Nebraska vs. McNeese State, Sept. 6, 2014
- Nebraska improved to 2-0 with today’s victory. The Huskers are now 11-0 all-time against FCS opponents, including two victories over McNeese State (also 38-14 in 2002). Nebraska’s 2-0 start marks the sixth time in seven seasons under Bo Pelini Nebraska has started the season with a 2-0 record.
- Today’s 31-24 win marks the 10th straight win by the Huskers in a game decided by seven points or less. The streak leads the nation.
- Sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. rushed 11 times for a career-high 131 yards, including rushes of 42 and 24 yards in the first half and a 34-yard third-quarter rush. Those were the three longest runs of Armstrong’s career, bettering a 17-yard rush last week against Florida Atlantic. Armstrong rushed six times for 87 yards before halftime. His previous career rushing high was 69 yards against Northwestern in 2013.
- Armstrong’s 131 rushing yards mark the first 100-yard rushing game for a Nebraska quarterback since Taylor Martinez rushed for 140 yards on 19 carries in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin.
- Armstrong Jr. completed 16-of-31 passes for a 242 yards and two touchdowns. Armstrong connected with Jordan Westerkamp for a 40-yard touchdown in the first quarter and with Ameer Abdullah for the game-winning 58-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In the first half, Armstrong was 4-of-4 passing for 78 yards and a touchdown on third down attempts in the first half.
- Armstrong accounted for 373 yards of total offense, marking the second consecutive week he has accounted for a career high in total offensive yards. In last week’s season opener against Florida Atlantic, Armstrong accounted for 333 yards of total offense.
- Nebraska senior I-back Ameer Abdullah rushed 17 times for 54 yards and one touchdown. Abdullah also caught three passes for a career-high 96 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter that broke a 24-24 tie. Abdullah’s 58-yard catch alone broke his previous single-game high of 50 yards against UCLA in 2013.
- With his 54 rushing yards, Abdullah increased his career rushing total to 3,263 rushing yards. Abdullah is just 66 yards from the top five on the NU career rushing list (3,329 yards, Rex Burkhead).
- Abdullah finished the game with 184 all-purpose yards, including 90 yards in the fourth quarter on three touches.
- Sophomore receiver Jordan Westerkamp caught a team-high four passes for 61 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Through two games, Westerkamp has 11 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
- Sophomore punter Sam Foltz averaged 51.2 yards on six punts, including three punts of 50 yards or more. He also downed three punts inside the McNeese State 10-yard line and four inside MSU’s 20.
- The win improved Bo Pelini’s record at Nebraska to 60-24 making him the third coach in NU history with 60 wins, joining Tom Osborne and Bob Devaney.
- The 98-yard interception return for a touchdown by McNeese State’s Aaron Sam was the second-longest against Nebraska in school history. Minnesota’s Gary Hohman had a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown against Nebraska on Oct. 4, 1969.