NEBRASKA NOTES
Nebraska kicks off its 133rd football season on Saturday when the Huskers take on the Northwestern Wildcats at the Aer Lingus Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Saturday’s season opener will be the 1,358th game in Nebraska football history but only the second played on foreign soil.
The only other international game in Husker history was Nebraska’s victory over Kansas State at the 1992 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo, Japan. One year later, Wisconsin defeated Michigan State at the 1993 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo, which to date is the only Big Ten Conference game played outside of the United States. Saturday’s game marks the earliest date of a conference matchup in Big Ten history.
Head Coach Scott Frost begins his fifth season at his alma mater in 2022, while Saturday’s contest will mark Pat Fitzgerald’s 200th game as Northwestern’s head coach. Nebraska won last year’s matchup in Lincoln 56-7, scoring its most points ever in a Big Ten Conference game and posting its largest margin of victory (49 points) in a Big Ten game and in any conference game since 2001.
Before last year’s Husker win, each of the previous four meetings between Nebraska and Northwestern had been decided by one score, including back-to-back overtime wins for the Wildcats in 2017 and 2018. Overall, eight of the first 11 Big Ten meetings between the two programs have been one-score games.
Nebraska returns 46 letter-winners from last year’s team, bringing back five full-time defensive starters and four offensive starters plus nine other players (seven on offense and two on defense) who started multiple games in 2021. The Huskers have bolstered their roster with the addition of 44 newcomers, including 22 transfers, 18 of whom have previous playing experience at the FBS or FCS level.
THIS WEEK’S NUMBERS
1 – Saturday’s game between Nebraska and Northwestern is the earliest date of a conference game in Big Ten history. The previous earliest date of a Big Ten Conference game came last season when Nebraska traveled to Illinois on Aug. 28.
2 – The Aer Lingus Classic will mark just the second international conference matchup in Big Ten history. The only other Big Ten game played on foreign soil was Wisconsin’s 41-20 win over Michigan State on Dec. 5, 1993, at the Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo, Japan.
6 – Six of the first 11 Big Ten Conference matchups between Nebraska and Northwestern have been decided by three or fewer points (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019). The Huskers and Wildcats have also had two overtime contests in the past five matchups.
SERIES HISTORY: NEBRASKA VS. NORTHWESTERN
Saturday’s matchup between Nebraska and Northwestern will be the 16th all-time between the two schools, with Nebraska holding a 9-6 series advantage. The Huskers are 6-5 against the Wildcats since Nebraska joined the Big Ten and the series has a history of close games.
• Nebraska won last year’s meeting 56-7 in Lincoln, posting its highest point total and largest margin of victory in a Big Ten Conference game. Overall, last year’s meeting marked the Huskers’ largest margin of victory in any conference game since a 59-0 win at Baylor during the 2001 Big 12 season.
• Despite last year’s lopsided score, eight of the 11 meetings since Nebraska joined the Big Ten have been decided by eight or fewer points, including four of the past five games. Northwestern is 5-3 in those eight one-score games, as each of the Wildcats’ five conference victories over Nebraska have come by eight or fewer points and by an average of 4.6 points, including two overtime wins.
• The schools met four times prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten, with the Huskers holding a 3-1 edge in those matchups. Nebraska defeated Northwestern, 66-17, in the 2000 Alamo Bowl, a Husker record for points scored in a bowl game.
BRIEF RECAPS OF CLOSE GAMES IN THE SERIES
• Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13 (Nov. 7, 2020): After Northwestern drove 80 yards for a touchdown on its opening possession, the Huskers shut out the Wildcats the rest of the first half to take a 13-7 lead into the locker room. But Northwestern shut out Nebraska 14-0 in the second half. Trailing by eight, Nebraska drove to the Wildcat 14-yard line on its final drive, but Luke McCaffrey’s fourth-down pass was broken up in the end zone with one second remaining.
• Nebraska 13, Northwestern 10 (Oct. 5, 2019): Although Northwestern never led, the Wildcats tied the game at 10-10 with 11:20 to play in the third quarter. Neither team would score again until the final snap of the game. Northwestern drove into Husker territory with just over a minute remaining, but Lamar Jackson intercepted an Aidan Smith pass, and Nebraska drove 42 yards in six plays covering one minute to set up Lane McCallum’s game-winning, walk-off 24-yard field goal.
