Nebraska Loses to Northwestern in Kickoff to the College Football Season

The 2022 Division 1 FBS College Football Season got underway with 11 games in the so called Week 0, the weekend before the first full weekend of competition. The season’s first game was played in Dublin, Ireland, a Big Ten conference matchup between Nebraska and Northwestern.

Last October 2nd, Nebraska demolished the Wildcats 56-7 in Lincoln. It was the last victory of the season for the Cornhuskers, who went on to finish 3-9, their fifth losing season in a row. The last four were under coach Scott Frost, who didn’t lose his job but took $1 million pay cut to stay. Putting the best spin on last season’s record: All nine losses were by single digits, so perhaps the Cornhuskers weren’t as bad as the record indicates. Northwestern was also 3-9 last year, but were 7-2 with a victory in the Citrus Bowl in the Covid shortened 2020 campaign. The Wildcats have won bowls in four of the last five years.

After blowing a 14-3 2nd quarter lead to trail 17-14 at halftime, the Cornhuskers took a 28-17 lead in the third quarter behind a pair of Anthony Grant touchdown runs. But Northwestern mounted a comeback with a three yard touchdown run by Cam Porter with 7:53 left in the third, and scored again on a Evan Hull four yard run in the fourth quarter while holding Nebraska scoreless in the final quarter, for a 31-28 victory. It was yet another single digit loss for Nebraska.