Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Saturday, November 23 | 2:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 5-5 (2-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: at USC (L 20-28)
Streak: Lost 4
Rank: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (10-12, 2nd year at NU | 57-55, 9th year overall | 0-1 vs. Wisconsin)
BADGERS
Record: 5-5 (3-4 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. #1 Oregon (L 13-16)
Streak: Lost 3
Rank: NR
Coach: Luke Fickell (13-11, 2nd season at UW | 76-36, 9th year overall | 1-1 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
3 - Three consecutive games in the Nebraska-Wisconsin series have been decided by seven or fewer points, including last year's game which was decided by seven points in overtime. The most recent meeting at Memorial Stadium in 2022 was a one-point Wisconsin victory
5 - Nebraska's group of seniors that will be honored on Saturday includes five sixth-year players who have spent their entire career at Nebraska. The group of OT Bryce Benhart, DL Ty Robinson, RB Rahmir Johnson, LB John Bullock, and LB Javin Wright have combined for 126 career starts in a Husker uniform.
10 - Senior defensive lineman Ty Robinson has been one of the most disruptive forces in the Big Ten this season. Robinson has 10 TFL and six sacks to lead the Huskers. With his six sacks, Robinson ranks sixth in the Big Ten in sacks per game.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska completes its 2024 home schedule on Saturday afternoon when the Huskers play host to the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium. The game will kick off shortly after 2:30 p.m. CT in Lincoln with BTN providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
In addition to completing its home schedule, Nebraska will also pay tribute to more than 20 players in pre-game Senior Day festivities. The 2024 senior class is highlighted by eight players who are in either their fifth or sixth season at Nebraska, including five players completing their sixth season in the Nebraska program.
The Huskers stand at 5-5 on the season and 2-5 in Big Ten play after a third consecutive one-score loss last Saturday at USC. The Huskers battled the Trojans for four quarters at the Coliseum, with a late USC touchdown giving the Trojans a 28-20 lead. Nebraska drove deep into USC territory in the game's final seconds before an interception in the end zone on the game's final play ended the Huskers' chances.
Wisconsin comes to Lincoln with a 5-5 record and 3-4 mark in Big Ten Conference action. The Badgers dropped a hard-fought contest to top-ranked Oregon on Saturday night in Madison, falling 16-13. Wisconsin led the game 10-6 at the half and had an opportunity to win until the game's final two minutes. Coach Luke Fickell's squad has faced one of the nation's most demanding schedules with three of their losses coming against teams currently ranked in the nation's top 10. The Badgers feature a tough defense, allowing 326.5 yards per game. Wisconsin is also among the nation's least penalized teams, ranking in the top 10 nationally in fewest penalty yards per game.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska and Wisconsin are meeting for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. Aside from a COVID cancellation in 2020, the teams have met each season since 2014, and Wisconsin carries a 10-game win streak in the series going into Saturday's contest. Overall, Wisconsin holds a 13-4 edge in the series, including winning 11 of 12 since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
- Nebraska and Wisconsin play for the Freedom Trophy each season, a trophy that debuted for the 2014 game.
- Following this week's meeting, Nebraska and Wisconsin are not scheduled to meet in the 2025 or 2026 seasons.
- Nebraska's last victory was in the 2012 regular season when Nebraska rallied from a 17-point deficit for a 30-27 victory in Lincoln. The teams had a rematch in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game with Wisconsin coming out on top.
- This will mark the third straight meeting in the series pitting unranked teams, after one of the two teams was ranked in 13 of the previous 14 meetings.
- Nebraska's victories in 1965 and 1966 featured linebacker Barry Alvarez who went on to be Wisconsin's head coach and athletic director.
HUSKERS TO RECOGNIZE SENIORS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Nebraska will have Senior Day festivities before Saturday's contest against Wisconsin, with the Husker program expected to honor more than 20 players.
- The group of seniors is headlined by five players who are in their sixth year with the Nebraska program. Offensive tackle Bryce Benhart, running back Rahmir Johnson, defensive lineman Ty Robinson, and linebackers John Bullock and Javin Wright were all part of the Huskers' 2019 recruiting class and have spent their entire careers in Lincoln.
- Benhart and Robinson are expected to play in their 58th career game on Saturday afternoon. The two share the program record for games played after surpassing Cameron Meredith (56 games) in last Saturday's contest at USC.
- Fourteen of the Huskers players listed as seniors have made at least 15 starts in their college careers
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin has fielded a football program since 1889 and the Badgers have tallied nearly 750 wins as a program. Wisconsin has claimed 14 Big Ten titles, with the last one coming in 2012.
