A strong defensive effort and a rushing touchdown from Dante Dowdell and Janiran Bonner led Nebraska to a 14-7 Big Ten victory over Rutgers on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
The Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) recorded four sacks and limited the Scarlet Knights to 78 yards on the ground. Nebraska also intercepted Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis twice. Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 37 passes for 186 yards.
The Scarlet Knights (4-1, 1-1) were 2 of 14 on third downs and 2 of 6 on fourth downs.
Nebraska led 14-0 until Kaliakmanis threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ben Black with 4:08 remaining. The TD capped a nine-play, 50-yard drive.
Rutgers’ final possession began at its own 11-yard line with 2:17 to play. The Scarlet Knights moved the ball to the Nebraska 26-yard line and then turned the ball over on downs with 1:17 remaining.
Rutgers blocked two punts in the game, the second of which was blocked by Jamier Wright-Collins midway through the third quarter and recovered by Shaquan Loyal and returned 14 yards to the Nebraska 2-yard line. But the Scarlet Knights failed to cash in on Nebraska’s downturn and turnovers.
It was the third punt and fifth kick blocked by a Nebraska opponent this season.
The Cornhuskers, who scored on both red zone opportunities, led 7-0 after one quarter and 14-0 at halftime.
Nebraska took a 7-0 lead when Dowdell set up a fourth-and-goal play from Rutgers’ 1-yard line and John Hohl added a point-after kick with 3:09 left in the first quarter. This is the first time Rutgers has allowed a touchdown in the first quarter this season.
Bonner helped Nebraska double the lead with an 11-yard score with 1:48 left in the first half.
Dowdell led Nebraska’s rushing attack with 57 yards on 14 carries. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola was 13 of 27 for 134 yards. He was blocked once.
Nebraska has held five of its six opponents to 10 points or fewer. The Cornhuskers are the only FBS team to not allow a rushing TD this season.
–Field level media