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Nebraska Beats Cincinnati, 20–17, Behind Raiola’s Impressive Debut, And A Late Defensive Stand

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Football

(BCSNN) — Dylan Raiola let the nation know that he's arrived as he racked up 243 yards and two touchdowns in his Nebraska debut, while Malcolm Hartzog Jr. sealed the win with a late interception as the Cornhuskers held off Cincinnati 20–17 on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

Raiola, the highly touted freshman, completed 33 of 42 passes and showed poise throughout, leading Nebraska on a pair of scoring drives in the second and fourth quarters. His fourth-down touchdown pass to Dane Key with 10:36 left gave the Huskers a 10-point cushion that proved just enough. “He was calm, accurate, and made the throws we needed,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said. “That’s a great start for him.”

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby struggled through the air, finishing 13-of-25 for just 69 yards and one interception, but he kept the Bearcats in the game with his legs. Sorsby rushed for 96 yards and both of Cincinnati’s touchdowns, including a one-yard dive to pull within three with 7:15 remaining. The Bearcats had one final chance, driving inside the Nebraska 10-yard line before Hartzog picked off Sorsby’s end zone pass with 34 seconds left.

Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson led all rushers with 108 yards on 25 carries, helping the Cornhuskers control the clock and tempo. Nyziah Hunter was the top receiver, hauling in six catches for 65 yards and a second-quarter touchdown that gave Nebraska a 13–3 halftime lead. The Huskers held a 19-minute edge in time of possession and outgained Cincinnati 353–272.

The Bearcats opened the scoring with a field goal and kept it close early, but a costly fumble late in the first half flipped momentum. A short completion from Sorsby to Caleb Goodie popped loose, and Nebraska recovered deep in Bearcat territory. Three plays later, Raiola found Hunter for a score, turning a potential 6–3 deficit into a 13–3 halftime lead.

Despite the loss, Cincinnati showed resilience in the second half, stopping Nebraska on fourth down and scoring twice to stay within striking distance. “We didn’t play clean football in the first half,” Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield said. “But I’m proud of how we fought back. We’ll learn from this.”

Nebraska (1–0) returns to Lincoln for its home opener against Akron on Sept. 6, while Cincinnati (0–1) will host Bowling Green the same day. Both teams will look to build on promising individual performances as they settle into the rhythm of the season.