HUSKER FOOTBALL: Nebraska Defeats Northwestern 56-7
LINCOLN–(NU Athletics Oct. 2)–Adrian Martinez ran for a career-best three touchdowns and passed for another and Nebraska broke big play after big play while putting away Northwestern early in a 56-7 win. The Cornhuskers were sharp from the get-go and dominated a matchup that usually has produced close games.
Eight of the previous 10 in the series were decided by eight points or less. It was the Huskers’ most lopsided win in a Big Ten game since they joined the conference in 2011. For Northwestern, the losing margin matched the second largest in Pat Fitzgerald’s 16 years as coach.
Nebraska improved to 9-6 all-time against Northwestern, including 5-3 in Lincoln. The Huskers are now 6-5 against Northwestern since joining the Big Ten in 2011. The Huskers’ 49-point margin of victory marked the first time in six meetings in Lincoln since 2011 that the final Nebraska-Northwestern margin was more than seven points. The combined margin in the previous five meetings in Lincoln was 18 points.
Nebraska’s 56 points were its most in a Big Ten Conference game, bettering its 54 points at Maryland in 2019. It is the Huskers’ most points in a conference game since also scoring 56 at Kansas State in 2008 (56-28 win). The Huskers’ 56 points are the most under Scott Frost and the most since Nebraska scored 59 points against South Dakota State in 2013. Saturday night marked the Nebraska’s largest margin of victory since joining the Big Ten, the previous high was 47 points at Maryland in 2019. Nebraska last won by more than 49 points in a conference game when it won, 59-0, at Baylor in 2001 as member of the Big 12.
Nebraska’s 21 first-quarter points are its most this season and its most since also scoring 21 vs. Illinois in 2018. The Huskers’ 35 first-half points are its most since holding a 38-21 halftime lead against Illinois in 2018. Nebraska finished with 427 rushing yards, its second-highest total in a Big Ten Conference game, trailing only 458 vs. Illinois in 2014.
Nebraska’s seven rushing touchdowns were its most in a Big Ten Conference game.
Nebraska finished the game with 657 total yards, marking its second game with better than 600 yards this season (663 vs. Fordham). NU has six games with at least 600 yards under Scott Frost. Northwestern had not allowed 600 yards of total offense since a 2005 game against Arizona State.
Nebraska had a 70-yard completion from Adrian Martinez to Samori Toure on the game’s first play to set up a touchdown. On its second drive, running back Jacquez Yant had a 64-yard run to set up another score. The two long scrimmage plays give Nebraska eight plays of at least 50 yards this season. Nebraska’s eight 50-yard plays in 2021 are its most since 2014, when NU had 11 50-yard plus plays.