Nebraska Sports Journal: September 2025

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Recap of the Nebraska and Houston Christian game

Here’s a recap of the Nebraska vs Houston Christian game (Sept 13, 2025):

Final Score

Nebraska Cornhuskers 59, Houston Christian Huskies 7 Houston Chronicle+2Houston Chronicle+2

Key Takeaways

Nebraska

Improved to 3–0 on the season. Houston Chronicle+1
Dominant performance on offense: 554 total yards compared to HCU’s 160. Houston Chronicle+1
Quarterback Dylan Raiola: efficiently completed 15 of 21 passes for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns, all in the first half. Houston Chronicle+2Central Nebraska Today+2
Rushing by committee: Emmett Johnson had 13 carries, 78 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Backup Kwinten Ives added 85 yards and a TD when he saw action. Central Nebraska Today+1
Wide receiver Dane Key had a breakout game: 104 receiving yards, including a 39-yard TD. HuskerMax+2Houston Chronicle+2
Defense was strong: 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks. Big play was a fumble forced by Riley Van Poppel, recovered by Williams Nwaneri for a scoop-and-score. Houston Chronicle+1

Houston Christian

Limited offense: only ~160 total yards, held to ~52 in the first half. Houston Chronicle+1
Their lone score came in the third quarter: Xai’Shan Edwards broke through for a 45‑yard rushing TD. Houston Chronicle+1

Additional Notes

Nebraska wore all-red uniforms, the first time doing so since 1986 for that combo. HuskerMax+1
After building a huge lead in the first half (38‑0), many starters sat out much of the second half. Backup QB T.J. Lateef played well when in: he was 5‑for‑5 for 126 yards and had a deep TD pass to Cortez Mills. The Washington Post+1
This win kept Nebraska’s perfect historical record vs. FCS opponents intact.

Sunday, September 07, 2025

Recap of the Akron game!

Here’s a recap of the Nebraska vs. Akron game on September 6, 2025, where the Cornhuskers delivered an emphatic 68–0 victory over the Zips:

Game Highlights & Statistics

Final Score: Nebraska 68, Akron 0 — a dominant shutout performance.
Corn Nation+2Corn Nation+2CBSSports.com
Total Offense: Nebraska piled up 728 total yards—their best output since 2014—while holding Akron to just around 175 yards.
Corn Nation1340 KGFW - The Information ChannelThe Washington Post
Quarterback Dylan Raiola: Completed 24 of 31 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns, setting a school record with 20 consecutive completions (11 from the previous game plus 9 to start this one).
Corn Nation+11340 KGFW - The Information ChannelThe Washington Post
Running Back Emmett Johnson: Rushed for 140 yards on 14 carries (most before halftime) and scored three touchdowns (one receiving, two rushing). He became the first Husker since Anthony Grant (2022) to record back-to-back 100-yard rushing games.
Corn Nation1340 KGFW - The Information ChannelThe Washington Post
Big Plays and Scoring Runs:
- A 47-yard touchdown run by Johnson on the opening drive.
- A safety by freshman Kade Pietrzak on his first collegiate tackle.
- Eight consecutive drives following early miscues all ended in touchdowns.
  Corn Nation+2Corn Nation+21340 KGFW - The Information Channel
Defensive Mastery: Nebraska's "Blackshirts" forced multiple tackles for loss, registered two sacks, and recorded the program’s first shutout since the 2009 Holiday Bowl. Akron failed to score in their second consecutive game.
Corn Nation+1The Washington Post
Special Teams & Depth:
- The team notched 92 punt-return yards, an offseason-high figure.
- 108 players saw action, demonstrating depth and roster-wide contributions.
- Backup QB T.J. Lateef, in mop-up duty, went 6‑of‑7 for 128 yards and a touchdown.
  Corn Nation+2Corn Nation+2

Memorable Moment

Nebraska tight end Luke Lindenmeyer surprised everyone with a field-level marriage proposal to his girlfriend, Kailyn Storovich, immediately after scoring his first collegiate touchdown—a touching highlight in a dominant evening.
The Times of India

Context & Outlook

The 68-point haul marked the most points scored by Nebraska since they posted 73 in 2012 and tied their largest margin of victory (68 points) since the 1982 rout of New Mexico State.
Corn Nation1340 KGFW - The Information ChannelKLKN-TV
This was the first shutout for the Cornhuskers since the 2009 Holiday Bowl (33–0 over Arizona).
Corn NationThe Washington Post
With this win, Nebraska improved to 2–0 on the season. Their next test is against Houston Christian, with a formidable matchup against Michigan looming afterward.
Corn Nation+2Corn Nation+2

Summary Table

Category	Highlight
Final Score	Nebraska 68, Akron 0
Total Yards	728 for Nebraska
Key Performers	Raiola, Johnson, Pietrzak, Barney Jr., Lateef
Record & Milestones	Consecutive completions record, first shutout since 2009
Notable Moment	In-game marriage proposal by Luke Lindenmeyer
Next Opponents	Houston Christian (up next), then Michigan

Let me know if you'd like a breakdown of individual quarters, player stats, or how this win impacts Nebraska’s rankings and projections moving forward.