Nebraska 28
UCLA 21

Nov. 8, 2025 • 8:15 p.m. Central
Rose Bowl Stadium • Los Angeles, CA • FOX
1st 2nd 3rd 4th  F 
Nebraska 7 14 7 0 28
UCLA 0 7 7 7 21
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Embed from Getty Images
First quarter
 NEBR: Barney 2 pass from Lateef (Cunanan kick) 8:00
Second quarter
 UCLA: Berger 1 run (Bhaghani kick) 13:14
 NEBR: Johnson 56 pass from Lateef (Cunanan kick) 11:01
 NEBR: Johnson 1 run (Cunanan kick) 1:49
Third quarter
 NEBR: Johnson 40 pass from Lateef (Cunanan kick) 11:44
 UCLA: Woods 45 pass from N.Iamaleava (Bhaghani kick) 9:58
Fourth quarter
 UCLA: Frias 9 pass from N.Iamaleava (Bhaghani kick) 4:54

                      NEB      UCLA
FIRST DOWNS .......... 20        21
  By rushing ......... 11        13
  By passing .......... 9         7
  By penalty .......... 0         1
RUSHES-YARDS ..... 39-156    37-157
PASSING-YARDS ....... 205       191
  Comp-Att-Int .. 13-15-0   17-27-0
TOTAL OFFENSE .... 54-361    64-348
Punt Returns-Yds ... 1-17       0-0
K.O. Returns-Yds ... 1-24      3-64
Punts-Avg. ....... 2-33.5    2-45.5
Fumbles-Lost ........ 0-0       0-0
Penalized-Yds ...... 2-25      4-20
Possession Time ... 30:00     30:00
Third-Down Conv. .... 5-8      8-14
Fourth-Down Conv. ... 0-0       2-3

RUSHING
 NEBR: Johnson 28-129; Lateef 5-31; Mozee 1-3; Naarberg 1-2; TEAM 4-minus-9.
 UCLA: N.Iamaleava 15-86; Thomas 12-39; Berger 5-19; Woods 4-11; Busic 1-2.

PASSING
 NEBR: Lateef 13-15-0 205.
 UCLA: N.Iamaleava 17-25-0 191; TEAM 0-2-0.

RECEIVING
 NEBR: Barney 4-19; Johnson 3-103; Key 3-46; Hunter 3-37.
 UCLA: Flores 6-52; Woods 2-49; Matthews 2-31; Berger 2-19; Gilmer 2-13; Habermehl 1-11; Frias 1-9; Mokiao-Atimalala 1-7.

Attendance: 44,481
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Coverage

Stats & Recap
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It’s the TJ & EJ show as the Huskers defeat the Bruins

True freshman quarterback TJ Lateef ran the offense like a veteran, Emmett Johnson topped 100 yards both rushing and receiving, and the Huskers held on to beat the Bruins.

Lateef, in his first collegiate start, operated efficiently and didn’t throw his first incompletion until the fourth quarter. He finished 13 of 15 for 205 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of scoring tosses to Johnson. Lateef also rushed for 31 yards.

Johnson was a workhorse as usual. The junior running back rushed for 129 yards on 28 carries and had 103 receiving yards. That receiving total came on just three catches, which included touchdown plays of 56 and 40 yards as the Huskers built a 28-7 lead in the game’s first 35 minutes.

The Bruins had their own weapon at QB. The elusive Nico Iamaleava gave the Huskers fits all evening, repeatedly extending drives as he totaled 191 yards passing and 86 rushing (104 discounting sacks).

With the Huskers’ once-comfortable lead evaporating late in the game, the Blackshirts couldn’t come up with a stop as Iamaleava drove the Bruins 96 yards to pull UCLA within 7 points. Husker fans had to be uneasy with 4:54 still to be played.

Not to worry. Lateef, Johnson & Co. saw to it that Iamaleava would get no more chances, burning every last tick of the remaining game time.

The final possession included back-to-back passes from Lateef to Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter that carried the Huskers from their own 34 to much safer ground at the UCLA 42. After Johnson picked up a first down on a pair of runs, three kneel-downs were all that were need to make Nebraska’s seventh win of the season official.

Omaha World-Herald*
HuskerMax/On SI
Lincoln Journal Star*
More Neb. Sources
Husker247
HuskerOnline
Corn Nation
Hail Varsity
Daily Nebraskan
Inside Nebraska*
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Bruin Report
Daily Bruin
UCLA Bruins On SI
Los Angeles Times*
Orange County Register*
UCLA Wire
UCLA Athletics
Associated Press
Field Level Media
Photos/Audio/Video
Photos
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Pregame & team info
Pregame page & opp. info
Predictions | Stats matchup
Series history

Practice reports

MON | TUE | THU
More pregame press
2025 results
08/28 @ Cincinnati W 20-17
09/06 Akron W 68-0
09/13 Houston Christian W 59-7
09/20 Michigan L 27-30
10/04 Michigan St. W 38-27
10/11 @ Maryland W 34-31
10/17 @ Minnesota L 6-24
10/25 Northwestern W 28-21
11/01 South­ern Cal L 17-21
11/08 @ UCLA W 28-21
11/22 @ Penn State L 10-37
11/28 Iowa L 16-40
12/31 Utah L 22-44
— 2024 | 2026 —

Commentary

Stryker

It seemed like a seamless transition from Dylan Raiola to Lateef, who, at least for this game, had the answers when Nebraska needed them.

Tad Stryker
HuskerMax/On SI
Henry

The Emmett Johnson hype train hit a new speed in Los Angeles.

Kaleb Henry
HuskerMax/On SI
Christopherson

That 96-yard [UCLA] drive dripped with frustration for Nebraska. Fortunately for the Huskers, the four-minute offense to close it probably frustrated Nico and his guys just as much

Brian Christopherson
Husker247
Sipple

Winning in November has so often eluded the Huskers in recent years that it almost seems strange when it happens.

Steven Sipple *
HuskerOnline
Callahan

Nothing about the moment seemed too big for Lateef.

Sean Callahan *
HuskerOnline
Shatel

It was a whole new Nebraska offense. The [running] emphasis seemed to fire up the maligned offensive line.

Tom Shatel *
Omaha World-Herald
Sherman

Nebraska enters an idle week ahead of its final two games in a place it hasn’t sat in nine years: with seven wins before Thanksgiving.

Mitch Sherman *
The Athletic
Just

For all that has been made about Lateef’s athleticism in the run game, Lateef proved his mettle on Saturday with his arm talent.

Amie Just *
Lincoln Journal Star
Ketterson

Things seemed to play almost exactly to the script I imagine offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen designed for a true freshman’s first start.

Andy Ketterson
Corn Nation
Feit

When will Nebraska develop a killer instinct? Nebraska had three chances to put this game away and potentially turn it into a blowout.

Dave Feit
HuskerMax/On SI
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