Postgame notes: 2019 Nebraska vs. Northern Illinois football
- Nebraska improved to 47-7 all-time in home night games at Memorial Stadium, with victories in 21 of its past 23 games under the lights in Lincoln.
- Nebraska improved to 6-1 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference, including 3-1 against Northern Illinois.
- The Nebraska offense averaged 8.1 yards per play for the game, including 11.2 yards per play in the first half. The Huskers had nine plays of 20 yards or more, including eight before halftime. Nebraska had totaled eight plays of 20 yards or more in the first two games.
- Nebraska scored on its first possession for the third straight game with an eight-play, 58-yard drive for a field goal. Nebraska has scored on its first possession in 10 of 15 games under Scott Frost.
- Junior running back Dedrick Mills had a 61-yard run in the first quarter, marking his longest run in the FBS ranks. His previous long run was a 39-yard scamper against North Carolina in 2016, while Mills was playing at Georgia Tech.
- Mills finished the game with 11 carries for 106 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Tonight marked Mills’ third career 100-yard rushing game. Mills was the first running back to gain 100 yards against Northern Illinois in 18 games.
- Nebraska sophomore quarterback Adrian Martinez completed 16-of-27 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns, including 216 yards passing before halftime. Martinez increased his career touchdown pass total to 21, making him the 13th Husker with 20 career touchdown passes.
- Martinez increased his career passing yardage total to 3,342, moving up three spots to ninth on the NU career passing chart. In tonight’s game he passed Vince Ferragamo (3,224 yards), Turner Gill (3,317 yards) and Tanner Lee (3,143) on the Husker career chart.
- Martinez had 301 yards of total offense for his ninth career 300-yard total offense game, tying him for second in NU history for most 300-yard total offense games.
- Nebraska sophomore running back Maurice Washington had a 60-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, marking his career long rush. His previous long was a 49-yard run against Illinois last season.
- Nebraska had a pair of 60-yard runs in the first half (Mills, 61; Washington, 60). It marked the second time in six games Nebraska has had a pair of 60-yard rushes. Devine Ozigbo had runs of 60 and 66 yards last season against Illinois.
- Junior receiver JD Spielman caught four passes for 76 yards, including 73 first-half receiving yards. Tonight marked the 24th straight game Spielman has had multiple receptions.
- Senior receiver Kanawai Noa caught three passes for 51 yards, his first catches as a Husker. Noa caught a 27-yard touchdown pass with :05 remaining in the first half for his first Nebraska touchdown.
- Nebraska allowed five points in the first half of tonight’s game on a Northern Illinois field goal and safety, and has allowed just 12 points in the first half this season.
- Senior cornerback Lamar Jackson had a career-high four breakups in the game, bettering his previous high of two in two games.
- Senior defensive lineman Carlos Davis finished the night with six tackles, 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss. Davis surpassed the 100 career tackle mark in tonight’s game and now has 105 career tackles.
- Senior linebacker Mo Barry finished the game with a team-high 10 tackles and has now led Nebraska in tackles in 10 of 15 games since the start of the 2018 season. Barry’s 10 tackles marked his ninth career double-figure tackle game.
- Redshirt freshman Isaiah Stalbird blocked a punt in the second quarter and caused a fumble and a negative rushing play on another punt in the first quarter. Stalbird’s blocked punt was the first by Nebraska since Marquel Dismuke blocked a punt against Illinois last season.
- Redshirt freshman Braxton Clark recorded his first career interception with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter. Clark is the forth different Husker to notch an interception this season.
- Nebraska held Northern Illinois to 74 yards rushing, holding the opposition to less than 100 yards rushing for the third straight game to open the season. The last time Nebraska held three straight opponents under 100 rushing yards was early in the 2017 season against Northern Illinois, Rutgers and Illinois.
Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics