Nebraska routs FCS Houston Christian 59-7, lets starters sit out 2nd half with Michigan up next
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Dylan Raiola threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, Emmett Johnson ran for two scores and Nebraska hammered Houston Christian 59-7 Saturday.
The Cornhuskers (3-0), wearing all-red uniforms for the first time since 1986, scored on their first eight full possessions against the Huskies (1-2) of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Raiola, Johnson and most of the other starters didn’t play in the second half as Nebraska improved to 16-0 against FCS opponents.
The Huskers led 38-0 after rolling up 320 yards and holding Houston Christian to 52 in the first half. They finished with 554 yards.
“We’re significantly better than we have been, but the road gets a lot harder,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. “If we stay where we are right now, we won’t win a lot of games going forward. We have to improve.”
They got their first fumble return for a touchdown since 2020 early in the second quarter when Riley Van Poppel jarred the ball from Jake Weir on a sack and William Nwaneri picked it up and ran 29 yards.
“I really didn’t know I knocked the ball out,” Van Poppel said. “I heard everyone get loud, and then I turned around and Will had it and he was running for the end zone, and then I got happy.”
Houston Christian ended Nebraska’s bid for a second straight shutout in the middle of the third quarter. Xai’Shaun Edwards took a handoff, shook off Jaylen George’s tackle attempt and went around the left side for a 45-yard touchdown.
TJ Lateef relieved Raiola to start the second half and was 5 of 5 for 126 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown to Cortez Mills Jr. Mills had three catches for 98 yards.
Dane Key caught four passes for 104 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, and Kwinten Ives ran for 72 of his 85 yards in the second half. Johnson added 78 yards on the ground.
“I’ve been looking at this (game) since I took over as the head coach,” Houston Christian coach Jason Bachtel said. “And when you pair it together, and you see it’s Matt Rhule’s third year and he’s a third-year magic guy, then you fear what’s going to happen. I’m not sure why they’re not a Top 25 team. They will be soon.”
The takeaway
Houston Christian: The Huskies received a $500,000 guarantee for making the trip. They’re 0-3 all-time against opponents from power conferences.
Nebraska: The Huskers outscored Akron and Houston Christian 127-7 after opening the season with a hard-earned 20-17 win over Cincinnati. Nebraska has scored 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2007.
“We have a long way to go, but to be 3-0 and to play a Power Four team and dominate two teams we’re supposed to dominate, that’s all I can ask of these guys,” Rhule said.
Umpire down
Umpire Dan Montgomery hit the turf hard in the third quarter when he got in the middle of Rex Guthrie’s tackle of Houston Christian’s Deuce McMillan. As Montgomery was throwing a flag on the play, Guthrie and McMillan rolled into his heels, causing him to fall backward. The mishap drew oohs from the crowd, but Montgomery popped up right away no worse for the wear.
Up next
Houston Christian hosts Northern Colorado next Saturday.
Nebraska opens Big Ten play at home against No. 23 Michigan next Saturday.
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By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
