Cats fight back only to fall short in frustrating loss at Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb.-Northwestern’s 28-21 loss to Nebraska on Saturday in Lincoln is going to stick in the Wildcats’ craw for a while. They feel like they let a win slip through their fingers.
They’re not wrong.
The Wildcats had come back from a 21-6 third-quarter deficit to tie the game after Caleb Komolafe’s 56-yard touchdown run. Then Mac Uihlein picked off a Dylan Raiola throw in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats the ball at the Nebraska 34-yard line.
Suddenly, the Wildcats were in business with a chance to take the lead for the first time all day and possibly claim a fifth straight win.
Instead, on third-and-12, quarterback Preston Stone, who struggled throughout the day, tried to hit Griffin Wilde on a post and threw the ball right into the hands of linebacker Javin Wright.
That flipped the game on its head and seemed to take the wind out of the Wildcats’ sails.
“What a swing of emotions in the fourth quarter,” said head coach David Braun. “We were in position to take the lead.”
But Nebraska ended up taking the lead — and the game. The Huskers converted four third downs en route to scoring a touchdown on a four-yard Emmett Johnson run for a 28-21 lead with 2:44 left. That turned out to be the game-winner as the Wildcats couldn’t get past the Nebraska 35 on their ensuing possession and Nebraska escaped with the win.
“Hurting for our guys right now,” said Braun. “Obviously disappointed in the result.”
Instead of a sixth win to clinch bowl eligibility, Northwestern will now head into the bye week with a bad taste in their mouths. They will try to put the loss behind them before they head to USC in two weeks.
Northwestern did a lot of good things in this game, including Komolafe’s 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, his first time over the century mark. There was the fourth interception of the season by Uihlein. The Wildcats showed the resolve they have all season in coming back from a two-score, second-half deficit.
“We showed who we are as a team,” said Braun.
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But there were too many mistakes that prevented the Wildcats from winning a fifth straight game for the first time since 2020, too.
After trailing just 7-6 at the half, Nebraska’s Kenneth Williams returned the opening kickoff of the third quarter 95 yards for a touchdown, when Braun said that two contain men to the field got caught inside and lost leverage.
“We knew Nebraska’s return game was dangerous, and that showed up,” said Braun.
There was a holding call against Martes Lewis that wiped out a Komolafe first-down run in the red zone shortly before Stone threw the interception to Wright.
There were plenty of uncharacteristic missed tackles that contributed to Johnson, the Big Ten rushing leader, piling up 124 yards on 27 carries, including two TDs.
“You have to tip your hat to Nebraska as well,” said Braun. “Emmett is a really good player.”
Then there was Stone, who threw two interceptions and completed 15-of-29 throws for 159 yards.
On Northwestern’s last-ditch drive in the closing minutes after Nebraska had taken the lead, Stone also bounced a pass in front of Hunter Welcing with 1:54 left that would have given them 15 yards and a first down at the Nebraska 24. Instead, the drive ended three plays later and the Huskers were able to run out the clock.
This game was by no mean on Stone’s shoulders. He led a 78-yard touchdown drive to stem the tide after Nebraska had scored 14 straight points to take control. There were plenty of defensive and special teams issues to point to, as well.
Braun defended his quarterback after the game, calling him a winner.
“Preston showed us exactly who he is,” said Braun. “He’s competitive, he’s a winner.”
But the fact remains that when Stone takes care of the ball, Northwestern wins. He has eight interceptions in Northwestern’s three losses, and just one combined in their five wins.
“That’s one that’s going to eat at me for a while,” said Braun.
He was talking about Williams’ kickoff return touchdown, but he could have been talking about the entire game, and his entire team.