The Badgers have made 35 bowl game appearances, claiming 19 wins. Wisconsin's last bowl game appearance came last season when the Badgers took on LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl. LSU picked up a 35-31 win over Wisconsin.
First Year: 1889
All-Time Record: 747-523-53
Bowl Record: 19-16
Conference Titles: 14
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Camp Randall Stadium
Capacity: 76,057
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Enrollment: 49,886
Colors: Cardinal & White
ABOUT 2024 BADGER FOOTBALL
Schedule/Results
Western Michigan (W 28-14)
South Dakota (W 27-13)
Alabama (L 10-42)
at USC (L 21-38)
Purdue (W 52-6)
at Rutgers (W 42-7)
at Northwestern (W 23-3)
Penn State (L 13-28)
at Iowa (L 10-42)
Oregon (L 13-16)
at Nebraska
Minnesota
Wisconsin is 5-5 this season with wins over Western Michigan, South Dakota, Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern.
The Badgers are averaging 23.9 points and 363.1 yards per game, with 193.8 yards per game through the air and 169.3 yards per game on the ground. Braedyn Locke has completed 129-of-234 passes for 1,514 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. Vinny Anthony II leads Wisconsin with 28 receptions for 496 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Will Pauling with 42 grabs for 407 yards and three scores. Tawee Walker paces the rushing attack for the Badgers, carrying the ball 162 times for 773 yards and 10 touchdowns. Cade Yacamelli has 33 carries for 274 yards and two scores in 10 games this season.
Defensively, the Badgers are allowing 20.9 points and 326.5 yards per game this season. Hunter Wohler leads the Badger defense with a team-high 63 tackles and six pass breakups this year. Christian Aliegro has recorded a team-high five tackles for loss and three sacks, while Preston Zachman has a team-leading two interceptions for the Badger defense.
ABOUT LUKE FICKELL
Luke Fickell is in his second season at the helm of the Wisconsin football program and has led the Badgers to a 5-5 record this season.
Fickell arrived at Wiscosnin after spending six seasons as the head coach at Cincinnati. With the Bearcats, Fickell posted a 57-18 overall record and led Cincinnati to five bowl game appearances, including the 2020 Peach Bowl and the College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2021.
Prior to his stops at Wisconsin and Cincinnati, Fickell was a graduate assistant at Ohio State (1999), assistant coach at Akron (2000-01) and held an assistant coach and defensive coordinator role at Ohio State from 2002 to 2016. Fickell gained head coaching experience with the Buckeyes after serving as Ohio State's interim head coach for the entire 2011 season.
Fickell will be taking on Nebraska for the third time in his career after picking up a 24-17 overtime victory against the Huskers in Madison in 2023. As interim head coach at Ohio State in 2011, he faced Nebraska in Lincoln with the Huskers winning 34-27.
LAST MEETING: NOVEMBER 18, 2023
WISCONSIN 24, NEBRASKA 17 (OT)
Madison - Tristan Alvano sent the game to overtime with his 30-yard field goal with four seconds left, but the Nebraska football team came up short in a 24-17 overtime loss to Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night.
Nebraska slipped to 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin improved to 6-5 and 4-4 in the conference.
Nebraska jumped to a 14-0 first-quarter lead only to see Wisconsin score 17 unanswered points. But Chubba Purdy led Nebraska on game-tying final drive in the final 3:37 that resulted in Alvano's field goal to send the game to overtime tied at 17.
The final drive for the Huskers covered 68 yards in nine plays, nearly all on the ground, after being helped by an initial defensive holding penalty on the Badgers. Emmit Johnscon, who finished with 50 yards on 13 carries, covered 25 yards on four totes while Purdy added 28 yards on two carries.
The Huskers won the overtime toss, giving Wisconsin the ball. Nebraska forced the Badgers into a 4th-and-1 at the 5, but Wisconsin was able to convert. On the next play, Braelon Allen barrelled into the end zone in between the push of the Wisconsin offensive line to give the Badgers a 24-17 lead.
Purdy and the Huskers were unable to convert on their overtime possession, as the game ended with a Wisconsin interception on 4th-and-16 at the 4.
Purdy, a sophomore from Queen Creek, Ariz., making his first start of the season, completed 15-of-23 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown on the night. He also played turnover-free football until the final play in OT. He added a game-high 105 rushing yards on 14 carries, including a touchdown.
