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Stats l Nebraska Notes l Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini Quotes - Nebraska Player Quotes l |
Lawrence Kan. - Following a win over No. 20 Oklahoma last Saturday in Lincoln, the Huskers came into Kansas' Memorial Stadium and won their third Big 12 Conference road game of the year, 31-17, moving the Huskers to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in conference.
The game was highlighted by Niles Paul and Roy Helu Jr., who each made big plays when the Huskers needed them most.
Paul caught four passes for a career-high 154 yards and also returned two kickoffs for 72 yards, including a fourth-quarter return into KU territory that set up the Huskers' go-ahead score.
For Helu, he carried the ball 28 times for 156 yards and scored three times. But more importantly, 82 of Helu's yards came in the fourth quarter, including touchdowns runs of 20 and 14 yards.
The Huskers used a balanced attack, rushing for 214 yards on 42 carries, while Zac Lee completed 13-of-21 passes for 196 yards, giving the Huskers 410 yards of total offense.
On the other side of the ball, the Blackshirts held the KU rushing attack in check, as the Jayhawks were held to 99 yards on 29 carries. Quarterback Todd Reising was forced to put the ball in the air 41 times, only completing 19 passes for 236 yards.
The Huskers started the game on the right foot as Tim Marlowe returned the opening kickoff 40 yards to the Huskers' 42-yard line. The offense then attacked quickly as Lee hooked up with Paul on the first play from scrimmage for a 35-yard pass off of play action.
Following three straight carries from Helu for a total of 19 yards, Lee fumbled on third and goal from the one on an option carry, but Helu was there to recover the ball in the end zone for his seventh touchdown of the year.
The teams would then exchange punts for the rest of the first quarter, with the Jayhawks unable to earn a first down against the Blackshirts. KU was only able to muster 19 yards on three possessions, while the Huskers moved the ball well, pounding out 40 yards on the ground and 70 through the air on 17 plays.
The Huskers struck again early in the second quarter as the offense continued to use KU's defensive focus on the run against them, as Lee ran a bootleg on first down from the NU 22-yard line for 32 yards to the KU 46-yard line. Lee then gave an option look to the left, before dropping back to throw a 37-yard pass to Paul, his eighth 20-plus yard catch on the year.
Following a one-yard rush by Helu, Lee missed Paul and McNeill on consecutive passes into the end zone to stall the drive, resulting in a 25-yard field goal from Alex Henery to give the Huskers a 10-0 lead with 10:47 remaining in the first half.
On the ensuing drive, Kansas finally found a rhythm offensively, as Reesing commanded the Jayhawks down the field 80 yards on 13 plays for a touchdown. The Huskers were hurt on the first play of the drive, as Reesing rushed for 33 yards, and then picked up 15 more yards following a personal foul on a late hit on Reesing. The KU offense then nickel and dimed the Blackshirts down the field, capping the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown by Reesing. On the drive, nine of KU's 13 plays went for less than 10 yards.
The Huskers went three-and-out on the next position, setting up the Jayhawks with the ball on their own 20-yard line with 3:37 remaining in the first half. Reesing continued to find open targets, completing five of his eight passes on the drive. The 12 play, 64-yard drive was capped with a 33-yard field goal as time expired to even the score at 10-10 going into halftime.
The Jayhawks continued to move the ball to start the second half, as Reesing drove the Jayhawks down to the NU 23-yard line on eight plays, after starting on his own 23. On 3rd-and-9, Reesing connected with Kerry Meier for a 16-yard pass, but Dejon Gomes came up big for the Blackshirts, stripping Meier from behind and Matt O'Hanlon recovered the fumble for the Huskers.
With the momentum back on the Huskers' side, Lee directed the offense down the field, capping a 13-play, 79-yard drive with a 34-yard field goal from Henery. On the drive, Lee found his tight end Mike McNeill three times for 22 yards and connected with Paul for 45-yard pass.
Reesing and the KU offense were then forced to punt after holding the ball for only 53 seconds. Lee then directed another scoring drive for the Huskers, capping the 12-play, 51-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal from Henery.
After being silenced for most of the second half, the KU offense caught fire with 11:45 remaining the game, as they drove 68 yards on nine plays, with Reesing hitting Dezmon Briscoe for a 21-yard touchdown pass to give KU its first lead of the game, 17-16.
Paul hit another big play for the Huskers on the ensuing kickoff, returning the ball 44 yards to the Kansas 36-yard line. Following a false start on first down, a one-yard rush by Helu and an incomplete pass to Ryan Hill, the Husker offense was looking at third-and-14 on the KU 35-yard line.
Lee connected with Khiry Cooper for no gain, but a 15-yard personal foul for a face mask on the tackle gave the Huskers 1st-and-10 on the 20-yard line. Helu dashed around the right side on the following play for his second touchdown of the game and eventual game winner. With the score now 22-17, the Huskers went for two, with Lee scrambling to his left and then to his right, before finding Paul in the back of the end zone to give the Huskers the lead, 24-17.
With KU looking to answer, the Blackshirts dialed up a defensive scheme that resulted in a quick 3-and-out, with incomplete passes on first and second down, followed by a five-yard loss by Gomes and Pierre Allen on pass from Reesing to Tobem Opurum.
The Huskers then put the game away with a 10-play drive over 74 yards that lasted 4:46. The Huskers pounded the rock, as they rushed the ball on all 10 plays, with Helu completing the drive with a 14-yard score, his third of the day.
Nebraska returns to action next Saturday when the Huskers return home for Senior Day against Kansas State. Kickoff against the Wildcats in a pivotal Big 12 North Division showdown is set for 6:45 p.m. with live national television coverage provided by ESPN/ESPN2.
Scoring Summary
Final: Nebraska 31, Kansas 17
First Quarter (7-0)
NU - 12:05 - Zac Lee fumble recoved by Roy Helu (Alex Henery kick) - 6 plays, 58 yards, 2:55, NU 7-0
Second Quarter (TIE, 10-10)
NU - 10:47 - Alex Henery 25 FG - 6 plays, 70 yards, 1:56, NU 10-0
KU - 4:58 - Todd Reesing 5-yard run, 13 plays, 80 yards, 5:49, NU 10-7
KU - 0:00 - Jacob Bransetter 33 FG - 12 plays, 64 yards, 3:37, TIE 10-10
Third Quarter (NU, 13-10)
NU - 3:42 - Alex Henery 34 FG - 13 plays, 79 yards, 7:15, NU 13-10
Fourth Quarter (NU, 10-3)
NU - 11:53 - Alex Henery 38 FG - 13 plays, 51 yards, 5:50, NU 16-10
KU - 7:34 - Todd Reesing pass to Dezmon Briscoe - 10 plays, 89 yards, 4:11, KU 17-16
NU - 6:19 - Roy Helu 20-yard run - 4 plays, 31 yards, 1:04, NU - 24-17
NU - 0:29 - Roy Helu 14-yard run - 10 plays, 74 yards, 4:46, NU - 31-17
Final: Nebraska 31, Kansas 17
Attendance: 51,525
Time of Game: 3:07