Waco, Texas - Quarterback Zac Taylor and I-back Cory Ross kept the Huskers moving efficiently throughout the game and freshman place-kicker Jordan Congdon booted all three of his field goal attempts to lead the Nebraska football team to a 23-14 win over Baylor in front of 40,857 fans at Floyd Casey Stadium and a Fox Sports pay-per-view audience on Saturday night.
Playing in the first road game of his Nebraska career, Taylor completed 18-of-32 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns to help the Huskers improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play. Taylor's touchdown strikes went to Terrence Nunn and Todd Peterson, as the junior from Norman, Okla., continued to distribute the ball effectively by hooking up with six different receivers on the night. Nunn, a native of Houston, Texas, finished the night with five catches for 49 yards to lead the NU receivers, while another native Texan, Grant Mulkey from Arlington, hauled in four catches for 28 yards.
Nebraska's West Coast Offense featured its intended balance on Saturday night, as the Huskers pounded their way for 182 yards rushing to go along with their 168 through the air to finish with 350 yards of total offense on a season-high 83 plays. The Blackshirts held Baylor to just 253 total yards on 54 plays, including just 51 yards on the ground.
Ross just missed the 12th 100-yard rushing effort of his career by carrying 26 times for 93 yards. Cody Glenn added 12 carries for a career-high 41 yards, while Taylor added a career-best 30 rushing yards on five carries. Marlon Lucky contributed 30 yards on eight carries to round out NU's solid ground game.
While Taylor directed Nebraska's West Coast Offense with precision, sophomore cornerback Cortney Grixby provided several big plays on defense and special teams to help the Huskers step back into first place in the Big 12 North Division standings. The Bears slipped to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the league.
Nebraska had to overcome plenty of adversity throughout the night to earn its fifth victory of the season.
Baylor struck first, winning the coin toss and electing to receive before marching 81 yards on 14 plays in 7:21, capped by Shawn Bell's five-yard touchdown run. The Huskers appeared to have the Bears' opening drive stopped with Grixby's interception at the BU 4, but the interception was wiped off by a roughing the quarterback penalty on the Huskers.
Three plays later, the Bears were faced with third-and-goal from the 11 as the Blackshirts continued to play stingy defense in the red zone, but Baylor earned new life again with a defensive pass interference penalty. The Bears made the most of their third chance on the drive by scoring on Bell's run on the next play.
Despite trailing 7-0 in a hostile environment, Taylor and the Huskers displayed their composure with a workman-like 18-play, 59-yard drive that ate up nearly all of the first quarter clock. The Huskers' opening drive was capped by freshman place-kicker Jordan Congdon's 41-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the quarter. On the drive, the Huskers converted twice on third down and two more times on fourth down to cut Baylor's lead to 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The Blackshirts forced a Baylor punt on the Bears' second drive of the night, and Taylor marched the Huskers deep into BU territory again on Nebraska's second possession. The Huskers drove to the BU 12, before a fumble ended NU's threat.
But the Blackshirts forced a quick three-and-out, and Grixby provided a special teams highlight for the Huskers with his career-long 48-yard return of 2004 Ray Guy Award winner Daniel Sepulveda's 54-yard punt, to put the offense back in business at the BU 9. Three plays later, Taylor hit Nunn for their third touchdown connection in the past two games to give the Huskers their first lead of the night at 10-7 with 5:09 left in the first half.
On Baylor's next possession, the Blackshirt defensive line flexed its muscles, as defensive tackle Le Kevin Smith notched two sacks for a total of 17 yards in losses for Bell, while defensive end Wali Muhammad added a three-yard tackle for loss and defensive end Adam Carriker added a quarterback hurry to force another Sepulveda punt on fourth-and-23.
Taylor took over from the NU 22 with 2:43 play in the half, and marched the Huskers again. Taylor completed four of his first five passes on the drive and added two carries for 19 yards. Nebraska also benefited from a pair of Baylor pass interference penalties on the possession before the drive stalled at the BU 12. Congdon capped NU's 11-play, 66-yard drive and pushed the Huskers lead to 13-7 with his 29-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the half.
Nebraska quickly extended its lead on the opening possession of the second half, as Taylor hit Grand Island, Neb., walk-on Todd Peterson on a 21-yard touchdown strike to cap the Huskers' 11-play, 79-yard drive. Peterson's first career touchdown catch gave NU a 20-7 lead with 11:41 remaining in the third quarter.
The Blackshirts stopped the Bears again on the next drive, giving the Husker offense a chance to pull away, but Baylor forced Sam Koch's first punt of the night with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Baylor struck quickly, as Bell hit Trent Shelton on a 52-yard pass play that eventually turned into a Dominique Zeigler touchdown after a lengthy review by replay officials. Shelton was hit by Nebraska safety Blake Tiedtke forcing a fumble at the one-yard line. Shelton was originally ruled down at the 1, but replay overturned the call and ruled it a fumble. The loose ball caromed into the end zone, where a wild scramble ensued. At the bottom of the pile, one Husker and one Bear were ruled to have joint possession, giving Baylor a touchdown because joint possession is awarded to the offense.
After the two teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the third quarter, Nebraska produced another monumental march, as Taylor led the Huskers 56 yards on 14 plays in 7:42 capped by Congdon's third field goal of the night. Congdon's 22-yard kick gave NU a two-score lead, which was more than enough for the Blackshirts, who forced a fumble and two interceptions down the stretch to squelch any Baylor hopes of a comeback.
Along with his special teams highlight with a 48-yard punt return that led to NU's first touchdown of the night, Grixby returned a fumble forced by linebacker Adam Ickes 33 yards. Ickes' forced fumble came in his first career start, as he replaced the injured Stewart Bradley.
Cornerback Zack Bowman added his first career interception for the Blackshirts on Baylor's next drive, while senior safety Daniel Bullocks sealed the Husker win with his first interception of the season and a 12-yard return with just over two minutes left in the game.
Blake Tiedtke led the Huskers with a career-high eight tackles on the night, while Barry Turner also enjoyed a career night with two sacks among his three tackles for loss.
Nebraska continues Big 12 road play by traveling to Missouri next Saturday to take on the Tigers at Faurot Field in Columbia. Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. with a Fox Sports Net regional telecast. A win for the Huskers over the Tigers would make them bowl eligible.