WATCH: Casey Thompson leads Nebraska to touchdown on first drive of the season
It didn’t take long for the Nebraska offense to showcase its new look. The Cornhuskers got the ball first after Northwestern deferred — and Casey Thompson went to work.
Thompson, on his first drive as Nebraska starting quarterback, led the 75-yard scoring drive, capped off by a perfectly placed 32-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda to get the Cornhuskers on the board first and take a 7-0 lead over Northwestern.
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It was the first time Mark Whipple showcased his offense at Nebraska, and he picked up right where he left off at Pitt. Thompson went 5-for-6 for 68 yards on the opening drive, which is a similar style Pitt ran last year with Kenny Pickett under center.
What’s at stake for Scott Frost, Nebraska in Week 0 against Northwestern
The game has plenty of implications for Scott Frost and the Cornhuskers. Rumors continue to swirl about the Nebraska coach’s job security after he took a pay cut as part of a restructured contract this offseason, and he revamped the coaching staff. Ahead of the game, ESPN’s Pete Thamel said Frost has a lot at stake in the Week 0 matchup, making it one of the biggest season openers of his career.
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“There’s a lot at stake for [Frost] this season,” Thamel said. “He took a million dollar pay cut and agreed to a new contract that essentially cuts his buyout in half from $15 million to $7.5 million. So essentially, Scott Frost agreed to a deal that would make it easier for his alma mater to fire him if it doesn’t work out this year.
“You can’t stress enough how important the Week 0 opener in Ireland is. Nebraska’s only Big Ten win last year came over Northwestern, they beat them 56-7. They’re essentially two-touchdown favorites. If there’s ever a must-win opener for a coach, Scott Frost is facing it this weekend.”