For the first time in nearly a decade, Nebraska has won a bowl game.
From start to finish, excluding an abysmal outing on special teams, Nebraska gave Boston College front row seats to good ol’ Big Ten football.
Under the guidance of Defensive Coordinator John Butler, the defense proved it has what it takes to get the job done without former DC Tony White. Boston College had the ball on the Huskers side of the field 7 times, only scoring twice. Senior Linemen Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher played inspired football up front, holding the Eagles from getting anything going on the ground.
The standout performance on defense came from Freshman Linebacker Vincent Shavers who was just awarded a Blackshirt earlier this week. Shavers finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble. It was a promising game for a player Nebraska will undoubtedly count on next season.
On offense, Dylan Raiola rebounded from an early interception, finishing the game strong. He went 23-for-31 with a touchdown and an interception. It’s the first time in Nebraska history that a true freshman quarterback has won a bowl game, but in spite of Raiola’s historic achievement, it was Senior Running Back Rahmir Johnson who stole the spotlight.
It’s been a long road for Johnson, the Harlem, New York native, first arriving on Nebraska’s campus in 2019. From injuries to coaching changes, Johnson stayed true to the Huskers. When it was announced Nebraska would be playing Boston College in New York City to close out Johnson’s senior season, it seemed like the perfect ending to his career. Little did anyone know, it meant more than just a homecoming.
During the post game press conference, Head Coach Matt Rhule broke news about Rahmir and his family.
On October 31, 2024, Johnson’s mother sadly passed away at the age of 64.
Johnson was adamant that it be kept a secret, not wanting to be a distraction to the rest of his team, and while Rhule attempted to keep tears from his eyes, he touched on the situation.
“He lost his mother. He cares about this team. I think this is a fitting end for him. I hope he wears his pads home on the subway and goes to his apartment, takes that MVP trophy and takes it out tonight somewhere.”
While Nebraska will move forward without Johnson, his legacy and his character will be remembered til the end of time.
