The Blackshirts were too difficult for Iowa to handle in the first half

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – This is your place for live updates during the Nebraska vs. Iowa game.

First quarter

Nebraska’s defense took the field first and looked strong early. The Blackshirts forced a long third pass, leaving the field and passing the ball to the offense.

Dylan Raiola and the offense moved the ball down the field efficiently, but stalled in the red zone for a 31-yard field goal from John Hohl, giving Nebraska a 3-0 lead.

The Blackshirts were strong in the first quarter, allowing no first downs and just 10 total yards.

Second quarter

The second quarter was very similar to the first, a strong Nebraska defense with an offense that put together some drives.

Late in the first half, Nebraska engineered a 12-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown rush by Dante Dowdell, giving the Huskers a 10-0 lead at halftime.

The Blackshirts were the story of the first half, allowing just 20 total yards and 0 points.

The defensive line held the second-leading rusher in the country to just 16 yards rushing on 10 attempts.

Jackson Stratton completed two of his seven passes for eight yards.

Raiola completed 10 of his 14 passes for 96 yards and no touchdowns. Jahmal Banks led Nebraska receivers with 35 yards on three catches.

Emmett Johnson was the Huskers’ lead back and rushed for 46 yards on nine carries.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The Nebraska football team looks to wrap up the 2024 regular season on Friday when the Huskers travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes at 6:30 p.m. on NBC.

The Huskers travel to Kinnick Stadium with some momentum after a 44-25 win over Wisconsin, giving the Big Red their sixth win and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.

This will be the 14th consecutive season the Huskers and Hawkeyes have faced off, and the 55th time overall.

Nebraska has a 30-21-3 edge in the all-time series against the Hawkeyes, but Iowa has a 9-4 record against Nebraska since playing against the Big Ten.

The away team in this series has won the last three meetings and nine of the last 12 meetings overall, including Nebraska’s 24-17 win at Kinnick Stadium in 2022.

The last six matches were decided with a total of 29 points. Iowa has a 5-1 record during that span, including game-winning field goals as time expired in 2018, 2019 and 2023.

Nebraska and Iowa will compete for the Heroes Trophy, but more importantly, the teams will honor a hero from each state. Edgar Estrada will be the Nebraska honoree.

You have to know Iowa

Iowa enters the regular season finale with a 7-4 record and a 5-3 mark in the Big Ten.

In their last appearance, the Hawkeyes ran all over Maryland, racked up 268 yards on the ground and beat the Terrapins 29-13.

Overall, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in rushing yards per game with 213.5. This score puts them in 13th place nationally.

One of the biggest improvements for Iowa this season is running back Kaleb Johnson. So far, Johnson has rushed for 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns, making him one of the best running backs in the country.

He’s averaging 6.7 yards per carry and hasn’t put the ball on the turf all season.

The Hawkeyes once again have one of the best defenses in the country. They allow just 17.7 points per game and are first in the Big Ten in turnover margin.

Third street quarterback Jackson Stratton makes his second start for the Hawkeyes on Friday. He is a direct transfer from Colorado State.

In his first start, Stratton completed 13 of his 20 passes for 104 yards and no touchdowns.

Nebraska will have a significant advantage at the quarterback position if they can stop the Hawkeyes on the ground.

This week’s numbers

6: The last six meetings between Nebraska and Iowa have been decided by 7 points or fewer, including three games by three points. The overall lead in the last six games is 29 points.

35: Friday’s game marks the 35th consecutive season Nebraska has played on Black Friday, including the last 14 years against Iowa. The Huskers have a record of 20-14 in Black Friday games since 1990.

44: Nebraska’s 44-point outburst against Wisconsin was its highest point total in two seasons under Matt Rhule. It was also the most points scored by Nebraska since beating Northwestern 56-7 in 2021, a span of 41 games.

Outcome predictions

Nate Johnson: Huskers win, 27-14

Jake Homan: Huskers win, 27-17

Mark Fischer: Huskers win, 28-10