Nov 30, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Dane Key (6) runs onto the field during the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Former Kentucky WR Dane Key set for transfer to Nebraska

Former Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key, one of the top offensive players in the transfer portal, announced on social media Tuesday that he will transfer to Nebraska.

Key posted a photo of himself in a Nebraska uniform wearing the No. 6 he wore at Kentucky. The simple post contained the letters “GBR,” short for “Go Big Red,” with an emoji heart.

Key led Kentucky this past season with 47 receptions for 715 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games as the Wildcats finished 4-8.

In three seasons, the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has 126 receptions for 1,870 yards and 14 TDs in 38 games (35 starts).

Key has one season of eligibility remaining after he was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before a game against the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Jayden Maiava stellar in 1st start as USC holds off Nebraska

Jayden Maiava passed for 259 yards and accounted for all four touchdowns in his first career start, and Southern California reversed its misfortune in close Big Ten Conference games on Saturday with a 28-20 win over Nebraska in Los Angeles.

The Trojans (5-5, 3-5 Big Ten) came into Saturday’s contest 0-5 in one-score Big Ten games, accounting for all of their losses on the season.

But Maiava, a UNLV transfer, gave USC some breathing room with a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:45 remaining in regulation, and Greedy Vance Jr. made a leaping interception of Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola’s pass in the end zone as time expired.

The victory came after a stretch in which USC dropped 4-of-5 games and its bowl hopes were hanging in the balance.

For Nebraska (5-5, 2-5), Saturday’s setback marked its fourth straight.

Maiava was announced as USC’s starting quarterback last week during the Trojans’ bye week, taking over for beleaguered Miller Moss. Maiava shined in his debut in completing 25 of 35 passes and all four USC touchdowns, but not before a rocky start.

Maiava was unofficially in on five touchdowns, giving up a Pick-6 to Ceyair Wright — a Los Angeles native and former Trojan — in the first quarter for the game’s initial score. The Trojans quarterback settled in the rest of the way, throwing scoring strikes of 6 yards to Zachariah Branch on a swing pass, 12 yards to Kyron Hudson and a deep ball to Duce Robinson for a 48-yard touchdown.

Robinson caught four passes for a game-high 90 yards. Woody Marks rushed 19 times for 146 yards, an average of 7.7 yards per carry.

Raiola, who was injured late in Nebraska’s last outing two weeks ago against UCLA, returned to the lineup and went 27 of 38 for 191 yards. He threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Johnson that sent the teams into halftime tied at 14.

The Cornhuskers could only get a pair of John Hohl field goals on the board in the second half. Nebraska’s special teams blocked USC kicker Michael Lantz in the fourth quarter, with Wright deflecting the attempt.

The Cornhuskers could not cash in on the ensuing possession, and USC extended its lead to eight points after forcing a punt.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) runs out of bounds against UCLA Bruins linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

With both teams searching for answers, Nebraska battles USC

Historic powerhouses meet as conference counterparts for the first time on Saturday in Los Angeles when Southern California hosts Nebraska.

Looking to snap their respective skids — Nebraska (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) is riding a three-game losing streak and USC (4-5, 2-5) has lost four out of five — the Cornhuskers and Trojans are shaking things up on offense as they each come out of a bye week.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said Monday that Dana Holgorsen would take over for Marcus Satterfield as offensive coordinator. Satterfield will focus on tight ends, while Holgorsen, the former West Virginia and Houston head coach, will call plays.

“He’s got a long history of success offensively, both as a head coach but certainly as a coordinator before that,” Rhule said of Holgorsen. “He gives us a fresh perspective on looking at what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with.”

In terms of Nebraska’s offensive personnel, one question ahead of Week 12 is at quarterback. Dylan Raiola, the Huskers’ starter throughout the season, came out in the fourth quarter of their 27-20 loss to UCLA on Nov. 2 due to a back injury.

Reserve Heinrich Haarberg came on and completed 2 of 7 passes for 32 yards and threw a game-ending interception. Rhule said on Monday that both quarterbacks are working out in preparation for Saturday, but he did not name a starter.

USC has its own shakeup at quarterback. Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley said Jayden Maiava will start in place of Miller Moss on Saturday after Moss threw three interceptions in a 26-21 loss at Washington on Nov. 2.

The USC offense averaged 30.6 points per game with Moss starting, and the redshirt junior threw multiple touchdown passes in six of nine games. However, the Trojans’ inability to finish in close games resulted in five losses by seven points or fewer.

“We’ve been pleased with his progression, with the way that he’s practiced, with the way that he’s picked up the offense,” Riley said of Maiava after practice Tuesday. “We just felt it was the right time. He’s been working hard here during the last week, and it was definitely a benefit to have the bye week.”

On Tuesday, the NCAA placed the Trojans on one-year probation and fined the program $50,000 for coaching violations in 2022 and early 2023.

Riley, who “was not personally involved in violations nor aware of the violations at the time the infractions occurred,” according to the NCAA, said the program knew of the violations and probation well before the news became public.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Kain Medrano (20) celebrates during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

UCLA has uphill climb in bid to ‘keep building’ vs. Nebraska

UCLA is carrying some momentum for the first time in its inaugural Big Ten Conference season.

