By Huskers Athletics
Columbus, Ohio – The Nebraska football team had the ball near midfield with two minutes left with a chance to claim a road win at No. 4 Ohio State, but an interception on NU’s final offensive play ended the upset hopes in a 21-17 loss to the Buckeyes.
Playing in front of 104,830 fans at Ohio State and a FOX Big Noon national television audience, the Huskers gave the Buckeyes all they could handle before slipping to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State improved to 6-1 and 3-1 in the conference despite being booed repeatedly by its home crowd.
The two traditional powers battled each other yard-for-yard for 60 minutes, as the Buckeyes edged the Huskers 285-273 in total offense on the day, but Nebraska nearly doubled Ohio State on the ground, 121-64.
The Huskers also dominated time of possession, 35:07-24:53, while getting three huge field goals from place-kicker John Hohl to keep Nebraska within striking distance through the first three quarters.
In a choppy, slugfest, Ohio State struck first on Will Howard’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate with 29 seconds left in the first quarter to give the Buckeyes a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
Hohl cut the OSU lead to 7-3 five minutes later with his 39-yard field goal that capped a 10-play, 54-yard drive for the Big Red.
The Buckeyes answered two minutes later with Howard’s 60-yard scoring strike to freshman Jeremiah Smith to give Ohio State a 14-3 lead with 8:21 left in the first half. It was part of a 9-for-9 first-half passing performance by Howard, who finished the day 13-for-16 for 221 yards and three touchdowns.
However, Nebraska showed its resolve on its final drive of the first half, covering 40 yards in eight plays capped by Hohl’s career-long 54-yard field goal to send the Huskers to the locker room down just one score at 14-6. Hohl’s kick tied the Nebraska record for longest made field goal on the road in school history.
Nebraska built more momentum out of the halftime locker room with the Blackshirts forcing an immediate three-and-out, before Dylan Raiola marched the Husker offense 58 yards in 12 plays. The drive stalled, but Hohl put points on the board again with a 47-yard field goal to cut the margin to 14-9 with 7:29 left in the quarter.
The defenses dominated the remainder of the period, before the Huskers mounted one more drive to open the fourth quarter. Nebraska covered 74 yards in nine plays capped by Dante Dowdell’s one-yard touchdown blast. The Huskers then converted the two-point conversion to take a 17-14 lead over the No. 4 Buckeyes with 10:47 left.
Ohio State found the answer it needed with its only sustained drive of the half, as Howard pushed the Buckeyes 75 yards in eight plays capped by his nine-yard touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins to put OSU back up 21-17 with 6:09 left.
Nebraska had two more chances to put points on the board but could not cross midfield.
The Huskers’ final drive started at its own 24 with 3:36 remaining, but NU was immediately flagged for offensive pass interference to send the Big Red back to its own 12, facing 1st-and-22. On the next snap, Raiola found Jahmal Banks down the middle for a 19-yard completion. He was hit hard by OSU’s Arvell Reese, initially dislodging the ball and causing the pass to be ruled incomplete. Upon review of the targeting call, the penalty was upheld, Reese was ejected, and the pass was ruled complete. The 15-yard penalty quickly moved the Huskers to their own 46.
Ohio State’s fans, replicating the reaction of Texas fans last week in a home loss to Georgia, began throwing water bottles on the field, which caused Nebraska’s team to be moved away from the sideline for security reasons. OSU Head Coach Ryan Day, who was in the middle of the field near the 25-yard line, spiked his headset to the turf and charged at an official before being restrained. OSU was issued a sideline warning but not a penalty, and OSU fans did not earn a penalty either.
Despite the turmoil, Nebraska could not take any further advantage of the situation. The Huskers were immediately flagged for a false start, then lost two yards on a screen pass. Another pass to the flat lost an additional yard, forcing the Huskers to face 3rd-and-19 at its own 37.
Ohio State’s Jordan Hancock ended Nebraska’s upset bid with his interception of Raiola’s final pass at the OSU 45, and the Buckeyes ran out the clock to end a hard-fought game.
Raiola finished the day 21-for-32 for 152 yards. He added 31 rushing yards on nine carries, including a 38-yard scamper in the first half. Dowdell led Nebraska with 60 rushing yards on 14 carries with one score, while Emmett Johnson pitched in 30 yards on eight carries.
DeShon Singleton led a spirited effort by the Blackshirt with 10 total tackles, including six solos, and one pass breakup, while Jimari Butler and John Bullock each contributed five tackles. Butler provided the most disruptive presence up front with three tackles for loss, including an early sack for the Blackshirts.
Malcolm Hartzog Jr. added his fourth interception of the season for the Big Red on the first Ohio State play from scrimmage following Hohl’s third field goal midway through the third quarter. Hartzog snagged the Howard pass at the OSU 41 and returned it 34 yards to the OSU 7.
Nebraska was unable to immediately cash in on the turnover over though, as the Huskers came up short on 4th-and-Goal from the OSU 2.
After the Blackshirts forced another quick three-and-out inside OSU’s 10, Nebraska started its next drive at the OSU 42. The Huskers immediately moved to the Buckeye 32 on a quick completion to Barney, but the Huskers were forced to punt.
Jacory Barney Jr. led the Husker receivers with seven catches for 49 yards, while tight end Thomas Fidone II added four receptions for 55 yards, including a 33-yarder on the second play of Nebraska’s go-ahead drive. Banks and Isaiah Neyor each added a pair of catches.
The Blackshirts forced another OSU three-and-out to end the third quarter, and Nebraska finally cashed in with the go-ahead score on its opening drive of the fourth quarter.
In the third quarter, Nebraska’s defense held Ohio State to just 23 total yards on 10 plays and forced a turnover. In the second half, Nebraska totaled 158 yards, compared to just 88 for the Buckeyes.
Nebraska returns home to Memorial Stadium for the first time since an Oct. 5 win over Rutgers, when the Huskers host UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kick-off against the Bruins is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage by the Big Ten Network.