LINCOLN — Nebraska clinched its first bowl game berth since 2016 with a 44-25 win Saturday over Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium. Here are three takeaways: 1. Nebraska capitalized on mistakes that have gone against it throughout losing streak How Nebraska got in this position, needing Saturday’s 44-25 win over Wisconsin to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time in eight seasons, wasn’t a singular issue. It was a culmination of struggles on offense, a worn-down defense because of those struggles, undisciplined football and some bad bounces and luck. Sometimes when a team is in a rut like the Huskers have been, anything that can go wrong seems to find a way, and reversing those fortunes is the only way out. It wasn’t just that Nebraska’s offense was more than up to the task against a Badgers team that had allowed just seven points per game in first halves this season. Or its defense did just enough against a Badgers group missing its top wideout option. But those mistakes and bounces that have gone against the Huskers over the past month — and past decade — were happening to the team across the field on the other sideline. Nebraska took a 24-10 lead at halftime because of Wisconsin’s errors as much as the Huskers’ successes, and put its stamp on the game in the second to finally get that postseason monkey off of their shoulders. The Badgers missed two field goals, one of which came after a Janiran Bonner fumble inside of Nebraska’s own 20-yard line. The Badgers settled for three, but a delay of game negated a Nathanial Vakos field goal, and he missed his next attempt. He later missed another. In both cases, Nebraska drove down the field for touchdowns. Then it was Wisconsin's late-half execution, fumbling with 11 seconds left on first down after a Jahmal Banks touchdown catch, set up by a pass interference in the end zone, which allowed the Huskers to add a John Hohl 37-yard field goal before the half. A sequence like that is spirit-killing, and it was for Wisconsin. Nebraska wasn’t and won’t apologize for it, after those types of blunders have played out time and again against the Huskers over the past eight years, preventing them from finally breaking through. On Saturday, the Huskers made those plays, found a way and took the step forward as a program that has alluded them for years. 2. There is a full buy-in from Nebraska with Dana Holgorsen’s offense If there ever wasnproof that there is buy-in from Nebraska’s offense with new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, check the blocking on both of the Huskers’ first-half touchdowns. Janiran Bonner and Dante Dowdell’s blocking sprung Heinrich Haarberg into the end zone on his five-yard touchdown run to put Nebraska up 7-0 and the combination of Luke Lindenmeyer and Jahmal Banks clearing a big hole at the line of scrimmage made it easy for Dante Dowdell’s 12-yard touchdown scamper. Holgorsen had praised Nebraska’s perimeter blocking following last week’s loss at USC. It took another step against Wisconsin. That’s a sign of a group of players taking coaching and improving on their game. As a whole, Nebraska’s offense looked significantly better in Week No. 2 under Holgorsen than in Los Angeles. That’s natural progression spending more practice time with a new coach. The Huskers played with balance, rushing for 180 yards and throwing for 293. Dylan Raiola finished 28-for-38 and a touchdown. With Rahmir Johnson out again, it was Emmett Johnson and Dante Dowdell’s backfield and the duo each had big moments helping Nebraska control the line of scrimmage. Johnson, who started the game led Nebraska with 113 yards on 16 carries, adding 85 receiving yards on six catches. Dowdell added 41 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Raiola made his living on quick passes and intermediate throws, building off that game plan installed against USC and cashing in with his five-yard touchdown pass to Banks to put the Huskers up, 21-10. Overall, there was more confidence. There was better execution. And two games into its coaching change, the Huskers' offense appears to be playing with a new purpose and attitude. 3. Huskers defense bends, but doesn’t break behind shaky secondary You could sense the “here we go, again" groans coming from the 86,00-plus in attendance at Memorial Stadium when Wisconsin went right down the field and tied the game at seven on a four-yard touchdown pass from Braedyn Locke to Bryson Green. Though there were moments where Nebraska's defense settled in, bent and didn't break, it was largely another poor night for the backend of the Blackshirts. Nebraska’s defensive backs struggled on that first drive, and it was a group effort, with Malcolm Hartzog and Isaac Gifford having bad moments and Marques Buford being on the wrong side of the touchdown pass. Ceyair Wright later got beat for a touchdown, a 24-yard catch by Green. Locke also picked on Blye Hill, who played the majority of the game for Hartzog, on a 58-yard touchdown pass to Vinny Anthony. Wisconsin finished the game with 407 yards, more than half through the air. Locke finished 20-for-30 for 292 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Nebraska's defensive struggles to win one-on-one matchups on the outside will continue to be an emphasis heading into next week's regular season finale at Iowa
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Blake Snell and Dodgers agree to $182 million, 5-year contract, AP source saysLOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 on Saturday in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Watkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.MAGA Conservatives Accuse Elon Musk of Censorship Over Immigration Disagreements on X
No. 7 Tennessee extends its season-opening winning streak to 7 games in 78-35 win over UT MartinCity slumped to their seventh defeat in 10 games in all competitions as they were beaten 2-0 at Juventus in their latest European outing on Wednesday. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie at the Allianz Stadium left Guardiola’s side languishing in 22nd place in the standings. Juventus beat Man City 💪 #UCL pic.twitter.com/H4KL15iCke — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 11, 2024 With just two games of the league phase remaining, a place in the top eight and automatic last-16 qualification looks beyond them and they face a battle just to stay in the top 24 and claim a play-off spot. City manager Guardiola said: “Of course I question myself but I’m stable in good moments and bad moments. “I try to find a way to do it. I’m incredibly honest. If we play good (I say) we played good and today I thought we played good. “Our game will save us. We can do it. We conceded few chances compared to the Nottingham Forest game that we won. We’re making the right tempo. “We missed the last pass, did not arrive in the six-yard box (at the right time) or have the composure at the right moment. “But I love my team. This is life, it happens. Sometimes you have a bad period but I’m going to insist until we’re there.” City now face a crunch trip to Paris St Germain, who are also at risk of failing to qualify, next month. Guardiola accepts the top 24 is now the only aim. He said: “It’s the target. We need one point or three points. We go to Paris to try to do it and the last game at home.” Veteran midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said after the game he felt City were suffering from a loss of confidence but Guardiola dismissed his player’s comments. “I am not agreeing with Ilkay,” he said. “Of course it is tough but, except one or two games in this period, we’ve played good.” City now face a further test of their resolve as they host rivals Manchester United in a derby on Sunday. "We played well" Pep Guardiola trusts in his squad despite 2-0 loss to Juventus... 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/VrmTzcTrEF — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 11, 2024 Gundogan told TNT Sports: “It (confidence) is a big part of it. That’s a mental issue as well. “You can see that sometimes we miss the ball or lose a duel and you see that we drop immediately and lose the rhythm. They (the opponents) don’t even need to do much but it has such a big effect on us right now. “Even more you have to do the simple things as good as possible and create and fluidity, then it’s work hard again. This is how you get confidence back – do the small and simple things, (but) in crucial moments at the moment we are always doing the wrong things.” Juventus coach Thiago Motta was pleased with the hosts’ performance, which boosted their hopes of making the top eight. “It was a deserved victory,” he said. “We had to defend as a team and be ready to attack with quality. “We have shown we can compete at this level and now we have to do it consistently.”
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