• Northwestern 34, Nebraska 31 in OT (Oct. 13, 2018): Nebraska nearly handed Northwestern its only Big Ten West loss of the 2018 season, but the Huskers were unable to hold a 10-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. Trailing 31-21, Northwestern got a field goal to pull
within seven with 2:27 remaining in regulation. After Nebraska went 3-and-out and took just 24 seconds off the clock, the Wildcats drove 99 yards in eight plays to score the game-tying touchdown with 12 seconds remaining. Nebraska then threw an interception on its overtime possession, and Northwestern won the game on a walk-off 37-yard field goal from Drew Luckenbaugh.
• Northwestern 31, Nebraska 24 in OT (Nov. 4, 2017): Northwestern ended the 2017 season with an eight-game winning streak which included an NCAA-record three consecutive overtime wins, the final of which came against Nebraska. The Huskers used a 10-0 third quarter to build a 24-17 lead, but Clayton Thorson tied the game on a touchdown run with 5:32 remaining in regulation. Thorson then gave the Wildcats the lead with a one-yard touchdown run on the first overtime series. Nebraska failed to score on its overtime drive, as a fourth-down pass was broken up.
• Northwestern 30, Nebraska 28 (Oct. 24, 2015): In a back-and-forth game that featured five lead changes, Northwestern held on during an eventful fourth quarter. The Wildcats led 20-19 entering the final period, but Nebraska took a 22-20 lead just five seconds into the quarter. Northwestern answered with 10 straight points to build a 30-22 lead before a Tommy Armstrong Jr. three-yard touchdown run. Trailing 30-28, Nebraska failed on its two-point conversion attempt, and Northwestern picked up three first downs on its ensuing possession to run out the game’s final 4:18.
• Nebraska 27, Northwestern 24 (Nov. 2, 2013): Northwestern led 21-7 less than 20 minutes into the game, but the Huskers scored a single touchdown in both the third and fourth quarter to tie the score and set the stage for a dramatic final two minutes. With the game tied at 21, a Northwestern interception gave the Wildcats a 1st-and-goal situation with 2:25 remaining. Northwestern had to settle for a go-ahead field goal, and the Huskers got the ball back trailing 24-21 with 1:14 remaining. Nebraska converted a 4th-and-15 to keep its comeback hopes alive, and then on the game’s final play, Ron Kellogg III found Jordan Westerkamp on a 49-yard Hail Mary as time expired.
• Nebraska 29, Northwestern 28 (Oct. 20, 2012): Northwestern scored a single touchdown in all four quarters, including a final touchdown that gave the Wildcats a 28-16 lead with 8:31 remaining. But Nebraska drove 80 yards for a touchdown in just 2:36 on its ensuing possession to cut the lead to 28-23. The Blackshirts then held the Wildcats to a 3-and-out, giving Nebraska the ball back with 4:10 to play. The Huskers covered 76 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:08 remaining, but the game was not over. Northwestern began its next drive on its own 25-yard line and drove to the Husker 36-yard line, but the Wildcats’ potential go-ahead 53-yard field goal with 1:10 left missed wide right.
HUSKER HISTORY IN SEASON OPENERS
Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 132 season openers, winning their first game more than 76 percent of the time while posting a 98-29-5 record.
• Nebraska is 32-4 in its first game of the season dating back to 1986.
• The Huskers are opening a season away from home for the third straight year, the only three times this century that Nebraska has played its season opener away from Lincoln. NU is beginning a season at a neutral site for the first time since the fourth-ranked Huskers shut out No. 24 West Virginia, 31-0, on Aug. 28, 2004 at the Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J., to begin a 13-0 national championship season.
• Nebraska is 11-3 when it opens the season against a conference opponent. The Huskers are facing a conference foe in the season opener for just the fifth time since 1950, but Saturday marks the third consecutive year that Nebraska begins the season with a Big Ten Conference game.