The Bruins will look to ride that steam into Saturday afternoon’s game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb.

UCLA (2-5, 1-4) posted a season high in points and notched its first-ever league win as a Big Ten member with a 35-32 victory at Rutgers on Oct. 19. The victory, highlighted by Ethan Garbers completing 32 of 38 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns, sent the Bruins into their bye week on a high note.

“We’ve got to keep building on each week,” offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio said. “We’re starting to gain confidence (along the offensive line), and I think it became a personal matter of … we’re tired of letting (the quarterback) get hit.”

UCLA has allowed 20 sacks this season. Keeping the defense away from the quarterback is still a work-in-progress for the Bruins, who yielded three sacks to Rutgers.

Nebraska (5-3, 2-3), which has 23 sacks for the season, will look to leverage its pass-rush and get back on the winning track amid a two-game losing streak.

Since running to a 5-1 start, the Cornhuskers absorbed an ugly 56-7 loss at then-No. 16 Indiana on Oct. 19. They regrouped to give preseason Big Ten favorite Ohio State a tough game last week before dropping a 21-17 decision to the No. 4 Buckeyes.

Last Saturday’s loss was closer to Nebraska’s style, however. The Cornhuskers have thrived when setting the tone defensively, limiting opponents to an average of 7.4 points per game in their wins.

Teams have averaged 36 points a game in Nebraska’s three losses, with Ohio State’s 21 falling on the low end.

“The standard was set even higher on Saturday (vs. Ohio State),” Huskers defensive lineman Ty Robinson said at Tuesday’s press conference. “What’s great is that everyone now gets to see that standard, and everyone knows what it practices during the week in practice.”

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws the ball against Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium on Oct 26, 2024, in Columbus.

Will Howard tosses 3 TDs as No. 4 Ohio State tops Nebraska

Will Howard had three touchdown passes, including a late go-ahead score, as No. 4 Ohio State rallied to defeat Nebraska 21-17 in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

Howard’s 9-yard pass to Quinshon Judkins with 6:04 to play gave the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) the lead after the offense had stalled in the third quarter with 23 total yards and no first downs.

Jordan Hancock sealed the win with an interception at the OSU 45 with 1:16 left.

Nebraska (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) had gone ahead 17-14 with 10:47 remaining on a 1-yard run by Dante Dowdell and a two-point conversion catch by Nate Boerkircher.

The Cornhuskers went 74 yards in nine plays for their first fourth-quarter lead against a top-5 team since playing Texas in 2009.

Despite a perfect half of throwing by Howard, the Buckeyes held just a 14-6 lead after Nebraska’s John Hohl hit a 54-yard field goal as time expired.

Hohl also made a 39-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 7-3. He entered the game 1 for 5 with a long of 21 yards this season.

Howard went 9 for 9 for 167 yards, two touchdowns and a 329.2 quarterback rating in the first half.

He opened the scoring with a 40-yard strike to Carnell Tate on a post pattern to complete a 91-yard drive with 29 seconds left in the first quarter.

After Hohl’s first field goal, Howard led the Buckeyes to a 14-3 lead on the next possession when he connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 60-yard score.

Howard’s first pass of the third quarter went for 5 yards before he threw an incompletion to Smith at the right sideline.

Hohl then cut the deficit to 14-9 with a 47-yarder.

Each team was coming off a disheartening defeat. The Cornhuskers were routed 56-7 at Indiana; Ohio State lost at current No. 1 Oregon 32-31 on Oct. 12.

On Nov. 2, the Buckeyes play at No. 3 Penn State while Nebraska hosts UCLA looking for a win to be bowl eligible.

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) gestures for a first down against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Fresh off a bye, No. 16 Indiana faces stern test in Nebraska

The first team to clinch bowl eligibility now goes to work on seeing if they can fulfill their coach’s initial bold prediction.

No. 16 Indiana comes off its bye week with a Big Ten Conference game against Nebraska on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, Ind. The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0) have won every game by at least 14 points.

When Curt Cignetti accepted the head coaching job, one of his first stops was Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where the Big Ten championship game was being played the next day. Cignetti went on Big Ten Network and said, “I figured I had to make this trip up here since we’ll be playing in this game next year.”

Many laughed when Cignetti uttered those words. Now, Indiana has a reasonable chance to be 9-0 before it plays Michigan and Ohio State in consecutive games. The guy who ushered James Madison into a successful beginning in FBS has showed he quickly can build a winner in a big conference.

“This is culture and mindset,” he said after the Hoosiers’ 41-24 win at Northwestern on Oct. 5. “These are guys that came from championship programs that have now won 20 of their last 21 games. And a lot of other transfers that come from good programs.

“And the guys that stayed had a chip on their shoulder and something to prove.”

Indiana is second in FBS in scoring at 47.5 points per game and fourth in total yardage at 515.7 yards per game. Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke is completing nearly 74 percent of his passes with a 14-2 touchdown-interception ratio.

