Dylan Raiola threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, leading No. 23 Nebraska to a 34-3 win over Northern Iowa on Saturday night, marking their best start since 2016.
The Cornhuskers (3-0) scored on five of their first six drives against the Panthers (2-1) from the Football Championship Subdivision.
“I see this as the preseason. We’re figuring out how to win,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. His team struggled with close losses last season, including four by three points and one in overtime.
“Losing close games often happens when you don’t close out games after taking the lead. We aim to score, build a lead if possible, play strong defense, and run the ball. People might say we’re boring in the fourth quarter.”
Raiola was impressive in the first half, passing for 209 yards and completing 13 of his first 14 throws, including 11 in a row. He finished 17 of 23 and was replaced by Heinrich Haarberg in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska led 21-3 at halftime after Raiola escaped a pass rusher and found a wide-open Jalen Lloyd for a 59-yard gain. On the next play, Jacory Barney III scored on a 10-yard reverse run.
“That Raiola-to-Lloyd play was almost a highlight reel,” Rhule said. “Jalen is an elite athlete. They blitzed from the left, and Raiola avoided the first rusher. Jalen was right where he needed to be.”
Freshman Carter Nelson, a four-star recruit from Ainsworth, Nebraska, scored his first career touchdown on the opening drive, catching a short pass from Raiola and running 24 yards to the end zone. Raiola’s second touchdown pass was an 18-yard throw to Isaiah Neyor.
The Panthers, ranked No. 21 in the FCS, managed a few big plays and had a 16-minute time of possession advantage, but struggled to move the ball consistently, scoring only on Caden Palmer’s 31-yard field goal. Their final drive ended at the Nebraska 2-yard line.
