Nebraska OL Elijah Pritchett ejected for targeting vs. Minnesota

Nebraska offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett was ejected for targeting in the second quarter vs. Minnesota. He was initially flagged for unnecessary roughness before replay buzzed down.

The play occurred with 5:24 remaining in the first half when Pritchett laid a huge hit on Minnesota’s Devon Williams. Officials threw a flag and called a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness, but later went to the monitor to review potential targeting.

They ultimately upheld the call. That meant Pritchett was ejected from the game – a rarity for an offensive player, though it is still possible. Since the play occurred in the first half, he will not have to miss the first half of the next game.

Is Elijah Pritchett the first offensive player to get ejected for targeting? pic.twitter.com/odalR8V4zr

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) October 18, 2025

The broadcast team of Tim Brando and Devin Gardner agreed targeting was likely the call. FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira also thought that would be the case since Williams was on the ground at the time of the hit, therefore becoming a defenseless player.

“I’m with you. I think it is targeting,” Pereira said on the broadcast. “You’ve got the player on the ground, like you talked, is defenseless.”

Nebraska wound up settling for a field goal on the drive after Dylan Raiola scrambled to make it a 30-yard attempt. The Cornhuskers trailed Minnesota 7-6 at halftime.

More on Elijah Pritchett

Elijah Pritchett is in his first season at Nebraska after transferring from Alabama this offseason. He spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide and made 12 starts in 29 appearances during that time. In 2024, he started 11 games at right tackle and one at left tackle while earning a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List during the season.

Pritchett has played left tackle at Nebraska this year, but was dealing with an ankle injury this week. However, head coach Matt Rhule said he’d be “100%” for Friday’s primetime game against Minnesota. Rhule said Pritchett rolled his ankle last time out against Maryland.

“So I thought Elijah Pritchett played a fantastic game,” Rhule told reporters. “You know even the one sack he gave up there was a miscommunication, he was supposed to have a chip, the back went across. So it was just like, it wasn’t on Pritchett.

“But the play he made on Isaiah’s touchdown… He went as long as he could. He rolled his ankle and just kept playing, kept playing, kept playing. Really proud of what Elijah did. So some guys are beat up like that.”