After playing a neutral site game in front of a partisan crowd in Kansas City, Nebraska gets to return to an even more favorable environment when it hosts Akron in a nonconference game Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
The Cornhuskers (1-0) have sold out 403 consecutive games at home, by far the longest streak in college football.
“I can’t wait,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. “I don’t know if there’s anything better that I’ve been a part of in my life than a night game at Memorial Stadium, it’s amazing.”
Nebraska is coming off a 20-17 win over Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, marking the first time it has opened a season with a win away from home since 1999. It did so behind a stellar performance from quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was 33 of 42 for 243 yards and two touchdowns, and a 108-yard rushing effort from Emmett Johnson.
Rhule was not happy with his defense against Cincinnati, particularly in allowing more than 200 rushing yards, though the Cornhuskers did snap a streak of 12 straight losses when giving up 200-plus on the ground.
“I think they played hard, I think we have to play faster,” he said.
Akron (0-1) opened play with a 10-0 home loss to Wyoming, managing only 228 yards. Quarterback Ben Finley, a sixth-year senior who has also played at North Carolina State and Cal, was 16 of 38 for 139 yards and an interception.
“I know Ben is his toughest critic,” Akron coach Joe Moorhead said of his quarterback. “He and I share the same thought process. As a senior and a captain and a guy who has played some really good football for us, he’ll look at it and say there’s a bunch of things that need to do better.”
The Zips are 2-35 against current Big Ten teams, most recently beating Northwestern in 2018, but since then have lost 11 in a row against power-conference opponents. They’re trying to avoid a second consecutive 0-2 start after doing so last season en route to a 4-8 record.
“You’ve got to look at it as a series of 12 one-game seasons,” Moorhead said. “You can’t get too high, can’t get too low.”
Nebraska has an 8-1 record against Mid American Conference opponents, the only loss coming to Northern Illinois in 2017.
