Matt Millen, Elise Menaker)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Jeremiah Sirles, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big Ten
Last Game: at Michigan State (L 20-23 OT)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost (33-30, 6th year overall | 14-23, 4th year NU)
Frost vs. Northwestern: 1-2
WILDCATS
Record: 2-2, 0-1 Big Ten
Last Game: vs. Ohio (W 35-6)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (108-83, 16th year overall and at NU)
Fitzgerald vs. Nebraska: 5-5
Numbers to Know
8 - Eight of the ten meetings between Nebraska and Northwestern since the Huskers joined the Big Ten have been decided by one score. Six of the 10 games have been decided by three points or less, with the schools splitting those six games.
0 - Nebraska's defense held Michigan State without a first down in the final 30 minutes of regulation last Saturday night. The Husker defense ranks 26th in the nation allowing 16.4 first downs per game.
4 - Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He is one of just four players in the country to lead his team in rushing, passing and scoring.
The Matchup
Nebraska returns to Lincoln for a two-game homestand at Memorial Stadium, beginning with a prime-time contest on Saturday against defending Big Ten West champ Northwestern. Game time at Memorial Stadium is set for shortly after 6:30 p.m., with the game televised on BTN.
Saturday's game is Nebraska's Homecoming contest and the start of five home games over the final seven games of the season.
Nebraska enters the game at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play following a heartbreaking 23-20 overtime loss at No. 20 Michigan State on Saturday night. The Huskers dominated the second half of the game, and held a touchdown lead late in the game, but a Spartan punt return touchdown forced overtime, where the Spartans escaped with the three-point win.
The Blackshirt defense continues to perform at an elite level. Nebraska held Michigan State to 254 yards of total offense, including just 14 second-half yards and no first downs in the final 30 minutes of regulation.
Northwestern comes to Lincoln with a 2-2 mark, including an 0-1 record in Big Ten action. The Wildcats opened the season with a home conference loss against Michigan State, and have since won two of three non-conference matchups, including a 35-6 victory over Ohio on Saturday in Evanston. Coach Pat Fitzgerald's squad controlled the line of scrimmage against Ohio, rushing for 373 yards in the victory.
Each of the five Nebraska-Northwestern matchups in Lincoln since 2011 have been decided by one score, including two Nebraska wins on the game's final play.
Series History
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 8-6
In Lincoln: Nebraska leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13 (2020 in Evanston)
Current Win Streak: Northwestern, 1 game
Saturday's matchup between Nebraska and Northwestern will be the 15th all-time between the two schools, with Nebraska holding an 8-6 advantage. The teams have split 10 meetings since Nebraska joined the Big Ten and the series has a history of close games.
- The five games in Lincoln since 2017 have been decided by a total of 17 points, with the largest margin being a seven-point Northwestern overtime victory in 2017. The 2013 and 2019 Husker victories were both decided on the game's final play, marking two of just three walk-off Nebraska wins in Memorial Stadium history.
- Overall, eight of the 10 meetings since 2011 have been decided by eight or fewer points, including each of the past four games.
- The schools met four times prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten, with the Huskers holding a 3-1 edge. Nebraska defeated Northwestern 66-17 in the 2000 Alamo Bowl, a Husker record for points scored in a bowl game.
- The schools are set to open the 2022 season against each other on Aug. 27 in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Nebraska vs. Northwestern Big Ten History
2011: Northwestern 28, #9 Nebraska 25 (Lincoln)
2012: Nebraska 29, Northwestern 28 (Evanston)
2013: Nebraska 27, Northwestern 24 (Lincoln)
2014: #19 Nebraska 38, Northwestern 17 (Evanston)
2015: Northwestern 30, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2016: #20 Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13 (Evanston)
2017: Northwestern 31, Nebraska 24 (OT) (Lincoln)
2018: Northwestern 34, Nebraska 31 (OT) (Evanston)
2019: Nebraska 13, Northwestern 10 (Lincoln)
2020: Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13 (Evanston)
Nebraska to Celebrate Homecoming vs. Wildcats
This weekend will serve as Homecoming on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. This marks the 110th Homecoming Game in Nebraska history, with Nebraska owning an all-time record of 82-23-4 (.771) in Homecoming Games. Nebraska has won nine of its last 11 Homecoming games, including a 6-2 record against Big Ten teams on Homecoming.
Huskers Welcome Wildcats for Big Ten Home Opener
After playing its first two Big Ten Conference games away from Lincoln, the Huskers will play host to Northwestern for their league opener. Nebraska is 7-3 in Big Ten home openers since joining the league in 2011, including a 30-23 win over Penn State last season.
Last Five Nebraska Big Ten Home Openers
2016: #15 Nebraska 31, Illinois 16
2017: Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17
2018: Purdue 42, Nebraska 28
2019: #5 Ohio State 48, Nebraska 7
2020: Nebraska 30, Penn State 23
Primetime in Memorial Stadium
Nebraska will play its first night game in Memorial Stadium since a 2019 matchup with Ohio State in Lincoln. It is just the third night game for NU in Scott Frost's four seasons as head coach.
