Nebraska's Zac Taylor takes no solace in statistics showing he's one of the top quarterbacks in the nation.

"I just don't feel like I've played the game I'm capable of playing," Taylor said Tuesday. "I'm missing too many throws that I make in practice and am comfortable making. Hopefully, this is the game I play the game I've been waiting for."

Taylor returns to his home state Saturday to play Oklahoma State -- a team he verbally committed to as a high school senior. Taylor ended up at Wake Forest, then Butler County (Kan.) Community College before transferring to Nebraska last year.

Taylor has been steady as the 20th-ranked Cornhuskers' second-year starter, completing 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,824 yards. He's thrown for 16 touchdowns and been intercepted just three times.

But he's done little to distinguish himself on the national stage this season.

The ball essentially was taken out of his hands in a 28-10 loss at Southern California. Coach Bill Callahan stuck to the run against the Trojans. Taylor threw only 16 passes, completing 8 for 115 yards.

In last week's 22-20 loss to Texas, Taylor threw an interception that led to a Longhorn touchdown, and he was well off the mark on a number of other throws. He did throw a perfect strike to Maurice Purify for a 63-yard touchdown. Taylor's other TD pass came on a shovel pass to Brandon Jackson.

"It wasn't one of my better games," Taylor said. "Especially in the second quarter, I felt like I rushed my throws when I was moving around in the pocket. I wasn't thrilled after the game with how I played, but I'm confident I'll bounce back this week."

Callahan said Taylor's value isn't measured in numbers alone. Intangibles such as toughness, leadership and competitiveness have carried Taylor a long way, Callahan said.

"He's managed the game well at the line of scrimmage and put us in position to make plays," Callahan said. "I'm sure he'd always want to throw better, but I think he's done very well leading this football team.

"It's a matter of time before he really, really lights it up."

Taylor, who grew up in Norman, Okla., took a winding road to Nebraska. He told former OSU coach Les Miles in 2001 that he would accept a scholarship. But when Josh Fields emerged as the Cowboys' starter as a true freshman, Taylor began looking elsewhere.

"He was a great quarterback," Taylor said, "and I didn't want to be stuck there (behind) him."

Taylor signed with Wake Forest and left after two years in hopes of finding a better opportunity.

He's found it at Nebraska, where he's led the Huskers to a 14-6 record as a starter.

Nebraska's offense has matured with Taylor at the controls of Callahan's West Coast system. For all the good he's done, Taylor said, he's probably been too hard on himself.

"I walk away from a game thinking about all the bad passes I make instead of the good things I did," Taylor said. "Every quarterback is the same way. You're going to be your own harshest critic.

"I wish I had played better on Saturday, but I have a lot of other opportunities left to make up for it."