North Platte’s own Vince Genatone scored two touchdowns Saturday as Nebraska defeated Michigan State, 31-13, in a rousing Big Ten win.

With time running out in the first half and Nebraska ahead, 17-10, Genatone carried the ball and converted on third down and short to the Michigan State 13. The Huskers went no-huddle on the next play, keeping Genatone in the game.

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea dropped back to pass and found Genatone alone over the middle. He then raced past the Spartan defense and leapt over the goal line for the touchdown, giving Nebraska a more comfortable 24-10 lead with two seconds left until halftime.

Early in the fourth quarter, the North Platte High graduate got the call again. The Huskers had the ball at the one yard line. Genatone jumped over the pile and into the end zone to essentially put the game away, making the score 31-13.

Genatone is a fifth-year senior for the Huskers. He joined the team in 2024 after transferring from FCS Montana. In 2025, he moved from linebacker to running back. Going into Saturday’s game, he had two carries.

Before Genatone, the last player from North Platte to a score a touchdown for Nebraska was Jim McFarland in 1968, when he caught the winning touchdown with a minute left in the 21-20 win over Oklahoma State.

The last player from Lincoln County to score a Husker touchdown was Monte Kratzenstein, a native of Brady who attended Gothenburg High. Kratzenstein scored in 1989 against Northern Illinois. Before then, Shane Swanson of Hershey scored two touchdowns in his senior season with the Huskers in 1984.

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