Nebraska vs. Ball State
Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
- Nebraska used fourth-quarter touchdowns from linebacker Bo Ruud and Maurice Purify to erase a nine-point deficit, as the No. 24/22 (AP/Coaches) Huskers came back for a 41-40 victory over Ball State on Saturday. The contest featured 1,162 yards of offense and wasn’t decided until Ball State’s Jake Hogue missed a 55-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining.
- With the win, the Huskers improved to 3-1 on the season, marking the 26th consecutive year that Nebraska lost one or fewer non-conference contests. NU also improved to 5-0 all-time against teams from the Mid-American Conference and have won 11 of their past 14 non-conference contests. The Huskers have won nine of their last 11 home games, while NU head Coach Bill Callahan improved to 25-16 in his four seasons at Nebraska.
- Nebraska’s 552 yards is the fourth-highest single-game total by a Husker team under Bill Callahan, while the 438 passing yards were a single-game school record, breaking the mark of 431 against Iowa State in 2005.
- The nine-point deficit overcome by Nebraska tied the fourth-largest fourth-quarter comeback in school history, and was the largest at Memorial Stadium since overcoming a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit against Colorado in 1966 (trailed 19-7 before winning 21-19). Of the five-largest comebacks in school history, two have happened under Bill Callahan (also 10-point deficit against Michigan in the 2005 Alamo Bowl). The last time NU trailed entering the fourth quarter and won at home was against Colorado in 1998 (trailed 14-13 and won 16-14).
- Senior quarterback Sam Keller completed 26-of-37 passes in today’s game for 438 yards and three touchdowns. In the process, Keller surpassed the 1,000-yard passing mark for the season and has 1,278 yards passing this season. Keller’s 438 yards passing were a single-game school record, breaking the old mark of 433 by Zac Taylor against Iowa State on Oct. 1, 2005. Taylor’s came in a double-overtime win over the Cyclones. It also marked the first time a Nebraska quarterback had topped 300 yards in back-to-back games in school history. Keller threw for 389 yards in last week’s loss to USC. Keller now has three career 400-yard passing days, as he threw for 461 and 409 yards against LSU and Northwestern, respectively in 2005 at Arizona State.
- Junior I-back Marlon Lucky rushed 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown in today’s game. Today marked the fourth 100-yard game of Lucky’s career, including his second of the 2007 season, joining his career-high 233 yards against Nevada in the season opener. Lucky totaled 183 all-purpose yards on Saturday.
- Lucky caught a Nebraska running back record 11 passes in today’s game, breaking the record of nine held by Jeff Kinney (9-94 vs. Kansas on Oct. 18, 1969) and Cory Ross (9-129 at Colorado, Nov. 25, 2005). Lucky’s 11 receptions are also the second-most in school history by any player, trailing only the school record of 14 receptions by Dennis Richnafsky at Kansas State in 1967. Lucky has caught three or more passes in all four games this season and eight of the past 10 games dating back to last season. Lucky has a team-leading 24 receptions this season.
- Keller’s 73-yard touchdown pass to Sean Hill in the third quarter marked the longest reception by a Nebraska tight end since a 77-yard touchdown pass from Jammal Lord to Matt Herian against Troy in 2003. Hill finished the day with 129 yards receiving, the most receiving yards by a Nebraska tight end since Johnny Mitchell set NU’s tight end record with 138 yards against Georgia Tech in the 1991 Citrus Bowl. Hill’s 100-yard day is the first by a Husker tight end since Matt Herian caught three passes for 110 yards against Troy on Oct. 4, 2003.
- Senior wide receiver Maurice Purify caught six passes for 122 yards in today’s game, bettering his career high in receiving yards of 91 yards last season against Kansas. Purify had a career-high in receptions last week with seven catches against USC.
- Senior wide receiver Terrence Nunn caught three passes for 25 yards in today’s game. Nunn has now caught at least one pass in 31 straight games, seven games shy of Johnny Rodgers’ school record of 38 straight games. Nunn increased his career receptions total to 116, 37 catches shy of Rodgers’ NU record of 143 career receptions.
- Senior linebacker Bo Ruud intercepted a fourth-quarter Ball State pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown to cut the NU deficit to 37-35. The interception was the fourth of Ruud’s career and the touchdown was his second career INT return for a touchdown. Ruud also returned an interception against Maine in 2005 for a touchdown. Ruud has a total of 115 yards on his four career interception returns. Ruud’s interception return for a touchdown was the first by Nebraska since the Huskers returned three interceptions for touchdowns against Wake Forest in 2005.
- Ball State’s 610 yards of total offense were the fourth-most ever against Nebraska and the most by an opponent since Washington had 618 yards in 1991. Nate Davis’ 422-yards passing were the most by an opponent quarterback since Sonny Cumbie of Texas Tech had 436 on Oct. 9, 2004. Dante Love’s 214 receiving yards is the fourth-highest by an opponent in NU history and most since Troy Edwards had 405 yards on Aug. 29, 1998.
- Nebraska allowed 40 or more points for the second straight week, marking the first time that has happened to a Nebraska team since allowing 45 points in consecutive games against Oklahoma (45) and Georgia to end the 1990 season.
- Sophomore offensive lineman Jacob Hickman started at left guard today in place of junior Andy Christensen who was lost for the season with a knee injury. Today’s game marked Hickman’s second career start (also Missouri, 2006).
- Senior cornerback Cortney Grixby served as today’s game captain, alongside fellow seniors Bo Ruud and Brett Byford.
- True freshman cornerback Prince Amukamara made the first appearance of his Nebraska career, contributing on Nebraska’s special teams units.
- Nebraska is now 315-2 all-time when scoring at least 35 points.