%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Lincoln - The Nebraska football team went through a one hour and 45-minute practice in half pads on the grass practice fields North of Memorial Stadium Monday afternoon, as the Huskers began their preparations for this Saturday's 11:40 a.m. contest against Utah State.
Coach Frank Solich said the Huskers were focused and determined to improve after their 17-7 victory over No. 24 Oklahoma State at Memorial Stadium last Saturday.
"It was a good workout today. We got them right back out here and got them going again," Solich said. "We did some individual work, some team work and worked a little extra time on special teams. All in all, I think we benefited from today's practice. They seemed to be focused and they wanted to improve and do better, and that is an awfully good sign."
The Huskers, who broke into the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls for the first time this season, were ranked No. 23 by the AP and No. 24 by the coaches in Monday's rankings. Solich said he welcomed Nebraska's return to both polls for the first time since the Sept. 22, 2002, rankings.
"I'm glad that is the case. That is where we want to be, in that top 25," Solich said. "We want to be playing great football, and we want to be winning football games. That is what we are trying to set out to do here. I think we were out of the top 25 for an obvious reason. I think with a win against a good Oklahoma State team, I think people recognize that was a very quality win, so to a degree we have put ourselves back in it a little bit. We have to continue to earn that right week after week."
Other than the knee injury to place-kicker Dale Endorf, Solich said the Huskers came through Saturday's game with Oklahoma State without any other major injuries. Endorf is expected to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury.
Nebraska will return to the practice field on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. to continue its preparations for the Utah State game. The Aggies come to Lincoln with an 0-1 record after a 40-20 loss to in-state rival Utah on Thursday, Aug. 28, in Salt Lake City. The Huskers are 7-0 in the all-time series with the Aggies, including a 44-13 victory over USU on Sept. 7, 2002, in the 250th consecutive sellout in Memorial Stadium.