Purdy got the Big Red rolling early by leading Nebraska to touchdowns on its first two drives of the game. The Huskers took the opening drive and covered 75 yards on six plays, highlighted by Purdy's 55-yard touchdown run to give Nebraska a 7-0 lead just 3:27 into the game.
The Blackshirts got off the field quickly and put the ball back in Purdy's hands. Six plays later, Purdy hit Jaylen Lloyd with a 58-yard touchdown strike to give Nebraska a 14-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The defense got off the field again, and the Huskers took over at their own 11 for their third drive of the first quarter. The Big Red closed the first quarter on the move again, pushing the ball to the 33 for the start of the second period. Nebraska pushed the ball into Wisconsin territory and faced a 4th-and-1 at the Wisconsin 33. Johnson was stopped for a one-yard loss.
Wisconsin took the momentum from the stop and turned it into a sustained offensive drive that covered 66 yards in nine plays capped by Tanner Mordecai's 26-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Acker to cut the Nebraska lead in half at 14-7.
The Badgers notched a quick stop on Nebraska's ensuing drive and started with a short field after a 19-yard Husker punt. Nathaniel Vakos cut the Husker lead to 14-10 with his 35-yard field goal with 1:54 left to cap a six-play, 35-yard drive.
Purdy kept Nebraska moving on its final drive of the first half, marching the Huskers 51 yards to set up a 42-yard field goal attempt for Alvano on the final play of the half. But the kick missed wide left and the Big Red took the 14-10 lead to halftime.
While the Huskers moved the ball well in the first half, yards were tough to come by in the second half until the game-tying drive.
Wisconsin mounted more yardage after halftime, but managed just a two-yard touchdown run by Allen to cap a 10-play, 79-yard drive that took 4:31 and gave the Badgers a 17-14 lead with 7:47 left in the third quarter.
Mordecai led the Wisconsin offensive with 160 yards and a touchdown while completing 18-of-28 passes. The Badger quarterback also rushed nine times for 51 yards. Allen finished with 62 yards on 22 carries, including two touchdowns. Will Pauling led the Wisconsin receivers with eight receptions for 79 yards.
For the game, Nebraska outgained the Badgers 364-315.
Marques Buford Jr. led the Blackshirts with 10 tackles, including nine solos and 1.5 tackles for loss, while Isaac Gifford added eight stops.
WISCONSIN BADGERS (5-5, 3-4) | at | NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (5-5, 2-5) |
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WHEN: Saturday, November 23 | 2:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 5-5 (2-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: at USC (L 20-28)
Streak: Lost 4
Rank: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (10-12, 2nd year at NU | 57-55, 9th year overall | 0-1 vs. Wisconsin)
BADGERS
Record: 5-5 (3-4 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. #1 Oregon (L 13-16)
Streak: Lost 3
Rank: NR
Coach: Luke Fickell (13-11, 2nd season at UW | 76-36, 9th year overall | 1-1 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
3 - Three consecutive games in the Nebraska-Wisconsin series have been decided by seven or fewer points, including last year's game which was decided by seven points in overtime. The most recent meeting at Memorial Stadium in 2022 was a one-point Wisconsin victory
5 - Nebraska's group of seniors that will be honored on Saturday includes five sixth-year players who have spent their entire career at Nebraska. The group of OT Bryce Benhart, DL Ty Robinson, RB Rahmir Johnson, LB John Bullock, and LB Javin Wright have combined for 126 career starts in a Husker uniform.
10 - Senior defensive lineman Ty Robinson has been one of the most disruptive forces in the Big Ten this season. Robinson has 10 TFL and six sacks to lead the Huskers. With his six sacks, Robinson ranks sixth in the Big Ten in sacks per game.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska completes its 2024 home schedule on Saturday afternoon when the Huskers play host to the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium. The game will kick off shortly after 2:30 p.m. CT in Lincoln with BTN providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
In addition to completing its home schedule, Nebraska will also pay tribute to more than 20 players in pre-game Senior Day festivities. The 2024 senior class is highlighted by eight players who are in either their fifth or sixth season at Nebraska, including five players completing their sixth season in the Nebraska program.
The Huskers stand at 5-5 on the season and 2-5 in Big Ten play after a third consecutive one-score loss last Saturday at USC. The Huskers battled the Trojans for four quarters at the Coliseum, with a late USC touchdown giving the Trojans a 28-20 lead. Nebraska drove deep into USC territory in the game's final seconds before an interception in the end zone on the game's final play ended the Huskers' chances.