• SEASON OPENER RECORD: 98-29-5 (.761) • AT HOME: 85-14-3 (.848)
• ON THE ROAD: 9-15-2 (.385) • AT A NEUTRAL SITE: 4-0-0 (1.000)
• BIGGEST WIN: 117-0 vs. Kearney St. (1911) • BIGGEST LOSS: 54-0 at Minnesota (1943)
• LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 29 (1986-2014) • LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 (1942-47)
NEBRASKA NEARLY PERFECT IN AUGUST
Saturday’s game will mark the 16th August game in the history of Nebraska football. The Huskers have lost just once in the month, bringing a 14-1 record into the contest with Northwestern.
• Nebraska is not only 14-1 all-time in the month of August, but the average score of those 14 games has been 39-16. The Huskers are 7-1 in August when facing a current Power Five Conference opponent, with the average score of those six contests being 34-12.
• In the history of Nebraska football, Saturday’s contest will mark the earliest date of a conference game in Husker history. Overall, the Aug. 27 date is the third-earliest date ever for a Nebraska season opener.
• Saturday’s game is officially dubbed the “Aer Lingus Classic”, marking the first time Nebraska has opened a season by playing in a “Classic” since kicking off the 2002 season at home against Arizona State in the Black Coaches Association Classic.
NOTING LAST YEAR’S GAME
• Nebraska’s 49-point margin of victory tied its largest ever in the Northwestern series. It also marked Nebraska’s largest margin of victory
in a Big Ten Conference game and was its largest in any conference game since 2001.
• The 56-point outburst was Nebraska’s highest scoring game under Scott Frost and the Huskers’ highest point total since 2013.
• Nebraska finished with 427 rushing yards for its second-highest total in a Big Ten Conference game, and the most in any game since 2014.
• Nebraska totaled 657 yards of offense, marking its second 600-yard game of the 2021 season and sixth 600-yard game under Scott Frost. Northwestern had not allowed a 600-yard offensive output since 2005.
• Running back Jaquez Yant rushed 13 times for 127 yards after entering the game with five career carries for 25 yards.
• True freshman offensive tackle Teddy Prochazka made his first career start at left tackle. He was just the second true freshman to ever start at left tackle for Nebraska and only the seventh true freshman offensive lineman to start a game for the Huskers.
WILDCATS NOTES
QUICK HITTERS
Northwestern is 12-4 in season openers under Pat Fitzgerald.
• The Wildcats have never lost consecutive season openers in the Fitzgerald era.
• This will mark Northwestern’s first-game played outside of the United States in program history.
• 8 of the last 11 meetings between Northwestern and Nebraska have been decided by one score.
• OT Peter Skoronski was selected to the 10-member preseason All-Big Ten Team.
• RB Evan Hull is one of 3 returning Big Ten running backs that rushed for 1000 yards last season.
THE OPENING DRIVE
SEASON OPENER = B1G OPENER
For the fourth time in the last !ve seasons, Northwestern will open its season with a matchup against a fellow Big Ten opponent. The Wildcats and the Cornhuskers’ meeting in Dublin marks one of three Big Ten matchups to open the 2022 season (also Penn State @ Purdue and Illinois @ Indiana happening in Week 1). Over the last !ve seasons, Northwestern’s four season openers against conference opponents mark the most of any Big Ten school (this will be Nebraska’s third in that span). Northwestern has never lost back-to-back season openers under Pat Fizgerald, the last time the Wildcats did so was in the 1993 and 1994 seasons. A look back at recent season openers for the Wildcats:
• 2021 vs. Michigan State (MSU 38, Northwestern 21): Northwestern totaled 400 yards of o”ense, however was unable to contain the Spartans’ rushing attack led by Kenneth Walker III (264 yards, 4 TDs).
• 2020 vs. Maryland (Northwestern 43, Maryland 3): With every Big Ten school opening its season with a conference matchup amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwestern piled on 537 yards of total o”ense (including 325 rushing yards), while the defense forced 4 turnovers in a 43-3 rout over Maryland at Ryan Field. Marked win No. 100 of Pat Fitzgerald’s head coaching career.
• 2019 at #25 Stanford (Stanford 17, Northwestern 7): The Wildcat defense surrendered just 10 points on the road at Stanford. The ‘Cats scored a TD middway through the fourth quarter to cut the de!cit to 10-7, but could not capitalize late.
