Huskers allow a late touchdown, lose to Wisconsin 15-14

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska led the vast majority of the game, but not the moment that mattered, when the clock hit zero. With a touchdown in the final minute the Badgers beat the Huskers 15-14.

The Huskers received the opening kickoff and with Casey Thompson back for the first time since the Illinois game he carried the ball on the first two plays, it did not appear that either were designed runs but the starting quarterback was not tentative. Nebraska suffered a couple injuries early, Marques Buford was taken off on a cart and Ethan Piper also left the game with what appeared to be a hand injury, he was able to jog off. Piper returned quickly late in the opening quarter.

Scoreless into the second quarter, where Malcolm Hartzog intercepted his third pass of the season, returning the ball back to the Badgers 37-yard line. Eight plays later Casey Thompson found Trey Palmer for an 11-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Nebraska lead. It was Trey’s first touchdown since the Purdue game, no doubt he loves having Casey back.

Following a Wisconsin field goal Palmer caught his second touchdown of the game in the third quarter, the Badgers lost him on the 19-yard play that put the home team up 14-3. Early in the fourth quarter, Graham Mertz found Skyler Bell for a touchdown, cutting it to a 14-9 game. The Badgers went for two and did not convert. In the final minute, the Badgers drove back down the field and scored a two-yard Graham Mertz rushing touchdown on the ground. It was their first lead of the game with only :35 to go.

Kickoff temperature was 28 degrees, tying for the fifth-coldest kickoff temperature at Memorial Stadium since 1985.

31 Nebraska players took part in Senior Day activities before the game, #2 Caleb Tannor; #5 Eteva Mauga-Clements; #5 Omar Manning; #11 Casey Thompson; #18 Matt Masker; #29 Cooper Jewett; #31 Chris Kolarevic; #32 Brody Belt; #32 Ochaun Mathis; #34 Beau Psencik; #4 Simon Otte; #36 Chase Contrarez; #37 Phalen Sanford; #39 Grant Detlefsen; #40 Darius Moore; #53 Riley Moses; #53 Jake Archer; #54 Ryan Schommer; #55 Brady Weas; #58 Ian Boerkircher; #62 Noah Stafursky; #73 Broc Bando; #75 Trent Hixson; #82 Chancellor Brewington; #82 Colton Feist; #83 Travis Vokolek; #85 Wyatt Liewer; #89 Oliver Martin; #91 Devin Drew; #91 Cameron Pieper; #93 Gabe Heins

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