Wisconsin comes to Lincoln with a 5-5 record and 3-4 mark in Big Ten Conference action. The Badgers dropped a hard-fought contest to top-ranked Oregon on Saturday night in Madison, falling 16-13. Wisconsin led the game 10-6 at the half and had an opportunity to win until the game's final two minutes. Coach Luke Fickell's squad has faced one of the nation's most demanding schedules with three of their losses coming against teams currently ranked in the nation's top 10. The Badgers feature a tough defense, allowing 326.5 yards per game. Wisconsin is also among the nation's least penalized teams, ranking in the top 10 nationally in fewest penalty yards per game.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska and Wisconsin are meeting for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. Aside from a COVID cancellation in 2020, the teams have met each season since 2014, and Wisconsin carries a 10-game win streak in the series going into Saturday's contest. Overall, Wisconsin holds a 13-4 edge in the series, including winning 11 of 12 since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
- Nebraska and Wisconsin play for the Freedom Trophy each season, a trophy that debuted for the 2014 game.
- Following this week's meeting, Nebraska and Wisconsin are not scheduled to meet in the 2025 or 2026 seasons.
- Nebraska's last victory was in the 2012 regular season when Nebraska rallied from a 17-point deficit for a 30-27 victory in Lincoln. The teams had a rematch in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game with Wisconsin coming out on top.
- This will mark the third straight meeting in the series pitting unranked teams, after one of the two teams was ranked in 13 of the previous 14 meetings.
- Nebraska's victories in 1965 and 1966 featured linebacker Barry Alvarez who went on to be Wisconsin's head coach and athletic director.
HUSKERS TO RECOGNIZE SENIORS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Nebraska will have Senior Day festivities before Saturday's contest against Wisconsin, with the Husker program expected to honor more than 20 players.
- The group of seniors is headlined by five players who are in their sixth year with the Nebraska program. Offensive tackle Bryce Benhart, running back Rahmir Johnson, defensive lineman Ty Robinson, and linebackers John Bullock and Javin Wright were all part of the Huskers' 2019 recruiting class and have spent their entire careers in Lincoln.
- Benhart and Robinson are expected to play in their 58th career game on Saturday afternoon. The two share the program record for games played after surpassing Cameron Meredith (56 games) in last Saturday's contest at USC.
- Fourteen of the Huskers players listed as seniors have made at least 15 starts in their college careers
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin has fielded a football program since 1889 and the Badgers have tallied nearly 750 wins as a program. Wisconsin has claimed 14 Big Ten titles, with the last one coming in 2012.
The Badgers have made 35 bowl game appearances, claiming 19 wins. Wisconsin's last bowl game appearance came last season when the Badgers took on LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl. LSU picked up a 35-31 win over Wisconsin.
First Year: 1889
All-Time Record: 747-523-53
Bowl Record: 19-16
Conference Titles: 14
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Camp Randall Stadium
Capacity: 76,057
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Enrollment: 49,886
Colors: Cardinal & White
ABOUT 2024 BADGER FOOTBALL
Schedule/Results
Western Michigan (W 28-14)
South Dakota (W 27-13)
Alabama (L 10-42)
at USC (L 21-38)
Purdue (W 52-6)
at Rutgers (W 42-7)
at Northwestern (W 23-3)
Penn State (L 13-28)
at Iowa (L 10-42)
Oregon (L 13-16)
at Nebraska
Minnesota
Wisconsin is 5-5 this season with wins over Western Michigan, South Dakota, Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern.
The Badgers are averaging 23.9 points and 363.1 yards per game, with 193.8 yards per game through the air and 169.3 yards per game on the ground. Braedyn Locke has completed 129-of-234 passes for 1,514 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. Vinny Anthony II leads Wisconsin with 28 receptions for 496 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Will Pauling with 42 grabs for 407 yards and three scores. Tawee Walker paces the rushing attack for the Badgers, carrying the ball 162 times for 773 yards and 10 touchdowns. Cade Yacamelli has 33 carries for 274 yards and two scores in 10 games this season.
Defensively, the Badgers are allowing 20.9 points and 326.5 yards per game this season. Hunter Wohler leads the Badger defense with a team-high 63 tackles and six pass breakups this year. Christian Aliegro has recorded a team-high five tackles for loss and three sacks, while Preston Zachman has a team-leading two interceptions for the Badger defense.
ABOUT LUKE FICKELL
Luke Fickell is in his second season at the helm of the Wisconsin football program and has led the Badgers to a 5-5 record this season.
Fickell arrived at Wiscosnin after spending six seasons as the head coach at Cincinnati. With the Bearcats, Fickell posted a 57-18 overall record and led Cincinnati to five bowl game appearances, including the 2020 Peach Bowl and the College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2021.
