The Nebraska football team knew that they couldn't take North Dakota lightly, even if the Fighting Hawks are an FCS opponent. Instead, the Huskers just went about their business, dominated from the very beginning, and never looked like a team that was remotely in danger of this ever really being a game and eventually won 34-7.
There was a lot to like on the Huskers' side of the ball. There was very little to like on the North Dakota side after coming into the game with a 3-0 record and three blowout wins. So who were the winners and losers from Nebraska's final tune-up before starting the Big Ten schedule next week?
4 winners and 2 losers in Nebraska's blowout win over North Dakota
Winner: Jamal Rule
The freshman running back came out of the gate strong for the third straight game on Saturday night. His 55-yard touchdown run on the Huskers’ first offensive play of the second half sent a clear message: North Dakota wasn't going to get back in the game. That touchdown was even bigger once the Fighting Hawks scored on the next possession to make it 24-7. Rule finished the game with 119 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 carries. It was the second time in three games he’s run for 100 yards and at least 2 touchdowns. He could have had 3 straight if he didn’t come out so early against Bowling Green.
Winner: Anthony Colandrea
Anthony Colandrea is more than a talented player because he hasn’t given Nebraska the full Anthony Colandrea experience yet. It’s not just that he has a strong, accurate arm; he’s also a leader on the field. Even when things start to go wrong for the offense, there’s no sense of panic. He finished Saturday night 15 of 21 for 195 yards and now has 8 touchdown passes on the season. His only interception in Nebraska’s first three games was really more of a fumble.
Loser: Jerry Kaminski
The North Dakota quarterback came into the game averaging 267 passing yards per game. He finished Saturday’s game with just 106 yards and completed just 9 of 18 passes after coming into tonight with a 77% completion percentage. Yeah, he put up those numbers against the FCS, but this still looked like an offense that could score on anyone. Without a ticky-tack roughing penalty keeping a drive alive, he would have been kept out of the end zone.
Loser: Isaiah Mozee
This one isn’t because of anything he did or didn’t do. Someone has to get fewer carries than the Big Two, and with Nelson and Rule forming a frightening one-two punch, Mozee is likely the odd man out. That was solidified against North Dakota.
Winner: Nebraska’s pass rush
The qualifier for tonight is obviously that it was against an FCS team, but it was still one of the best FCS teams in the country. That said, the Huskers racked up 5 sacks and were in the backfield most of the night.
Winner: Nebraska’s running game in general
Jamal Rule was the biggest producer tonight, but when he got his carries, Mekhi Nelson looked very, very good, especially in the way he made his cuts. Nelson finished with 54 yards on 9 carries, and the Nebraska backfield finished with 277 yards and more than 6 yards per carry, along with 3 touchdowns. As hard as it is to believe, the Huskers amassed more than 200 rushing yards in their first three games for the first time since 2012, thanks to Saturday night’s outing.
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