|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Nebraska coach Frank Solich is getting used to
The Eric Crouch Show.
He especially likes the endings.
|  | | Correll Buckhalter's one-yard TD run gave the Huskers a 35-20 lead with 9:55 to play. |
The junior quarterback only scored one touchdown Saturday, but
led the Cornhuskers (No. 1 ESPN/USA Today, No. 2 AP) on three other scoring drives in the
second half as they rallied for a 49-27 victory over Iowa State.
"We're almost conditioned and used to him having these types of
games," Solich said.
"I don't think there's and question that he's the leader of
this football team. He did a great job in the second half bringing
this team down the field and putting points on the board. I think
the whole offense played really well when it had to."
Crouch ran for 138 yards and passed for 164 to keep the
Cornhuskers (5-0 overall, 2-0 Big 12) in contention for the
national title after trailing for the first time at halftime this
season.
"Part of football is overcoming adversity and that's one of the
things we talked about at halftime," said Crouch, whose 1-yard run
in the fourth quarter gave him eight rushing touchdowns to go with
his eight passing TDs.
"We're a powerful football team and offense is something we
take pride in," Crouch said. "We knew what they were going to
line up in. It was a matter of picking out the plays that we wanted
to run and executing every single one of them."
Nebraska did allow more than 250 passing yards for the third
straight game, but could be back at No. 1 after dropping a spot
last week. Top-ranked Florida State opened the door with a 27-24
loss at No. 7 Miami on Saturday.
"No doubt about it. If we're not No. 1 I don't know who is,"
said Corell Buckhalter, who had two short touchdown runs for the
Cornhuskers.
The Cyclones (4-1, 1-1), off to their best start in 20 years,
led 14-13 at halftime but could not stop Nebraska in the second
half as the Huskers scored five touchdowns.
Sage Rosenfels was 22-of-42 for 346 yards and two touchdowns to
lead Iowa State. But the Cyclones, who averaged 227.5 rushing
yards, couldn't run the ball and finished with just 37 yards on the
ground.
"We got beat up front. We didn't run the ball," Iowa State
coach Dan McCarney, who fell to 0-6 against Nebraska. "They were
more physical than we were. We didn't sustain blocks."
It was the first time since McCarney took over at Iowa State in
1995 that the Cyclones haven't lost to the Huskers by at least 35
points.
"We played a lot more good snaps against Nebraska than we ever
have in the past," McCarney said. "We went into this football
game trying to win, not be respected, trying to close the gap. We
weren't able to do it."
Iowa State was within range of the upset until Crouch took over
in the second half, shaking off a second-quarter interception that
the Cyclones returned for a touchdown.
Crouch was nearly flawless in the second half, completing 3-of-3
passes for 53 yards. He also rushed for 79 yards in the half to
lead Nebraska on four of its final five scoring drives.
Crouch finished 7-for-17 for 164 yards.
Crouch's 1-yard touchdown run with 4:05 left was the Huskers'
fourth of the second half. It was the first of the game for Crouch,
but he played a large part in the Huskers' next three.
Crouch had a 22-yard run in a 39-yard drive that set up
Buckhalter's goal-line dive that gave Nebraska a 19-14 lead early
in the third quarter. Crouch also hit Aaron Golliday with a pass
for the 2-point conversion.
After an Iowa State touchdown and failed point-after try brought
the Cyclones to 21-20, Crouch led the Huskers on an 11-play,
70-yard drive for a 28-20 lead that ended on Willie Miller's 9-yard
touchdown run. Crouch kept the drive going with a 25-yard pass to
Buckhalter and a 20-yard strike to Tracey Wistrom on third downs.
Buckhalter added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth and backup
QB added a late TD on a 6-yard run.
The Cyclones took a 7-0 lead on Rosenfels' 53-yard pass to Craig
Campbell, who got behind Nebraska's secondary and scored untouched
in the first quarter.
Jamarcus Powers stepped in front of Crouch's pass and outran the
quarterback in a dash for the end zone and the Cyclones led 14-13
at halftime. It was the first time Nebraska had trailed at the half
this year.
Buckhalter scored on a 9-yard run that tied it at 7 and Josh
Brown hit field goals of 40 and 24 yards.
The Huskers drove inside the Iowa State 30 three other times in
the half, but did not convert. Crouch was stopped on a fourth-and-3
at the Cyclones' 24 and Brown missed field-goal attempts of 39 and
48 yards.
|
|
ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Nebraska Clubhouse
Iowa State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Nebraska's Correll Buckhalter goes airborne for the TD against Iowa State.
avi: 787 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Nebraska's Correll Buckhalter muscles his way 9 yards for the touchdown.
avi: 1030 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Nebraska's Willie Miller rumbles his way 9 yards for the TD
avi: 997 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
|