Prior to his stops at Wisconsin and Cincinnati, Fickell was a graduate assistant at Ohio State (1999), assistant coach at Akron (2000-01) and held an assistant coach and defensive coordinator role at Ohio State from 2002 to 2016. Fickell gained head coaching experience with the Buckeyes after serving as Ohio State's interim head coach for the entire 2011 season.
Fickell will be taking on Nebraska for the third time in his career after picking up a 24-17 overtime victory against the Huskers in Madison in 2023. As interim head coach at Ohio State in 2011, he faced Nebraska in Lincoln with the Huskers winning 34-27.
LAST MEETING: NOVEMBER 18, 2023
WISCONSIN 24, NEBRASKA 17 (OT)
Madison - Tristan Alvano sent the game to overtime with his 30-yard field goal with four seconds left, but the Nebraska football team came up short in a 24-17 overtime loss to Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night.
Nebraska slipped to 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin improved to 6-5 and 4-4 in the conference.
Nebraska jumped to a 14-0 first-quarter lead only to see Wisconsin score 17 unanswered points. But Chubba Purdy led Nebraska on game-tying final drive in the final 3:37 that resulted in Alvano's field goal to send the game to overtime tied at 17.
The final drive for the Huskers covered 68 yards in nine plays, nearly all on the ground, after being helped by an initial defensive holding penalty on the Badgers. Emmit Johnscon, who finished with 50 yards on 13 carries, covered 25 yards on four totes while Purdy added 28 yards on two carries.
The Huskers won the overtime toss, giving Wisconsin the ball. Nebraska forced the Badgers into a 4th-and-1 at the 5, but Wisconsin was able to convert. On the next play, Braelon Allen barrelled into the end zone in between the push of the Wisconsin offensive line to give the Badgers a 24-17 lead.
Purdy and the Huskers were unable to convert on their overtime possession, as the game ended with a Wisconsin interception on 4th-and-16 at the 4.
Purdy, a sophomore from Queen Creek, Ariz., making his first start of the season, completed 15-of-23 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown on the night. He also played turnover-free football until the final play in OT. He added a game-high 105 rushing yards on 14 carries, including a touchdown.
Purdy got the Big Red rolling early by leading Nebraska to touchdowns on its first two drives of the game. The Huskers took the opening drive and covered 75 yards on six plays, highlighted by Purdy's 55-yard touchdown run to give Nebraska a 7-0 lead just 3:27 into the game.
The Blackshirts got off the field quickly and put the ball back in Purdy's hands. Six plays later, Purdy hit Jaylen Lloyd with a 58-yard touchdown strike to give Nebraska a 14-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The defense got off the field again, and the Huskers took over at their own 11 for their third drive of the first quarter. The Big Red closed the first quarter on the move again, pushing the ball to the 33 for the start of the second period. Nebraska pushed the ball into Wisconsin territory and faced a 4th-and-1 at the Wisconsin 33. Johnson was stopped for a one-yard loss.
Wisconsin took the momentum from the stop and turned it into a sustained offensive drive that covered 66 yards in nine plays capped by Tanner Mordecai's 26-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Acker to cut the Nebraska lead in half at 14-7.
The Badgers notched a quick stop on Nebraska's ensuing drive and started with a short field after a 19-yard Husker punt. Nathaniel Vakos cut the Husker lead to 14-10 with his 35-yard field goal with 1:54 left to cap a six-play, 35-yard drive.
Purdy kept Nebraska moving on its final drive of the first half, marching the Huskers 51 yards to set up a 42-yard field goal attempt for Alvano on the final play of the half. But the kick missed wide left and the Big Red took the 14-10 lead to halftime.
While the Huskers moved the ball well in the first half, yards were tough to come by in the second half until the game-tying drive.
Wisconsin mounted more yardage after halftime, but managed just a two-yard touchdown run by Allen to cap a 10-play, 79-yard drive that took 4:31 and gave the Badgers a 17-14 lead with 7:47 left in the third quarter.
Mordecai led the Wisconsin offensive with 160 yards and a touchdown while completing 18-of-28 passes. The Badger quarterback also rushed nine times for 51 yards. Allen finished with 62 yards on 22 carries, including two touchdowns. Will Pauling led the Wisconsin receivers with eight receptions for 79 yards.
For the game, Nebraska outgained the Badgers 364-315.
Marques Buford Jr. led the Blackshirts with 10 tackles, including nine solos and 1.5 tackles for loss, while Isaac Gifford added eight stops.
