Dylan Raiola passed for 293 yards and a touchdown, while Dante Dowdell ran for three scores to lead Nebraska to a 44-25 win over Wisconsin on Saturday. With the victory, Nebraska became bowl eligible for the first time since 2016.
Nebraska (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) ended a four-game losing streak and beat Wisconsin for the first time in 11 tries. The Cornhuskers ran to the sideline to claim the Freedom Trophy, and students flooded the field to celebrate. This was also Nebraska’s first win under second-year coach Matt Rhule when playing for bowl eligibility.
The Huskers entered the season with the longest bowl drought among power-conference teams, and their first bowl appearance since 1955-61 seemed a distant goal.
“The cloud that kind of hangs over everything, it’s gone,” said Rhule, who has bigger goals for the future. “This will be the last time we ever celebrate six wins.”
Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) lost its fourth straight game, following a close 16-13 loss to No. 1 Oregon the week before. The Badgers’ defense struggled in this game, giving up three times the points to Nebraska.
“We played really well against the No. 1 team in the country and then we come out today — and I’m not saying Nebraska is not a good program, but they’re not No. 1 in the country — and we gave up three times the points to Nebraska,” said Badgers defensive lineman Ben Barten. “This is on our defense today.”
Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson rushed for over 100 yards for the first time in his 27 career games, finishing with 113 yards on 16 carries.
The Huskers, who lost 24-17 to Wisconsin last year after leading 14-0, turned things around by scoring on six straight possessions. Raiola kneeled the ball a few times in the final moments to run out the clock.
“I remember that feeling after going up 14-0 and not finishing that game,” said Johnson. “Finishing has been an emphasis in the offseason, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Fans in Memorial Stadium began chanting “Go Big Red!” in the fourth quarter after Dowdell scored his final touchdown, giving Nebraska its highest point total in a game since 2021.
Raiola completed 28 of 38 passes, with eight going for at least 15 yards. His 5-yard touchdown pass to Jahmal Banks in the second quarter helped Nebraska lead 24-10 at halftime.
Wisconsin’s Braedyn Locke was 20 of 30 for 292 yards and three touchdowns, but his interception in the fourth quarter extended his streak of games with at least one pick to eight.
The loss came after a difficult week for Wisconsin. Coach Luke Fickell fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo on Sunday and held a tense press conference two days later, where he declined to name a new play-caller. Tight ends coach Nate Letton called the plays against Nebraska.
The Badgers were also missing key players, including leading receiver Will Pauling and top tackler Hunter Wohler, both sidelined by injuries.
“I don’t have any excuses,” Fickell said. “We didn’t play complementary football the way we have to on the road. It snowballed. We played really, really poor, especially tackling in the second half. We’ve got to challenge ourselves, look real deep in a short week and find out who’s with us and who’s willing to lay it all out on the line for these seniors coming up.”