• 2018 at Purdue (Northwestern 31, Purdue 27): Northwestern was one of just two Power 5 schools to earn a conference victory in Week 1, the ‘Cats scored all 31 of their points in the !rst half–21 of which came o” turnovers.
NEBRASKA SERIES HISTORY
Northwestern has won 3 of its last 5 games vs. Nebraska dating back to 2017. The Wildcats have not dropped back-to-back games against the Cornhuskers since 2013-14 … Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, eight of the 11 meetings between teams have been decided by eight or fewer points, including four of the past !ve games. Four of those one-score games have been decided either on the !nal play of the game and/or in overtime … This marks the 2nd-ever neutral site meeting between the teams, who also met in San Antonio for the 2000 Alamo Bowl.
ADETOMIWA’S BACK:
• DE Adetomiwa Adebawore earned All-Big honorable mention honors last
season after leading the Wildcats with 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
• Adebawore tied his career-high with four tackles for loss and forced a fumble
in a win vs. Rutgers (Oct. 16), becoming the third player in the Pat Fitzgerald
era (2006-present) with at least four TFL’s and a forced fumble in a game … It
was also the most TFL’s by an NU player since program sack leader Joe Gaziano
also had four against Duke in 2018.
TACKLING MACHINE
Last season LB Bryce Gallagher, !nished 15th in the Big Ten with 89 total tackles to
go along with 5.5 tackles for loss (3rd on the team). Gallagher is the !rst NU player to
have at least 89 tackles and 5 TFL in same season since his brother, Blake Gallagher
in 2018.
‘CATS DIG THE LONG BALL:
The Wildcats tallied 12 o”ensive plays that went for 40+ yards last season … In the
previous 21 games prior to the 2021 season, NU only had eight o”ensive plays go
for more than 40 yards.
GUESS WHO’S BACK?
After leading the team in rushing as a true !rst-year in 2020 and missing 2021 with
an injury, RB Cam Porter returns to the !eld.
• In the !nal three games of the 2020 season, Porter rushed for 301 yards and 4
TDs, joining Tyrell Sutton (2005) and Justin Jackson (2014) as the only NU !rstyears to rush for 300+ yards and 4+ TDs in a three game stretch since 2000.
QUARTERBACK BREAKDOWN
Ryan Hilinski | Jr. | Orange, Calif./Orange Lutheran/South Carolina
Led Northwestern with 978 passing yards across nine appearances in 2021 Made his
Northwestern debut in the second half against Duke (9/18)… No. 2 pro-style QB in
class of 2019 by 247Sports … Concluded his high school career with 8,102 passing
yards and 85 total touchdowns … Played in 13 games at South Carolina including 11
starts as a true freshman in 2019, then saw action in two games in 2020.
Brendan Sullivan | So. | Davison, Michigan./Davison
Class of 2021 commit … Ranked by ESPN as the 28th Pro-Style quarterback overall
and 10th best player in the state of Michigan … Led Davison high school to a Division
1 State Championship as a junior with the Cardinals … Sullivan passed for 3,044
yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 407 yards and another 11 TDs while
leading Davison to a 12-2 record during their championship season in 2019 … As a
senior in a COVID-shortened season in 2020, Sullivan passed for 1,012 yards and 10
touchdowns while rushing for 282 yards and 7 TDs in nine games before opting to
enroll early at Northwestern following cancellations with his high school season.
RECRUITING ROUNDUP
Northwestern’s recruiting class ranked 48th in the nation according to the 247 Composite,
the fourth-highest ranking in the Pat Fitzgerald era (2005-present) … Northwestern’s
future Class of 2023 (comprised of 20 commits) currently ranks 3rd in the Big Ten and No.
24 in the country.
SPECIAL TEAMS REINFORCEMENTS
Punter Luke Akers, son of NFL All-Pro David Akers, joins the Wildcats after starting all
12 games for UCLA last season. Akers was ranked the No. 3 kicker in the 2020 class
by 247sports, giving Northwestern two of the top four kickers from the 2020 class
along with Jack Olsen (who was ranked No. 4).
TALKING TRANSFERS
Pat Fitzgerald and Co. welcomed 11 newcomers from the transfer portal. More on the new ‘Cats below:
Luke Akers (UCLA)| P | 6-1 | 180 | Nashville, Tenn.
