NIU 21, , NEBRASKA 17: WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN PLAY WITH ANYONE’
Huskies come up big to stop late comeback bids by Cornhuskers
LINCOLN, Neb. — Northern Illinois is now 4- for- 5 against the Big Ten under coach Rod Carey, so if you were looking for shocked expressions after the Huskies’ 21- 17 upset of Nebraska, you had to go to the Cornhuskers’ locker room.
There was a bit of a been- there, done- that air about what the Huskies pulled off at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Yes, the Huskies returned for a curtain call after the game and lined up to take a picture in front of their remaining fans in the corner of the southwest end zone.
But beating Nebraska isn’t what it used to be. The intimidation factor for visitors to one of college football’s great cathedrals has faded as the glory years of the 1990s become more distant.
“We feel like we can play with anyone, play ball no matter where we’re at, no matter where we go,” said cornerback Shawun Lurry, who returned the first of the Huskies’ two interceptions for touchdowns.
“It’s a good win. But next- game mentality,” said defensive end Sutton Smith, who had two of the Huskies’ three sacks of Tanner Lee and four of his team’s nine tackles for losses. “We’ve got 24 hours to celebrate. It was a good matchup between us and them. Now we’ve just got to put our foot on the gas for the next opponent.”
Jordan Huff scored the winning touchdown on a two- yard run with 8: 52 left, and the Huskies ( 2- 1) became the first team not in a Power Five conference or major independent to win in Lincoln since Southern Mississippi knocked off the Cornhuskers in 2004. They join eight other unranked- at- the- time Power Five or major independent teams to win at Nebraska since 2012.
Nebraska ( 1- 2) had two chances with the ball after Northern Illinois went ahead. But Mycial Allen broke up a pass on fourth- and- seven, and Lee threw his third interception of the game, allowing the Huskies to go into victory formation with 1: 36 left.
“In the grand scheme of things, it is one game,” Carey said. “We’ve been here before in a situation like this. We’re 2- 1, that’s all it means. Are we going to enjoy it for 24 hours? You bet.”
The Huskies of the Mid- American Conference led 14- 0 on those interception returns before Nebraska found a semblance of offense. Nebraska was held scoreless in the first half at home for the first time since 2007.
The Huskers have lost two of their first three for the second time in three years under Mike Riley. They had a close call against Arkansas State in their opener, got blown out in the first half of a 42- 35 loss at Oregon last week, and now this.
“We have to prove who we are,” Riley said. “We’ve been, I would say, inconsistent at best. That’s not even probably accurate. That’s been us, and I don’t like that.”
The stunning loss brought Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst to the postgame interview area, where he assured reporters that he has confidence in Riley. This week Nebraska announced it had given Riley a one- year contract extension, through the 2020 season.
“I’m angry, I’m frustrated, I’m disappointed,” Eichorst said. “At the end of the day we have to stay together. It’s still early in the season and we need to find ways to win games like this.”
The Huskies will add this win to the ones they have posted over Iowa, Purdue and Northwestern since 2013. Don’t sleep on the Huskies, who were picked third in the MAC West.