Nebraska opened its 2022 college football season with a commanding 34-7 victory over North Dakota on Sept. 3, 2022, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, according to game statistics from Nebraska Athletics. The Cornhuskers’ defense stifled the Fighting Hawks, limiting the visitors to just 205 yards of total offense in front of a home crowd of 86,811.
Nebraska Defense Stifles North Dakota Offense
The Cornhuskers completely shut down the North Dakota attack after a sluggish start. According to the University of North Dakota Athletics recap, the Fighting Hawks managed only 91 yards passing and 114 yards rushing over four quarters. Nebraska linebacker Luke Reimer led the defensive effort with 11 total tackles, including seven solo stops, anchoring a unit that kept North Dakota out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.
North Dakota’s lone score came on a 3-yard rushing touchdown by running back Martell Owens with 14:15 remaining in the game, which temporarily cut Nebraska’s lead to 21-7. However, the Cornhuskers responded immediately with two more scoring drives to put the game out of reach, according to official game logs provided by NCAA.com.
Cornhuskers Offense Generates 545 Total Yards
Nebraska’s offense bounced back from an opening-week loss to Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, by racking up 545 total yards against North Dakota. Quarterback Casey Thompson completed 14 of 20 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown through the air while also rushing for two scores, as reported by ESPN.
Running back Anthony Grant powered the ground game for the Cornhuskers. According to official game statistics, Grant carried the ball 23 times for 189 yards and scored two touchdowns, averaging 8.2 yards per carry behind an offensive line that controlled the line of scrimmage.
Game Statistics Comparison
| Statistic | Nebraska | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 545 | 205 |
| Passing Yards | 262 | 91 |
| Rushing Yards | 283 | 114 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of Possession | 30:42 | 29:18 |
Postgame Outlook and Season Context
The win brought Nebraska’s record to 1-1 for the 2022 season following their Week Zero loss to Northwestern in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Head coach Scott Frost’s squad used the dominant performance against the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent to stabilize before facing Georgia Southern the following week at Memorial Stadium.
North Dakota fell to 0-1 to start its 2022 campaign under head coach Bubba Schweigert. The Fighting Hawks returned to Grand Forks to prepare for their home opener against Northern Arizona at the Alerus Center, looking to build on the flashes shown by their defensive line and late-game rushing attack in Lincoln.
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