The Huskers entered the ultimate storm of the 2023 season, hosting No. 2 Michigan in a David and Goliath showdown. But the Wolverines’ first touchdown, a helmet catch from Roman Wilson, showed how stacked the cards were against Nebraska as it was blown out 45-7.
The Husker’s lone touchdown came in the fourth quarter. Senior receiver turned running back Josh Fleeks took his only handoff of the game and went 74 yards for a touchdown. Fleek’s only run of the game made him the team’s leading rusher, as the offense rushed for just 106 total yards. Heinrich Haarberg started once again for Nebraska at quarterback, finishing 14-of-25 with 199 passing yards.
This added to the offense’s total of 305 yards in the game. However, 126 came in the fourth quarter, with 74 yards coming from Fleeks’ touchdown run. In the first three quarters, Michigan tallied 368 yards on offense, leading to five touchdowns. The Wolverines ended the day with 436 total yards on offense, with 249 yards on the ground, the most Nebraska’s surrendered all season.
The Huskers fall to 2-3 on the season, but their most challenging game of the season has now passed them. Nebraska will travel to Champaign, Illinois, to face off against the Fighting Illini. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night and can be viewed on FS1.