- Historically, Nebraska has a strong history of success in night games at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers are 47-8 all-time in home night games since its first prime-time game at Memorial Stadium in 1986.
- Nebraska is 6-3 in home primetime games against Big Ten foes since joining the league in 2011.
About Northwestern Football
Northwestern University has fielded a football team since 1882 and was a founding member of the Big Ten Conference (originally the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives) in 1896. The Wildcats have won eight Big Ten Championships (1903, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1995, 1996, and 2000) and have won two Big Ten West Division titles (2018 and 2020). Northwestern has had 14 consensus All-America selections and 142 First-Team All-Big Ten selections in program history.
First Year: 1882
Overall Record: 545-677-44
Bowl Record: 6-10
Conference Titles: 8
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Ryan Field
Capacity: 47,130
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Enrollment: 8,327
Colors: Purple and White
About 2021 Northwestern
Schedule/Results (2-2, 0-1)
Michigan State (L 21-38)
Indiana State (W 24-6)
at Duke (L 23-30)
Ohio (W 35-6)
at Nebraska
Rutgers
at Michigan
Minnesota
Cockeye
at Wisconsin
Purdue
Illinois
Northwestern is 2-2 entering Saturday's game. The Wildcats began the season vs. Michigan State, falling to the Spartans 38-21. In Week Two, Northwestern hosted Indiana State and claimed its first win of the season with a 24-6 victory. The Wildcats suffered a 30-23 setback at Duke in Week Three before bouncing back to earn a decisive 35-6 win vs. Ohio last weekend at home.
The Wildcats feature one of the more dominant rushing attacks in the country this season. Northwestern ranks 24th nationally with 214.0 yards per game on the ground. Evan Hull has 478 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 119.5 yards per game. Hunter Johnson has completed 45-of-75 passes for 424 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions, while Ryan Hilinski heared the start against Ohio. Bryce Kirtz leads the receiving corps with 193 yards on 16 receptions and 48.3 receiving yards per game.
Defensively, Northwestern ranks 11th in the conference in total defense, allowing 396.5 yards per game. Chris Bergin paces the Wildcats on defense with 45 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
About Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald is in his 16th season at Northwestern and boasts a 108-83 career record with the Wildcats and overall. Fitzgerald served short stints at Maryland, Colorado and Idaho as defensive graduate assistants and linebacker/special teams coach before returning back to his alma mater. In 2001, Fitzgerald joined the Wildcats as the defensive backs coach. From 2002 to 2005 Fitzgerald served as NU's linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator before being named head coach in 2006.
In his 15 years as head coach, Fitzgerald has taken the Wildcats to 10 bowl games and two Big Ten Championship Games, including most recently in 2020. Northwestern finished last season with a 7-2 record and posted a victory in the Citrus Bowl over Auburn.
Fitzgerald was a standout linebacker for Northwestern in the mid-1990s earning consensus All-America honors. He helped lead Northwestern to a pair of Big Ten Championships and a Rose Bowl berth in 1995. The 46-year-old Fitzgerald is a native of Orland Park, Illinois and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Last Meeting: November 7, 2020
Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13
EVANSTON - In another game between Nebraska and Northwestern that came down to the final play, Luke McCaffrey's pass to the middle of the end zone intended for Wan'Dale Robinson fell incomplete to allow the Wildcats to escape with a 21-13 win over the Huskers at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., on Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska suffered its second defeat to open the season despite putting up 442 yards of total offense and 28 first downs against Northwestern, while holding the unbeaten Wildcats to just 317 total yards and just 14 first downs.
The Huskers pounded the ball up and down the field against a stout Northwestern defense, rushing for 224 yards on 43 carries (5.2 ypc), while holding Northwestern's potent ground attack to 148 yards on 38 totes (3.9 ypc).
Nebraska also controlled the time of possession (32:27-27:33) for the game and matched the Wildcats in the turnover department as both defenses recorded a pair of interceptions. The Huskers were also penalized for 55 yards (9 penalties), compared to 64 (8 penalties) for Northwestern, but the Wildcats made more plays in the red zone on both sides of the ball to walk away with their first 3-0 start to a season since 2000.
Junior quarterback Adrian Martinez led the Nebraska ground game with 102 yards on 13 carries, while adding 125 yards by completing 12-of-27 passes in three quarters of action. Redshirt freshman Luke McCaffrey added 49 yards on eight carries while completing 12-of-16 passes for 93 yards in just over one quarter of action.
Senior running back Dedrick Mills also played a big role in the Husker offense, carrying 19 times for 59 yards, including Nebraska's only touchdown, while adding a career-high six receptions for 33 yards. Freshman Marcus Fleming led the Nebraska wide receivers with five catches for 75 yards, while sophomore Wan'Dale Robinson added four receptions for 32 yards.
