Williams Sparks Late Washington Surge After Nebraska Misses Field Goal
Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. supplied the late spark in a defensive struggle at Nebraska, turning a quarterback change into a go-ahead touchdown drive be...
Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. supplied the late spark in a defensive struggle at Nebraska, turning a quarterback change into a go-ahead touchdown drive before Alex McLaughlin’s pick-six sealed a dramatic Huskies win.
Nebraska had a chance to take control with 10 minutes remaining, reaching Washington’s 5-yard line. The Huskies’ defense forced a field-goal attempt, and the kick went wide right. The missed chance left the Cornhuskers without points from a promising possession.
Williams changes the tempo
Washington had started Elijah Brown at quarterback, and he remained under center for more than three quarters. With the offense struggling to break through, the Huskies inserted Williams late. His first possession ended in a punt, but a later drive produced the decisive touchdown.
Then the defense struck. Two Nebraska offensive plays after Washington moved ahead, McLaughlin returned an interception for a touchdown, putting the result beyond reach in a game that had been tight for most of the night.
The switch addressed the game’s central question: whether Washington would turn to Williams after Brown got the start. The answer came late, when the Huskies needed an offensive jolt. Williams’ impact was immediate on the scoring drive, though his first series had not produced points.
A defensive game opens up late
For much of the contest, neither offense found room. Washington and Nebraska exchanged punts throughout the third quarter, extending a pattern established after Nebraska scored late in the first.
Washington finally got on the board with a 50-yard field goal with 41 seconds left in the first half. Brown and the Huskies’ offense had also been unable to turn two interceptions into points, leaving the game close into the final stretch.
Nebraska’s march to the Washington 5-yard line offered the clearest chance to widen the gap. Instead, the defense held, the kick missed right, and the Huskies’ late quarterback change helped flip the game. Williams’ touchdown drive and McLaughlin’s return finished the turnaround.
