IOWA CITY, Iowa — Nebraska hasn’t played great situational football so far in 2020, but it put itself in an ideal position Friday with an offensive double-up around halftime against Iowa.
After the Hawkeyes took a 13-6 lead with 3 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in the first half, junior quarterback Adrian Martinez led a 75-yard touchdown drive in 11 plays to tie the game, using all but 29 seconds on the game clock and scoring on a 1-yard touchdown plunge.
He made a pair of big plays to bail out bad snaps by sophomore center Cameron Jurgens, too, the second of which sailed way over Martinez’s head and got the offensive lineman from Beatrice benched in favor of senior Matt Farniok.
Martinez, who earlier on the drive hit Wan’Dale Robinson for a gain of 22 on third-and-7, this time faced a third-and-21 and scrambled before throwing the ball down the sideline into traffic for junior tight end Austin Allen. The 6-foot-8 Aurora native, who said he didn’t play jump balls well enough earlier in the year and needed to make amends to his quarterbacks, climbed the ladder and came down with it, keeping the drive alive.
Robinson ran for 13 up the middle and then two more as part of his 73-yard first half, and Martinez finished the drive to level the score at 13.
“We were just all kind of on the same page going through this week,” Robinson said. “Being able to do a lot more things and execute a lot better.”
Nebraska then opened the third quarter with a 70-yard scoring march, taking its first lead of the day when redshirt freshman Rahmir Johnson punched in a 12-yard scoring run. Martinez completed all four of his passes for 36 yards to four different receivers, and NU got chunk plays from Robinson and freshman receiver Zavier Betts before Johnson's TD.
Robinson’s best day yet: Robinson hardly played last year against Iowa. He tried to give it a go after missing a couple of games with an injury but bowed out after three carries and 14 yards.
On Friday, he had a much more fruitful outing.
Robinson had his best game of the season, finishing with nine catches for 75 yards and six carries for 42.
He took a couple of big shots but kept playing like an offensive centerpiece.
“Just keep doubting us. We’re going to get over the hump eventually, and I know there’s a couple of us that will make sure that happens,” Robinson said.
A rare occurrence: NU sophomore defensive lineman Casey Rogers sacked Spencer Petras on the final snap of the first half to make sure a Hawkeye drive went no further.
It was a nice pass rush — the Huskers don’t have enough of that yet — and a high note to end the second quarter on.
But the most noteworthy aspect: It was the first Nebraska sack against Iowa since 2016. Yes, you read that right.
An even rarer occurrence: Dicaprio Bootle has made a lot of plays in his time at Nebraska. He has played in all 41 games since his redshirt freshman season started in 2017. He’s started 28 games. He’s 10th in program history with 23 pass breakups.
But he never had an interception until Petras threw him one in the second quarter on a third-and-11.
“It felt good, you know? It’s something that was on my mind this offseason, just going out and getting the ball, getting my hands on the ball,” Bootle said. “It’s not even about me. Yeah, that’s my first, but it’s my first for the team. Just really trying to get the ball back to (the offense), set them up, get them a score and just being able to get the ball back in their hands and help them.”
Bootle’s interception turned into a Connor Culp field goal that got NU within 10-6 in the second quarter.
Delancy in transfer portal: Nebraska freshman defensive back Ronald Delancy entered his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal Friday, an NU spokesman confirmed to the Journal Star after the game.
The 5-foot-11 freshman from Miami appeared in three games for the Huskers this year, but he didn’t suit up last week against Illinois at home and did not make the trip to Iowa City as part of Nebraska’s 74-man travel roster this week.
He played mostly special teams and also saw time on defense late in the season opener against Ohio State.
Delancy is the fourth Florida native who was rated a four-star prospect in the 2020 class by at least one of the major recruiting services to transfer this fall, joining safety Henry Gray, cornerback Jaiden Francois and linebacker Keyshawn Greene.
Delancy, Gray and Francois are all from Miami. The fourth player from that city in NU’s 2020 class, wide receiver Marcus Fleming, was not on the Huskers’ travel roster this week and has played minimally since breaking out with five catches and 75 yards earlier this month against Northwestern.
Mills out again: Senior running back Dedrick Mills missed his second straight game and now has not played in most of the past three for the Huskers.
The Georgia native suffered an apparent right knee injury on the first possession against Penn State on Nov. 14 and did not suit up last week against Illinois.
In his absence on Friday, Husker running backs (including Robinson) turned in 18 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown against Iowa.
Martin, Betts make first starts: Nebraska’s revolving door at receiver continued on Friday with Iowa City native Oliver Martin and freshman Betts each making his first career start.
NU’s receiver rotation didn’t look dramatically different against the Hawkeyes even with the new starters, though the Huskers did find a way to get freshman Alante Brown involved with an 18-yard reverse in the second quarter.
Photos: Iowa hangs on to beat Nebraska to claim the Heroes Trophy for sixth straight year