|
|
|
|
Huskers take sole possession of Big 12 North
Posted: 3:39 PM Oct 30, 2004
Last Updated: 3:10 PM Oct 31, 2004
|
 |
|
|
|
Cory Ross ran for a career-high 194 yards and two touchdowns leading Nebraska to a 24-3 victory over Missouri Saturday, giving the Huskers sole possession of first place in the Big 12 North.
Missouri (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) outgained Nebraska (5-3, 3-2) 328-235 in losing its third straight game. The Tigers haven't won in Lincoln since 1978. "We needed this because we've struggled so much this year," said Ross. "This time we fought and stayed into the game for four quarters. There have been so many negatives around us. We wanted to make something positive happen."
Nebraska relied heavily on special teams with Andrew Shanle blocking a punt and recovering a fumble on another botched punt attempt to set up the Huskers' first two touchdowns. With Nebraska leading 17-3 late in the fourth, Ross iced the game with a career-long 86-yard run after Missouri turned the ball over on downs deep in Huskers territory. "I was determined to do something and stay in bounds," said Ross. "I just stayed on the field. As soon as I cut back and broke that tackle, I knew I had to take it to the end zone."
Ross' long run was a payoff for the Husker offensive line, which kept hammering away at a tough Missouri defense that forced 11 Nebraska punts. "We knew it as going to be tough for us," said guard Jake Andersen. "We were going to have to keep plugging away at it and we'd break one out once in a while, like we did at the end. It's just a credit to the whole team. Everyone on offense, we kept fighting when things didn't go our way."
Although he was hobbling and in obvious pain after the game, Ross said there is no question that he'll be in the lineup when Nebraska plays Iowa State next week. "It's just turf toe, a bad turf toe. It hurt like this last week too." "I'm just so proud of Cory," said Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell. "He's been doing that all year. He's really fought hard for his teammates at every opportunity. We felt like he could crack one and at the end, he did." Dailey had high praise for Ross following the game. "Cory is magnificent. Last week, Darren Sproles ran wild on us. I think Cory has more moves (than Sproles). He's shiftier. Watching Cory run is like poetry, sometimes."
Otherwise, the two offenses struggled to produce points, combining for 20 punts. Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he liked the way his team responded after a 24-point loss last week at Kansas State. Two weeks before that, the Huskers had lost 70-10 at Texas Tech. Those losses were part of Nebraska's worst seven-game record since 1961. "It's been a tough season, but it builds character and we showed our true colors today," said linebacker Chad Sievers. "We came out there, we balled and we had fun. Everyone is so happy right now, you would think we won the national championship." Callahan said he kept the game plan simple against Missouri, which came in with the Big 12's top defense. "It's not about X's and O's. It's about the effort they displayed," said Callahan. "It was great to see our guys go out there and play the way they're capable of playing."
Missouri, playing without suspended running back Damien Nash, rushed for only 51 yards. Quarterback Brad Smith ran 21 times for a season-low 25 yards, but he completed 24-of-56 passes for a season-high 277 yards. Nebraska's Joe Dailey was 4-of-17 for 26 yards.
The Huskers broke a 3-3 tie in the second quarter when Shanle blocked Matt Hoenes' punt and Adam Ickes returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. Nebraska upped its lead to 17-3 late in the third after another Missouri punt attempt that went awry. Hoenes bobbled the snap, sprinted to his right under pressure from Shanle, and then whiffed as he tried to kick the ball on the run. Shanle recovered and Ross followed with a 15-yard touchdown run. "To have two kicking errors like that was huge," said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel. "It's not complicated. You can't make errors in your kicking game in a game of this magnitude."
Nebraska drove 52 yards in 10 plays on the game's first series with Sandro DeAngelis kicking a 41-yard field goal. Missouri tied it early in the second quarter after Brandon Massey partially blocked Sam Koch's punt. The Huskers' Kellen Huston recovered, then spiked the ball in anger for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that set up Joe Tantarelli's 39-yard field goal.
Nebraska tight end Matt Herian suffered what was believed to be a left leg fracture in the second quarter. Coach Callahan said he would know more about the injury Sunday. Herian, a junior from Pierce, was blocking on a Cory Ross run when he was hurt in front of the Nebraska bench. The game was delayed about five minutes while medical personnel attended Herian. He was taken off the field on a cart. Herian is the Huskers' leading receiver with 24 catches for 308 yards. His 53 career receptions are the fifth-most ever by a Nebraska tight end.
The Tigers arrived in Lincoln just three hours before kickoff. Their chartered plane went off the runway in wet conditions Friday at the Columbia, Missouri airport. No one was injured, but instead of having the travel party wait at the airport while the plane was inspected and the Federal Aviation Administration conducted an investigation, the decision was made to fly to Lincoln on Saturday. The Tigers' flight landed at 8:10 a.m. Kickoff was 11:10 a.m.
Nebraska-Missouri by the numbers:
Missouri 0 3 0 0 - 3
Nebraska 3 7 7 7 - 24
First Quarter
Neb: FG DeAngelis 41 yards, 11:14
Second Quarter
Mo: FG Tantarelli 39 yards, 14:46
Neb: Ickes 16-yard blocked punt return (DeAngelis kick), 9:42
Third Quarter
Neb: Ross 15-yard run (DeAngelis kick), 1:34
Fourth Quarter
Neb: Ross 86-yard run (DeAngelis kick), 2:56
A: 77,616
Mo/Neb:
First downs 19 / 8
Rushes-yards 35-51 / 41-209
Passing 277 / 26
Comp-Att-Int 24-56-1/ 4-18-0
Return Yards 15 / 57
Punts-Avg. 9-32 / 11-36
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 / 1-0
Penalties-Yards 6-35 / 7-58
Time of Possession 31:38 / 28:22
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING:
Missouri: Smith 21-25, Woods 7-22, Temple 6-13, Hoenes 1-minus 9
Nebraska: Ross 19-194, Jackson 12-38, Amos 1-7, Green 3-minus 2, Team 4-minus 6
PASSING
Missouri: Smith 24-56-1 277
Nebraska: Dailey 4-17-0 26
RECEIVING
Missouri: Omboga 8-96, Coffey 6-66, Sesay 3-32, Ekweekwu 3-14, Woods 2-48, Rucker 1-23, Viehmann 1-minus 2
Nebraska: Nunn 2-10, Keiser 1-10, AHerian 1-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Save
Email
Print
Terms of Use -
Privacy Policy -
EEO Statement
-
FCC Form 388