'S THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA AT NEBRASKA. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE I'M LAUREN MICHAELSON. WELCOME IN TO BIG RED ZONE GAME DAY FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK DYLAN RAIOLA LEADING THE HUSKERS INTO MEMORIAL STADIUM IN FRONT OF THE 397TH CONSECUTIVE SELLOUT CROWD AHEAD OF HIS DEBUT AGAINST UTEP. THE HUSKERS, OPENING THE SEASON AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019, AND RAIOLA JUST THE SECOND TRUE FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK TO START A SEASON OPENER. AND WHAT A START IT WAS. RAIOLA LEADS A 12 PLAY, 72 YARD FIRST DRIVE CAPPED BY A DANTE DOWDELL FIVE YARD TOUCHDOWN. THE OREGON TRANSFER PUNCHES IT IN FOR SIX, MAKES IT SEVEN NOTHING. NEBRASKA. SECOND QUARTER UTEP ANSWERS. TIED AT SEVEN NOW. NEXT NEBRASKA DRIVE WHEN DOWDLE FUMBLES IT INSIDE THE FIVE. AND THERE GOES THE FIRST TURNOVER OF THE SEASON. BUT THE HUSKERS QUICK TO BOUNCE BACK. TY ROBINSON BRINGS DOWN UTEP'S RUNNING BACK JAVON JACKSON IN THE END ZONE FOR A SAFETY, THE FIRST IN SIX YEARS FOR THE BLACKSHIRTS. GIVES THE HUSKERS THE NINE SEVEN LEAD. NOW THE HUSKERS, WITH SOME MOMENTUM, RAIOLA FIRES A BULLET DEEP DOWN THE WEST SIDELINE, 59 YARDS INTO THE HANDS OF ISAIAH NAYA, WHO MAKES THE CATCH IN COVERAGE. THE TEXAS TRANSFER'S FIRST TOUCHDOWN AS A HUSKER PUTS NEBRASKA UP 16 TO 7. BLACKSHIRTS FORCE A THREE AND OUT ON THE ENSUING HUSKER DRIVE. EMMITT JOHNSON PROVING WHY HE WAS THE TOP RUSHER TODAY, BARRELS UP THE SIDELINE 42 YARDS TO SET UP FIRST AND GOAL, AND GABE IRVIN, JUNIOR BACK FROM INJURY, PUNCHES THROUGH THE LINE FROM THREE YARDS OUT FOR THE SCORE, 23 SEVEN. NEBRASKA. THE HUSKERS GET ONE BACK IN THE TURNOVER COLUMN WHEN MALCOLM HARTZOG INTERCEPTS KADE MCCONNELL, AND WITH TWO SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE HALF, RAIOLA COMPLETES THE TWO MINUTE DRILL WITH A 21 YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS TO JAMAAL BANKS. NEBRASKA UP BIG 30 TO 7 INTO THE BREAK AS A PROUD DAD. DOMINIC RAIOLA WATCHES ON. IN THE SECOND HALF, FRESHMAN SAFETY RAHMIR STEWART WITH THE INTERCEPTION THAT PUTS THE HUSKERS PLUS ONE IN TURNOVER MARGIN A AND THAT WOULD DO IT. NEBRASKA WINS 40 TO 7. THE HUSKERS GET