Not to be outdone, the defense is allowing fewer than 15 points per game and has logged 19 sacks. Just two of the Hoosiers’ six opponents have gained more than 100 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) also is coming off a bye. Its last game was a 14-7 home win over Rutgers on Oct. 5 that saw it gain just 261 total yards and allow four sacks. But the Cornhuskers avoided the kind of bitter loss that has defined the program in recent seasons.

Second-year coach Matt Rhule’s team fell out of the rankings in late September after a 31-24 overtime loss at home to Illinois. Saturday’s game and next week’s trip to No. 4 Ohio State provide Nebraska with a golden opportunity to return to the relevance Rhule seeks.

“Probably a top 10 team that we’re facing,” he said of Indiana, “but they are not getting the credit in the rankings because they started unranked.”

The Cornhuskers will present the Hoosiers’ offense with perhaps its stiffest challenge of the year. Nebraska has permitted just 11.3 points per game and has recorded 20 sacks to go along with two interception returns for touchdowns.

Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is connecting on nearly 67 percent of his passes but is coming off perhaps his least effective performance in the win over Rutgers. He completed only 13 of 27 attempts for 134 yards with an interception.

–Field Level Media

Nov 24, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Steven Stilianos (86) catches a pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Backup Marshall Meeder’s FG lifts No. 17 Iowa over Nebraska

Backup kicker Marshall Meeder kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 17 Iowa a 13-10 win at Nebraska in a Big Ten Conference game on Friday afternoon in Lincoln, Neb.

Meeder, a transfer from Central Michigan who had not appeared in a game this season, was called on for the game-winning kick after starter Drew Stevens had a pair of field goals blocked in the first half.

Iowa defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett intercepted a pass near midfield with 15 seconds left and Leshon Williams broke off a 22-yard run to set up Meeder’s kick. Williams ran for 111 yards on 16 carries.

Iowa (10-2, 7-2) won the Heroes Trophy despite being outgained 264-257 and managing only 57 yards in the second half.

The Hawkeyes improved to 5-1 in one-score games and will play next week in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.

Nebraska (5-7, 3-6) dropped its fourth straight game, all by one score, to miss out on a bowl game for the seventh straight season.

Iowa led 10-7 at the half, but Nebraska tied it on a 44-yard field goal from Tristan Alvano with 6:18 left in the third quarter. Alvano had a chance to give the Cornhuskers a lead with 5:07 left in the fourth but his second 44-yard attempt sailed wide left.

Nebraska’s Tommi Hill intercepted Iowa’s Deacon Hill near midfield with 31 seconds left before Cornhuskers quarterback Chubba Purdy matched that interception. Purdy also lost a fumble as Nebraska turned it over three times, giving it an FBS-worst 31 turnovers this season.

Iowa got the scoring going early in the second quarter on a 1-yard Deacon Hill run, a touchdown set up by his 37-yard pass to tight end Steven Stilianos.

The Hawkeyes made it 10-0 with 5:12 left before halftime on Stevens’ 28-yard field goal. Nebraska got on board with 3:43 left in the second on a 66-yard TD pass from Purdy to Jaylen Lloyd.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) is sacked by Northwestern defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard (91) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska and Wisconsin still chasing bowl eligibility

Wisconsin and Nebraska both will attempt to become bowl eligible when the stumbling Big Ten teams meet Saturday night in Madison, Wis.

Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) is coming off an embarrassing 24-10 loss at home to Northwestern. Nebraska (5-5, 3-4) lost at home to Maryland, 13-10, on a field goal as time expired.

The Badgers and Cornhuskers are in a five-way tie for second, two games behind Iowa in the Big Ten West.

The Badgers, picked to win the West in the preseason poll under first-year coach Luke Fickell, have lost three straight. Wisconsin has played in a bowl game in each of the last 21 seasons, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and the third longest in FBS football.

The Wisconsin defense was shredded in the first half by Northwestern, which had touchdown drives of 79, 68 and 90 yards and then added a field goal for a 24-3 halftime lead.

“There’s no answers,” Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler said. “We just have to play better. We come out soft. We come out flat. We have zero energy on either side of the ball. And we get whooped around the field.”

Tanner Mordecai returned after missing three games with a broken throwing hand and completed 31 of 45 passes for 255 yards, but no touchdowns. Leading rusher Braelon Allen tried to return after missing the previous game with an ankle injury, but left again after gaining 3 yards on three carries.

Nebraska, which last played in a bowl game to conclude the 2016 season, has committed 27 turnovers, for a minus-14 turnover margin. The Huskers had five turnovers in the loss to Maryland, including three in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Heinrich Haarberg came away with an ankle injury against Maryland, and both Jeff Sims and Chubba Purdy played. All three QBs threw at least one interception as the Huskers passed for just 86 yards.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said Monday that the starter vs. Wisconsin might not be known until game time.

The Badgers have won nine straight against Nebraska, including all eight since the Freedom Trophy was introduced in 2014. Wisconsin has not lost a home game in the series and is 10-1 vs. the Cornhuskers since they joined the Big Ten in 2011.

“They’re a really good football team with really good players,” Rhule said of the Badgers. “Big, physical, raw, athletic. Luke Fickell’s an excellent football coach.”

–Field Level Media