Huskers keep control in third
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
You could argue that Nebraska awoke Saturday from its long third-quarter offensive slumber.
Except, of course, for the fact the Huskers still didn’t score in the period.
Details, details.
Through six Big 12 Conference games, Nebraska has scored only one time in the third quarter — a touchdown at Kansas State.
Although the Huskers didn’t score in the third quarter against Missouri, they did enough to stay in control.
Nebraska ran 21 plays in the period, including 11 on a drive that lasted 13 plays and ended with a touchdown two plays into the fourth quarter.
That offensive control helped the Huskers put away Missouri 34-20 before a record 85,197 fans at Memorial Stadium.
“We talked about at halftime how we wanted to come out and keep going, how we didn’t want to let it slide again like last week,” said Nebraska receiver Nate Swift, referring to last week’s 41-29 loss at Oklahoma State, when the Huskers led by three points at halftime. “We wanted to come out strong and have a drive. That’s exactly what we did.”
Only problem was, a 10-play drive to start the second half stalled when a wide-open J.B. Phillips bobbled and dropped a fourth-and-1 play-action pass from Zac Taylor. Nebraska had driven to the Missouri 38-yard line.
The Tigers answered with a 10-play touchdown drive to pull within 27-13. It was Missouri’s only possession of the third quarter.
Nebraska responded by picking up right where it’d left off on its previous drive … by moving the ball, chewing up yardage and running clock.
Oh, and this time, scoring.
Running back Brandon Jackson scored on a 2-yard run to finish off the 13-play drive for a 34-13 lead with 14 minutes, 36 seconds remaining.
“Everybody rallied the offense,” said Jackson, who had a career-high 32 carries for 111 yards. “We wanted to get the job done, because we always come out in the second kind of off a little bit, but I feel like in the second half this game, we came out and answered the call.”
Nebraska moved the ball a variety of ways. Jackson bruised his way for tough yards on toss sweeps and stretch plays. Marlon Lucky and Jackson took screens and swing passes from Zac Taylor and turned them into sizeable gains.
And Swift had one of the game’s key plays, out-jumping a Missouri defender and hauling in a 34-yard pass from Zac Taylor to give Nebraska first-and-goal at the Missouri 2-yard line.
“We’ve worked on that in practice, every day in camp, every day of the week, every week,” Swift said of the jump ball. “It’s nothing new, but in a game, when you’ve got a ball like that that’s a little short, and it’s between you and the other guy, you’ve got to go up and get it.”
Swift’s catch came on a third-and-14 play, a play after Missouri had accepted a holding penalty. Had the Tigers declined, it would’ve meant fourth-and-4 for NU, and likely a 43-yard field-goal attempt.
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said he wanted to force NU out of field- goal range; instead, the Huskers took advantage of a second opportunity.
“Everybody wants to keep the drives going,” Swift said. “You don’t want to end the drive on a field goal, and that’s what we were talking about. Zac was preaching that in the huddle. It just helps swing the momentum your way.”
Taylor finished 13-of-21 passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns and wasn’t sacked. Seven of his passes went to Jackson and Lucky, and the running backs combined for 107 receiving yards.
“That took a lot of pressure off Zac,” said Jackson, who had a 47-yard gain on a short pass from Taylor. “When we get out, they have to have a linebacker covering us. When they don’t, we hit them for a big play. That keeps them on their toes enough to not blitz so much.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
Most Commented news