Nebraska at Maryland: It Was the Messiest of Wins, It Was the Mightiest of Comebacks

The backdrop: Nebraska, riding a 4–1 record, rolls into College Park as underdogs by some, favorites by others — but Jay, Bob, and the faithful in the SMQ cornfield believe this is Nebraska's for the taking. Early on, the model is simple: feed Emmett Johnson, give Dylan Raiola just enough runway to play, and dare Maryland to stop the ground game. As I predicted in the preview, the Terrapins’ defense might roar early — but can they sustain it?

First Half: A back-and-forth circus
Nebraska gets on the board almost immediately. A 64-yard catch-and-run from Raiola to Nyziah Hunter sets the tone — this isn’t going to be a slog. Maryland pushes back, though. Nolan Ray scampers 28 yards for a score; then Raiola coughs one up, and Washington strikes deep to Leon Haughton Jr. for a quick punch. Nebraska recovers via special teams: Kenneth Williams rips off an 85-yard kick return to the Maryland 10, and Raiola hits Lindenmeyer two plays later for a touchdown. After a Maryland three-and-out, Hunter hauls in a 12-yard TD strike, and suddenly it’s 24–14. But the Terrapins, unwilling to be embarrassed, respond: a field goal before the half makes it 24–17, and the crowd leans in. The half ends with both sides grinding, but it’s clear: this is going to be a game of runs. Maybe the last one with the ball wins?

Third Quarter: Maryland seizes control
The momentum swings hard. Maryland opens with a 75-yard drive, DeJuan Williams powering in a touchdown to tie it. Then comes the dagger: Raiola’s third interception of the day — and Dontay Joyner returns it 67 yards for a Terps pick-six. Boom. Suddenly, Nebraska is reeling, down 31–24, and fans of past Huskers teams are bracing for the collapse.

Fourth Quarter: Dial it up, baby
This is the territory Twain warned of — where legends get made, or fade into the Nebraska night. The Cornhuskers refuse to blink. Midway through the quarter, Emmett Johnson breaks loose on a 50-yard run to the Maryland 10, setting up a field goal to cut the lead to 31–27. But Jay and Bob know this team: when it counts, they’ll lean on their pivot. Nebraska’s final possession is poetry in pressure: 81 yards in seven plays, with Raiola completing 4 of 5 passes — including a 23-yard strike to Lindenmeyer, a 33-yard bomb to Hunter, and a final 3-yard touchdown to Dane Key with 1:08 left. 34–31. Maryland gets a last shot, but a controversial intentional grounding call pushes them back, and the final fourth-and-4 pass is knocked down. Nebraska bleeds out a win.

Takeaways through the Stockwell lens

Raiola: three interceptions are glaring — and you usually wouldn’t let your kid get the keys to the car after that many errors. But he responded. He leaned into the moment, hit big throws under duress, and finished 20 of 29 for 260 yards and four touchdowns.
Emmett Johnson: SMQ wanted MORE EMMETT, and he delivered! 21 carries, 176 yards, including that explosive 50-yard play when Nebraska needed it most.
Still unresolved: the turnovers worry SMQ. The interceptions nearly cost this game. If Nebraska wants to compete with the top of the Big Ten, they can’t live on the edge every week.

In short: this was Nebraska’s kind of win — messy, dramatic, and wholly dependent on heart. Jay would light a match under the fan base and say this is a turning point. Bob would smirk (that's his move), and George would promise that if the Huskers can clean up the rough edges, they’re not just playoff pretenders — they’re the kind of team you lay odds on. Sunday Morning Quarterback: in two words — EARNED. AGAIN.

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