KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a tense season opener, Nebraska triumphed over Cincinnati with a score of 20-17 at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night. Quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, while Malcolm Hartzog Jr. clinched the win by intercepting a pass from Brendan Sorsby in the end zone with just 34 seconds remaining.
Emmett Johnson contributed significantly with 108 rushing yards, and both Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter made touchdown catches for the Huskers. Nebraska is looking to build momentum following a 7-6 season last year, during which five losses were by narrow margins.
Hartzog expressed the importance of the victory, saying, “This is going to build us some confidence for sure. A lot of people say we can’t win the close game. We got the team to do it — the players, the staff, the people.”
For Cincinnati, Sorsby struggled in the passing game, recording only 69 yards. However, he added 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns, leading the Bearcats to two second-half scores. Coach Scott Satterfield commented on a pivotal moment, stating, “I really believe if that falls incomplete, we were going to go down and score.”
Cincinnati initially led the game 3-0 and remained within a field goal at 6-3 late in the first half until a crucial turnover altered the course. On a first-and-10 play at the Bearcats’ 19 with just over a minute left before halftime, Sorsby’s pass to Caleb Goodie was fumbled and recovered by the Huskers. Nebraska capitalized on the error, scoring in three plays to take a 13-3 halftime lead, despite the Bearcats managing only 20 yards passing and 81 total yards in the first half.
The Bearcats regrouped in the second half, stopping Nebraska on a fourth down early in the third quarter, allowing Sorsby to score on a quarterback sneak. When Nebraska answered with a touchdown, Sorsby quickly drove Cincinnati down the field, narrowing the deficit to 20-17 with 7:15 left on the clock.
Cincinnati had one final chance with two minutes remaining, but Hartzog’s decisive interception sealed Nebraska’s victory. Head coach Matt Rhule reflected on the game’s progress: “There’s going to be a lot of good. There’s going to be a lot of things we want to correct. We’ll be in there tomorrow and start getting better for next week.”
Despite being billed as a home game for Cincinnati, the crowd largely favored Nebraska, with approximately 95% of supporters showing up for the Huskers, only a three-hour drive from Lincoln.
In off-field news, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift made their first public appearance since announcing their engagement, joining other celebrities in a suite at the stadium.
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Overall, Nebraska outperformed Cincinnati in nearly all aspects of the game, including holding a 19-minute advantage in time of possession. The Bearcats were limited to just 271 total yards, many of which came as they were forced to play catch-up.
Looking ahead, Nebraska will host Akron on September 6, while Cincinnati is set to face Bowling Green on the same day.
