Instant Takes: Iowa 40, Nebraska 16
After a 5-1 record to start the season, Nebraska football (7-5, 4-5) went 2-4 to end the 2025 season. The Huskers had a poor showing on Black Friday and Senior Day and were crushed by rival Iowa 40-16.
The Hawkeyes (8-4, 6-3) have defeated the Huskers to hoist 10 of the last 11 Heroes game trophies. Nebraska suffered its worst loss to Iowa since a 56-14 beatdown at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 24, 2017.
Nebraska honored 19 seniors before the 11 a.m. CT kick-off game. Unfortunately, they were unable to send off their seniors with a victory.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: Get 50% on Black Friday only as a new HuskerOnline subscriber
Lateef vs. Raiola conversation over
Conversations about TJ Lateef being better than Dylan Raiola have to be put to bed now. Lateef’s first start (a 21-17 win over UCLA at the Rose Bowl) started the conversation. But after back-to-back blowout losses, the discussion burned out.
Lateef went 9-for-24 for 69 passing yards in an embarrassing loss at home. He threw a few well-placed balls that were not caught by his receivers.
The 6-foot-1 freshman quarterback rushed for 31 yards against UCLA and made the Bruins pay with his legs. But since then, he has 17 rushing yards in two games. His legs add an element to Nebraska’s offense that Raiola doesn’t have. But he hasn’t demonstrated his running ability since UCLA.
Lateef has shown he can be a good quarterback. He can use his legs as a threat and has a good arm, but he couldn’t make things work in the last two games of the season.
Now the conversation shifts to which quarterbacks will stick around Nebraska for the 2026 season.
Special teams are a deciding factor as usual
Special teams have been the deciding factor in the recent series of Nebraska vs. Iowa. The Hawkeyes have had four game-winning field goals to beat the Huskers since 2018. Iowa won the 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024 games with a field goal.
Nebraska’s special teams have taken a massive jump in 2025 behind coordinator Mike Ekeler after years of special teams disasters. But they struggled to get the advantage over Iowa on a windy, cold day in Lincoln, Neb.
Receiver Kaden Wetjen ripped off a 51-yard kickoff return, and a face mask penalty by kicker John Hohl put the Hawkeyes on the Nebraska 29-yard line after Nebraska’s first-quarter TD. Drew Stevens knocked through a 41-yard field goal to make it 7-3 Huskers.
The Huskers’ special teams play of the game was Derek Wacher recovering a muffed kickoff return at Iowa’s 26-yard line to end the first quarter. Nebraska’s most costly was arguably Jacory Barney‘s muffed punt return. Iowa recovered the ball in the end zone for a safety and to take a 26-16 advantage to start the third quarter. The safety sucked the life out of the crowd and seemingly the Huskers.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Lane Kiffin
Statement on LSU, Ole Miss
- 2New
Pete Golding
Hired as Ole Miss head coach
- 3
Jonathan Smith
Michigan State fires head coach
- 4Hot
Jon Sumrall
UF expected to hire Tulane HC
- 5
Auburn hires head coach
Tigers land their FB coach
Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Husker placekicker Kyle Cunanan was 3-of-3 on field goals. Punter Archie Wilson had four punts for an average of 32 yards while battling a blistering wind. Meanwhile, Iowa’s Rhys Dakin had three punts for an average of 50.7 yards per punt, but only punted with the wind.
Nebraska only punted into the wind, and Iowa only punted with the wind.
Iowa gets edge in rushing game down the stretch
Iowa got the edge in the rushing game, literally. The Hawkeyes started off slowly in the rushing game on both sides of the ball, but dominated after the first quarter. They finished with 203 rushing yards.
Nebraska recorded 137 rushing yards in the first quarter. Emmett Johnson put up a massive quarter with 132 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown, with a 70-yard and 25-yard rush. While Johnson was running all over Iowa, the Hawkeyes had 13 rushing yards in the first quarter.
Iowa opened the second quarter with a 75-yard touchdown drive that had 48 rushing yards. They had 112 rushing yards in the first half and finished with 213 overall. Kamari Moulten led Iowa with 93 rushing yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns.
Iowa was 14th nationally entering the matchup. They allowed 101.6 rushing yards per game before Friday. Nebraska ran for 231 yards on the ground on 36 total carries. After the first quarter, the Huskers recorded 93 yards on the ground and 85 were from Johnson.
Iowa could not stop Johnson in the rushing game, but halted everyone else. Their 166 receiving yards on nine catches were the difference on offense. The Hawkeye defense held Nebraska to nine catches on 24 throws for 69 yards.
Johnson finished with 217 rushing yards, 29 carries and one touchdown. Outside of the junior, Nebraska posted 14 rushing yards. He had two catches for 22 yards. His five straight 100-yard rushing games are the first by a Husker since Ameer Abdullah in 2013. Johnson is also the first Husker to rush for over 200 yards since Abdullah in 2014.