Over the last two seasons at UCLA, Akers started 19 games at punter. In two seasons, he tallied 58 punts for an average of 43.1 yards per kick. Out of Ravenswood HS, Akers was ranked the No. 6 kicker in the country by 247Sports and ESPN. He is the son of former NFL All-Pro, David Akers.
Henrik Barndt (Indiana State) | DL | 6-5 | 285 | Arvada, Colo.
Barndt saw action in 28 games at FCS Indiana State from 2018-2021 after redshirting in 2017. Last season, he logged 17 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two quarterback hurries and one pass broken up, while making !ve starts and appearing in 11 games.
Declan Carr (Drake) | LB | 6-1 | 226 | Frankfort, Ill.
Played three seasons with Drake from 2018-21. Earned an All-Pioneer League Football Second Team selection last season (2021 spring), recording a team-high 34 total tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception in !ve games.
Wendell Davis (Pitt) | LB | 6-2 | 240 | Richmond, Va.
Davis played in 26 games at Pitt from 2018-21 and saw action in eight games last year for the ACC champion Panthers. Over his career, he tallied 37 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble. Last year, Davis recorded 27 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack.
Taishan Holmes (UMass) | DL | 6-3 | 315 | Tappahannock, Va.
Holmes spent the last two seasons at UMass appearing in 12 games on the defensive line. In 2021, he saw action in eight games and recorded 12 tackles, with a career-high !ve stops at Florida State. Prior to his time at UMass, Holmes spent 2019 at Garden City Community College in Kansas. He started his collegiate career at NAIA Blue!eld (Va.) in the spring of 2018 before transferring to Division II Virginia State where he recorded six tackles as a freshman.
Ryan Johnson (Stanford) | DL | 6-4 | 280 | Axis, Ala.
Johnson played in 32 games at Stanford from 2018-21 after redshirting a freshman in 2017. Last season the Axis, Ala. Native had his most productive season for the Cardinal appearing in all 12 games, making four starts with 16 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. Coming out of St. Paul’s Episcopal (Ala.), Johnson was a consensus four-star prospect, the nation’s 14th ranked defensive end according to ESPN and a 2017 Under Armour All-American.
Jeremiah Lewis (Duke) | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Lewisville, Texas
Lewis played in 38 games at Duke from 2018-21, totaling 65 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 12 passes broken up and four interceptions. He served as a starter for parts of the last two seasons and recorded 30 stops with two picks, including a career-long 23 yard return against Northwestern, last season. In 2020, Lewis made a career-high 45 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss with seven passes defensed, which ranked eighth in the ACC.
Donny Navarro (Illinois) | WR | 5-11 | 185 | Naperville, Ill.
Recorded 52 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns in 25 games across three seasons with Illinois (2019-21). Most recently in 2021, hauled in 17 receptions for 167 receiving yards while also recording 121 yards on 16 punt returns. He was named a nominee for the Burlsworth
Trophy, presented to the best former walk-on in college football. Previously played Valparaiso and led his team in receptions (32), receiving yards (539), yards per catch (16.8), touchdown receptions (5) and receiving yards per game (49.0) during the 2017 season.
Jaylen Pate (Wyoming) | DL | 6-3 | 255 | Chicago, Ill.
Appeared in 18 games and made 11 starts with Wyoming in 2020 and 2021. Recorded 22 tackles with two tackles for loss, a sack and a half, a fumble recovery, and a pass defended last season.
Vincent Picozzi (Colorado State) | OL | 6-4 | 310 | Collegeville, Pa.
Due to injury, Picozzi appeared in just four games and made three starts in his lone season at Colorado State. He began his career as a walk-on at Temple in 2016 and will utilize his seventh season of eligibility at Northwestern. After redshirting his first season at Temple, Picozzi saw action in 39 games for the Owls, playing all !ve o”ensive line positions in his career while being a three-year starter at right guard from 2018-20.
Adam Stage (North Dakota) | K | 5-11 | 195 | Appleton, Wisc.
Handled primary kicking duties for North Dakota in 2020 and 2021, going 8-of-10 on field goals and 38-of-41 on extra point attempts in two seasons with the Fighting Hawks. Previously played at St. Cloud State from 2017-19.
