Nebraska scored 28 straight points to overcome a three-point deficit and post a 28-10 win over Purdue Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) trailed 3-0 midway through the third quarter before marching 70 yards, as Dylan Raiola hooked up with Jahmal Banks on six-yard scoring strike with 2:29 left in the third quarter to give the Huskers their first lead of the day.
Raiola completed 16-of-26 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, while Banks led NU with five catches for 82 yards and a score.
The Blackshirts then forced a three-and-out, as Kai Wallen and MJ Sherman combined for a 13-yard sack on third down to end the drive.
On the Huskers’ ensuing possession, Raiola found Banks for 26 yards on second and 11 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Emmett Johnson, who accounted for nearly 100 all-purpose yards, had two straight runs to get the ball to the red zone before Raiola found Isaiah Neyor on a 14-yard pass to set up first and goal. The Huskers would eventually break through on fourth down as Dante Dowdell scored from one yard out to make it 14-3.
After another 3-and-out by Purdue, Nebraska put the game out of reach, going 57 yards in six plays for its third straight score. With NU facing second and 29, Emmett Johnson’s 27-yard catch and run and a Purdue personal foul got the ball to the Purdue 29-yard line. Two plays later, Jacory Barney Jr. took a jet sweep and went 25 yards to the house to make it 21-3 with 6:13 remaining.
The Blackshirts got into the act as John Bullock’s 29-yard interception return for a touchdown made it 28-3 with 5:38 left. It was his first career touchdown interception.
Nebraska recorded five sacks, including two from James Williams and 1.5 from MJ Sherman and held Purdue (1-3, 0-1) to just 224 total yards,
Purdue finally got on the board with 1:29 remaining, as Hudson Card found Leland Smith for a 15-yard touchdown. Card finished 18-of-25 for 174 yards while throwing a touchdown and an interception.
The Huskers had ample opportunities in the first half, driving into Purdue territory on all six drives and out-gained Purdue 210-89, but came away empty-handed as the teams went to the locker room scoreless. NU had one touchdown wiped out because of a penalty and missed three field goal attempts in the first 30 minutes.
While NU was moving the ball, Purdue had one long drive longer than 30 yards in the first half but missed a field goal attempt of their own.
Purdue finally broke the scoreless deadlock midway through the third quarter, going 55 yards in 13 plays before Seth Porath’s 45-yard field goal gave the hosts a 3-0 lead before Nebraska responded with a scoring drive on its next possession.
Nebraska returns home next Saturday, as the Huskers host Rutgers on Homecoming. Kickoff for the matchup between the Huskers and Scarlet Knights is set for 3 p.m., and the game will be televised on FS1 and carried on the Huskers Radio Network.
