Monday, November 10, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. — Judging by the postgame celebration in Memorial Stadium, one could think that Nebraska just won the Big 12 title.
Junior quarterback Todd Reesing throws a deep ball to Dezmon Briscoe during the second quarter. Reesing threw for three touchdowns for the fifth time this season and also became Kansas' all time passing leader with 6,632 yards when he completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Kerry Meier in the first quarter.
Huskers lingered on the field and danced around while fans started chants for each of their conquering heroes as they jogged off into the frigid night. It might have been a bit much, but success-starved fans in Lincoln appreciated what the victory meant.
Nebraska is now bowl eligible — it seems destined for the Sun Bowl — and with closing games at Kansas State and against Colorado, an 8-4 record is possible. Saturday’s victory averted any doomsday scenarios and cleared the nightmares of last week’s 62-28 blowout at Oklahoma.
“It’s about the kids on this football team and they needed this,” coach Bo Pelini said. “They were heartbroken after what happened last weekend and I wanted it for them.”
Quarterback Joe Ganz has hobbled by an ankle injury in the second quarter and a banged-up knee in the third. Limping badly up to the line of scrimmage, Ganz rarely showed signs of injury once the play started.
“Joe’s the man,” Pelini said. “You’d have to scrape him off the field to get him out of there. He would have fought me before he would have let me take him out.”
Pelini and Ganz each believe they would win that fictional sideline fight. Ganz even joked that the other 113 players would help him take Pelini down in order for him to stay in the game.
That’s the kind of postgame fun you earn with a hard fought victory. And some trickery.
Nebraska reached into its bag of tricks for three atypical plays and each one gained either a first down or touchdown.
On their second drive of the game, the Cornhuskers pushed the ball down to the four-yard line. Once there, running back Marlon Lucky took a direct snap, faked a run with a hard step forward then pulled up for a touchdown jump pass to Mike McNeill.
The play sent the crowd into a frenzy and they released hundreds of red balloons in celebration.
In the fourth quarter, Kansas cut its deficit to 31-28 with a nine play, 80-yard drive. Nebraska’s response was big, to say the least.
Ganz drove down to Kansas’ 2-yard line, and in marched 300-pound defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Huskers used Suh as a lead blocker for one of Roy Helu Jr.’s two touchdown runs earlier, and it appeared he would reprise the role.
After Helu gained no yards on first down, however, Pelini called the big man’s number and he was wide open for a touchdown reception. Suh said he was never worried about dropping the pass.
Sophomore Alonso Rojas attempts to kick the ball off after a Kansas touchdown. Rojas had troubles getting a good kick off due to the windy conditions at Saturdays game in Lincoln in Kansas' 45-35 loss.
“Everybody gives me a hard time, but I think personally I have good hands for a big guy,” Suh said.
The touchdown put a cherry on his day, which also included a career high in tackles (12) and sacks (2.5).
The final trick came on Nebraska’s final scoring drive.
On fourth and eight, kicker Alex Henerey lined up for a 37-yard field goal attempt. Instead of kicking it he took a flip pass for a nine-yard gain and a first down. Henerey fumbled on the play but recovered it. Five plays later Ganz hit Nate Swift to make the score 45-28.
Kansas tried to come back but the margin was too great.
Nebraska’s defense hasn’t practiced with its famed black shirts all season and surrendering 422 yards and 35 points won’t get them back, but they did make a few stifling plays.
Besides Suh’s monster game, defensive end Zach Potter also came up big. On the first play from scrimmage following Suh’s touchdown, Potter snared Todd Reesing’s pass from the air for an interception.
Last year Nebraska lost 76-39 in Lawrence, and Potter said it felt good to end that trick.
“We just wanted to come out and try to regain some of that respect that Kansas may have lost for us as a program,” Potter said. “We’re still Nebraska and they’re still Kansas.”
— — Edited by Ramsey Cox
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