Never easy, yet never a doubt: Huskers beat 'Cats

By Brian Rosenthal / Huskers.com

EVANSTON, Ill. – You knew Nebraska’s football game against Northwestern wouldn’t be easy – you knew it wouldn’t be easy, right? – when the game’s third play should’ve produced a Husker touchdown, but instead resulted in a turnover and touchback.

And you wondered if it might be one of those weird, zany days – ala Iowa State in 2009 – when the Huskers yet again lost a fumble in the Northwestern end zone that the Wildcats recovered for another touchback.

Well, you may have wondered, but most importantly, the Huskers didn’t.

They maintained poise. They remained calm. They did what they’d set out to do on this business trip.

They defeated Northwestern, as much as a trip to the dentist as it may have resembled.

“You know, we didn’t freak out. We didn’t panic,” senior linebacker Josh Banderas said after No. 20 Nebraska’s 24-13 victory in its Big Ten Conference opener. “That’s something that last year we might have had a little bit more of.

“I think this is the kind of team that we’re more calm. We know what we can do and we know the situations we’re in, so that’s a good sign.”

A Ryan Field crowd of 40,284 – at least half dressed in red – watched on a beautiful fall evening as Nebraska used its rushing attack to methodically pull away while it also played keep away.

Nebraska (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) rushed for 310 yards, and while it didn’t produce the points it could’ve, or should’ve, the Huskers kept possession for 9:54 in the fourth quarter to stave off any Northwestern comeback hopes.

“At the end, we were moving the pile the other way,” Nebraska coach Mike Riley said. “It took a long time in the game to do that, to get to do that, but when we do the tide usually turns and I thought that was a big factor in the fourth quarter.

“That last 8, 9 minutes, the clock was the biggest issue. Points would’ve been great for us, obviously, but we took some good time off the clock.”

Nebraska didn’t score in the fourth quarter, but neither did Northwestern, meaning the Huskers maintain their 57-6 scoring edge over opponents in the final period this season.

That’s precisely why senior receiver Brandon Reilly, who gained 35 yards on his only reception, a shallow route, had no fear after the early turnovers.

“Not really, especially with how strong we finish every game this season, especially the fourth quarter,” Riley said. “The third and fourth quarter is when we’ve been the strongest. I still had confidence. I wasn’t worried. It was kind of one of those things where we let up a little but I had confidence we’d finish strong.”

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., who's establishing himself in the running game more each week, ran for 132 yards on 13 carries, with the quarterback draw again a major weapon, as it was last week against Oregon.

Terrell Newby gained 49 yards on the game’s third play before extending himself toward the pylon in an extra effort to score. He fumbled through the end zone instead, giving Northwestern possession.

Newby finished with 10 carries for 69 yards, and Northwestern held the Huskers’ leading rusher on the season, Devine Ozigbo, to 41 yards on 13 carries. He, too, lost a fumble into the Northwestern end zone, even though it appeared Ozigbo’s forward progress had been stopped as he fell backwards before losing possession.

“Well, it certainly wasn’t easy after being in position to score two touchdowns and not get any points,” Riley said. “But I tell you what, probably the best thing about that is we came back and had to keep playing (which) is probably really good for us. I wouldn’t want to have to do that every week.

“Some more lessons there about playing the game of football and about how you have to keep playing. The kids at least did that, but boy, it probably didn’t have to be like that score-wise.”

The Blackshirts did their part, too. Defensive tackle Kevin Maurice had back-to-back sacks late in the first half after Northwestern had advanced to the Nebraska 32-yard line. The possession ended on downs.

Northwestern opened the second half with a drive deep into Nebraska territory, but sophomore safety Aaron Williams intercepted a pass in the end zone, and Nebraska scored on its ensuing possession.

Down two possessions, the Wildcats still clung to hope late in the game until Joshua Kalu intercepted Clayton Thorson at the Nebraska 23-yard line with 1:23 remaining to seal the Huskers’ third straight win at Ryan Field.

“I continue to like the stick-to-itiveness, the toughness and emotional attitude that we have right now,” Nebraska defensive coordinator Mark Banker said. “I heard absolutely no negativity on the sideline. Some guys were hard on themselves. We said, ‘You’ve got all tonight, all day tomorrow you can be as mad as you want at yourself, but we’re going to need you this game, so let’s go.’ ”

Thorson scored on a 42-yard run, untouched, in the first quarter, eliciting memories of last year, when Thorson ran all over the Blackshirts in Lincoln. This time, the Huskers adjusted, and Thorson finished with only 60 yards gained in rushing (43 total after sacks).

“We definitely made a correction,” Banderas said. “That’s not something new that we hadn’t seen. It’s just something we have to keep focusing on and reading our keys better.”

Nebraska scored second-half touchdowns on a 4-yard pass from Armstrong to tight end Cethan Carter and a 10-yard reverse by Jordan Westerkamp, a senior who played before hundreds of friends and family from his home state of Illinois.

Nebraska drove again late before a penalty pushed the Huskers back and forced a punt. But the offense, behind a salty rushing attack, and a 32-yard run by running back Mikale Wilbon, had done its job – run clock.

“That’s definitely how we want to establish ourselves as an offense,” fullback Luke McNitt said. “As the game goes on, our yards per carry keeps getting larger and larger. As they get tired, we want to start pounding the ball. You start seeing plays that were 2 yards start turning into 4 or 5.

“We just wanted to milk the clock and keep pounding it. You saw that on the field tonight.”

Northwestern (1-3, 0-1) entered having come off a 24-13 victory over Duke, which won at Notre Dame on Saturday. That came after losses to Western Michigan and FCS school Illinois State to open the season.

“We knew they didn’t have the start to the year they wanted, but they always give us their best game and that’s what we got,” Riley said. “We kind of gave them some freebies with a couple of fumbles. We finished hard, and we battled.”

Reach Brian at  brosenthal@huskers.com or follow him on Twitter at @GBRosenthal.