Northwestern jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Drake Anderson's 41-yard run with 8:29 left in the first quarter. It capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 2:43 of clock and put the Wildcats in the driver's seat.
That score held until the second quarter when Nebraska got on the board with Connor Culp's 38-yard field goal with 11:29 left in the half to cut Northwestern's margin to 7-3. Culp's kick capped a 14-play, 56-yard drive engineered by Martinez, who converted twice on fourth down inside Wildcat territory to extend the drive before it stalled on the Northwestern 20.
On the second play of the Wildcats' ensuing drive, redshirt freshman defensive back Myles Farmer intercepted a Peyton Ramsey pass that initially hit Husker defensive back Marquel Dismuke on the top of the helmet and ricocheted into the air. Farmer caught the ball at the Nebraska 40 and returned it eight yards to put the Husker offense back on the field in great starting position.
After a 28-yard completion from Martinez to Fleming and a Martinez 13-yard run, the Huskers were knocking on the door with 1st-and-10 at the Northwestern 11. However, the Wildcat defense stiffened and forced the Huskers to settle for Culp's 36-yard field goal to trim the margin to 7-6 with 8:54 left in the half.
Nebraska's defense continued to thwart the Cats on the next drive, forcing a three-and-out to give the Husker offense the ball in good position again on its own 36. Martinez moved the Big Red into the red zone again, before the drive stalled at the Wildcat 20. Culp came out to attempt his third field goal of the quarter, but missed wide right to keep the lead in Northwestern's hands.
The Wildcats picked up their only first down of the quarter on the following drive, before Farmer nabbed his second interception of Ramsey in the quarter. Farmer pulled the ball out of the air at the Wildcat 40 and sprinted down the Northwestern sideline to the NU 3 before a touchdown-saving tackle from Ramsey. Farmer, who made his first career start in place of senior safety Deontai Williams, added three solo tackles to his two interceptions on the day.
Nebraska turned the second Farmer interception into seven points one play later on a Mills three-yard blast to give the Huskers a 13-7 lead with 1:25 in the half. In the quarter, Nebraska outscored the Wildcats 13-0, out-yarded Northwestern 134-23, and ran 30 plays compared to just 14 for the Cats.
Despite Nebraska's second-quarter domination, Northwestern went back in front on the scoreboard with its opening drive of the second half. Ramsey found John Raine on a two-yard pass to cap a 10-play, 61-yard drive that used up 4:57 to put the Wildcats up 14-13 with 9:53 left in the third.
The two defenses shut down the offenses on the next two drives before Martinez got the Huskers moving again on their second possession of the second half. On a drive that started at Nebraska's own 8, Martinez converted a 3rd-and-11 with a 19-yard run, then added a 28-yard sprint on the next play to put the Big Red in Northwestern territory. Four plays later, Martinez was 2nd-and-9 at the Northwestern 25-yard line but threw an interception in the middle of the end zone to Wildcat Brandon Joseph.
While the interception potentially kept points off the board for the Huskers, Nebraska's defense forced a quick three-and-out, giving the ball back to the offense at the close of the third quarter.
Luke McCaffrey, who played sparingly in the first three quarters, took over at quarterback on the drive. The Huskers picked up a first down but were forced to punt from their own 24. Will Przystup stepped up with a booming 56-yard punt, but Northwestern's Riley Lees slipped through the coverage for a 36-yard return to set the Wildcats up on the Nebraska 44. Six plays later, Ramsey connected with Lees on a 10-yard touchdown pass to extend Northwestern's margin to 21-13 with 9:53 left in the game.
McCaffrey returned to lead the offense and quickly completed three passes and rushed twice for 21 yards to drive the Huskers back inside the Northwestern red zone. A Northwestern pass interference penalty on the next play put the Huskers 1st-and-Goal at the Wildcat 3. After a pair of unsuccessful McCaffrey runs, Northwestern was called for pass interference again in the end zone to give the Big Red another chance on 1st-and-Goal at the NU 2. Mills was thrown for a two-yard loss, before a McCaffrey pass on the next play was intercepted by Chris Bergin to end another long Husker drive with no points.
Northwestern took over at its own 7 with 6:05 left and moved the ball near midfield until its drive stalled with just over two minutes left.
McCaffrey and the Nebraska offense returned to the field for the final time, needing to go 92 yards in 2:14 to try and tie the game with a touchdown and two-point conversion. He began the drive by going 5-for-5 through the air to move the Huskers to their own 46 with 57 seconds left. A pair of McCaffrey runs then pushed Nebraska 23 more yards to the NU 31, before an 11-yard completion to Mills put the Huskers at the Wildcat 20. After another six-yard completion to Mills got the Huskers to the 14, McCaffrey was faced with 4th-and-4 with seven seconds left. His pass intended for Robinson in the end zone on Nebraska's final play fell incomplete.
Overall, Luke Reimer led the Husker defense with 10 tackles, including seven solos and a sack, while Collin Miller added six stops and Dicaprio Bootle and JoJo Domann each pitched in five tackles.
