College Park, Md. — Nebraska may still be learning how to win tight games, but head coach Matt Rhule believes his team is finally turning that corner.
“Our guys are very comfortable in the fourth quarter,” Rhule said after the game. “We’ve been talking all year about how to finish, and now they’re proving it on the field.”
Dylan Raiola threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dane Key with just over a minute remaining, and Nebraska escaped with a 34–31 road win over Maryland on Saturday. Raiola finished with 260 passing yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in an up-and-down performance that still delivered another close victory.
After years of late-game heartbreak — the Cornhuskers entered this season 10–35 in their last 45 one-score games — Nebraska (5–1, 2–1 Big Ten) has now won two straight nail-biters.
“It’s another tight win, and that matters,” Rhule said. “We’ve been talking about bowl droughts and finishing games — we’re figuring it out.”
Back-and-Forth Battle
Nebraska jumped ahead early behind a 64-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Nyziah Hunter, followed by a field goal to make it 10–0. But Maryland (4–2, 1–2 Big Ten) quickly responded. Nolan Ray sprinted for a 28-yard touchdown, and after Raiola’s first interception, freshman quarterback Malik Washington found Leon Haughton Jr. for a 21-yard score to give the Terps a 14–10 lead.
The Cornhuskers struck back in a hurry — needing just six plays for their next three touchdowns. Raiola connected with Luke Lindenmeyer from seven yards out, then hit Hunter again for a 12-yard score, giving Nebraska a 24–14 lead midway through the second quarter.

But Raiola’s second interception gave Maryland life. The Terps closed the half with a field goal and tied the game early in the third quarter on a 1-yard run from DeJuan Williams. Moments later, Dontay Joyner intercepted Raiola and raced 67 yards for a touchdown, flipping the score to 31–24 in Maryland’s favor.
Fourth Quarter Fight
Nebraska clawed back in the fourth. After Emmett Johnson’s 50-yard run set the Huskers up at the Maryland 10-yard line, they settled for a field goal following a costly delay of game penalty. That cut the deficit to 31–27.
With under three minutes remaining, Raiola engineered a clutch seven-play, 81-yard drive, capped by the go-ahead 3-yard touchdown to Key. Maryland had one final chance, but an intentional grounding penalty pushed them back to their own 35-yard line. Washington’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, sealing the win for Nebraska.
Stats & Standouts
Nebraska
Dylan Raiola: 19 of 30 passing, 260 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs
Emmett Johnson: 20 carries, 176 yards
Nyziah Hunter: 6 catches, 116 yards, 2 TDs
Maryland
Malik Washington: 23 of 37 passing, 214 yards, 1 TD
Nolan Ray: 12 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD
Dontay Joyner: 1 interception return for a 67-yard TD
Coach’s Corner
Maryland coach Michael Locksley was frustrated by late-game penalties and missed chances but praised his team’s effort.
“Nobody’s going to hand us anything,” Locksley said. “We’ve got to earn it, and we’ll keep fighting to do that.”
Up Next:
Nebraska: Travels to Minnesota on Friday night.
Maryland: Heads west to face UCLA on Saturday.