Huskers power past Rutgers with 28-21 victory

Nebraska had one last chance to try and build any semblance of momentum going into the offseason in its Champions Week finale at Rutgers on Friday night.

It came in some of the most unorthodox fashion possible, but the Huskers found a way to get it done in a 28-21 victory.

Despite turning the ball over four times, committing nine penalties, and giving up three quarterback sacks and 10 tackles for loss, NU managed to put together one of the most productive offensive performances of the Scott Frost era.

Nebraska put up a season-high 620 yards of total offense when all was said and done, including 365 on the ground, with 27 first downs, and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. Quarterback Adrian Martinez rushed for a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and completed 24-of-28 passes for 255 yards and a score.

Running back Dedrick Mills had one of his best games as a Husker and set career-bests with 25 rushes for 191 yards. The do-it-all Wan’Dale Robinson added 103 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns as well.

As a result, Nebraska improved to 3-5 on the season and could have an opportunity to play in a bowl game – a thought that seemed impossible earlier this season.

All of the common themes that have plagued Nebraska’s 2020 season showed up right away to open the game. After the Huskers fumbled twice and maintained possession on the first six plays of their first drive, Rutgers recovered two Martinez fumbles at its own 27 and 47-yard lines.

Art Sitkowski, who got the start at quarterback for the Scarlet Knights in place of the injured former Husker Noah Vedral, connected with Bo Melton on their first play from scrimmage on a 50-yard pass deep into NU territory.

That led to a 36-yard field goal by Valentino Ambrosio to give RU a 3-0 lead, and that would mark the only scoring of an otherwise ugly first quarter.

A pair of offensive line penalties thwarted a Nebraska drive in the shadow of its own goalposts, and Rutgers turned that into a 42-yard kick by Ambrosio to make it 6-0 with 13:20 left in the second quarter.

The Huskers finally got a spark on offense when Mills broke loose for a 43-yard rush down to the Scarlet Knight 2. It took four more plays to do it, but Robinson finally reached the end zone on a one-yard rush to give NU a 7-6 lead.

A 17-yard fake punt run by punter Adam Korsak on a fourth-and-14 kept Rutgers’ ensuing drive alive and moved the ball into NU territory. But the defense stepped up and stuffed Johnny Langan on a fourth-down keeper to give the Huskers the ball back at the NU 43.

Martinez then hit Robinson on a wheel route down the right sideline for a 38-yard gain – Nebraska’s longest passing play on a throw beyond the line of scrimmage this season – that put the Huskers at the Rutgers 13-yard line.

Once again, a turnover doomed the drive, as Christian Izien intercepted Martinez in the end zone to end the threat.

Facing another fourth-and-one inside Husker territory, the Blackshirts had another bust, and running back Isaih Pacheco got free on a 33-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion pass to Melton put the Scarlet Knights up 14-7 with 3:19 left in the half.

That score held into halftime, as three turnovers, seven penalties (41 yards), and three sacks allowed had Nebraska down a touchdown despite holding Rutgers to 193 yards and six first downs in the first half.

Desperately needing something to go right on offense, Martinez responded with a 41-yard touchdown on an option keeper. The Huskers ran seven times for 77 yards on their 90-yard scoring drive to tie it up at 14-14 early in the third quarter.

Literally moments later, though, Aron Cruickshank – the 2020 Big Ten Kick Returner of the Year – took the ensuing kickoff 98 yards to the house to put Rutgers right back on top.

Izien then picked off Martinez for the second time of the night after NU had again moved the ball into RU territory. The defense held, and NU got the ball back on its 4.

From there, Martinez engineered an 11-play, 96-yard drive and found Robinson on a 21-yard touchdown pass to make it a 21-21 game with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.

After another stop by the Blackshirts, the offense mounted a 92-yard march and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard rush by Martinez with 9:55 left to play.

Rutgers was putting together a drive to answer and got the ball past midfield, but Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted backup quarterback Johnny Langan’s heave with eight minutes remaining at the NU 9.

The Scarlet Knights wouldn’t see the football again from there, as NU held the ball for the final 7:35 over 15 plays to close out the victory.

It remains to be seen what’s next for Nebraska, as any potential bowl game opportunity likely won’t be announced until Sunday at the earliest.

If nothing else, though, the Huskers found a way to make the most of its final assured game of a season that was a grind from start to finish.