The search for bowl eligibility continues for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

NU fell to USC 28-20 on Saturday. The Huskers are now 5-5 on the year and 2-5 in Big Ten play. The Trojans improve to 5-5 and are now 3-5 in the league.

Nebraska has never defeated USC and has always gone 0-5-1. The Huskers also fall to 0-9 since 2016 in games that would have reached bowl eligibility.

The Huskers struck first on what would prove to be one of a pair of big plays from Ceyair Wright. The former USC defensive back brought home an interception in the first quarter. He would also block a field goal in the second half.

However, USC’s offense got going after that interception. After starting 2-for-7, new starting quarterback Jayden Maiava completed his next nine passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Nebraska answered with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Emmett Johnson caught a pass from Dylan Raiola and outpaced his defender to the rim and took the ball down the field for the score.

Neither team did much in the way of productivity during the final 9:21 of the second quarter. USC punted the ball three times, while Nebraska threw an interception, punted once and ran the clock into halftime.

Out of the half, Nebraska got a 29-yard field goal from John Hohl. A few drives later he would add a 30-yarder, but in the meantime the Trojans got a touchdown.

USC added another touchdown with 2:45 left. That drive allowed the Trojans to burn 7:39 off the clock.

On Nebraska’s final offensive drive, Raiola drove the Big Red to the USC 14. Before the final play of the game could begin, most of the offensive line made a false start.

With five seconds left, Raiola threw an interception in the end zone.

USC gained 441 yards that day, clearing the 310 Nebraksa posted. The Trojans gained 259 yards and three touchdowns through the air from Maiava, while Woodie Marks led the ground attack with 146 yards.

Raiola completed 27 of 38 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Emmett Johnson and Dante Dowdell both eclipsed 50 yards rushing on the day.

Through the first five games of the year, Raiola has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9 to 1. Over the last four and a half, that ratio is 2:8.

Nebraska returns home to host Wisconsin next Saturday. Kickoff is at 2:30 PM CST on the Big Ten Network.

Nebraska athletics notes

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