Nebraska headed to Big 12 title game
November 22, 2009
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)—Roy Helu Jr. ran 26 times for 95 yards and a touchdown, andNebraska defeated Kansas State 17-3 to win the Big 12 North on Saturday night.
The Huskers (8-3, 5-2) will play third-ranked Texas in the conferencechampionship game Dec. 5 in Arlington, Texas. The Longhorns clinched the SouthDivision with a 51-20 win over Kansas.
Nebraska, which finishes the regular season at Colorado on Friday, will goto the Big 12 title game for the first time since 2006 and fifth time in theleague’s 14 years.
Nebraska's Eric Hagg (28),… AP – Nov 21, 10:04 pm EST Nebraska's Mike McNeill ca… AP – Nov 21, 10:03 pm EST
Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. (1… AP – Nov 21, 10:03 pm EST
Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. (1… AP – Nov 21, 9:52 pm EST
Kansas State's Josh Cherry… AP – Nov 21, 9:49 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 4; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.1160e457ad774581ad8d720154a79eb2.kansas_st_nebraska_football_nenh103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=281&hc=312&q=70&sig=u4lvOFSn5Wxik7Qp4Qy67w--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.0580032c7a7f4019b8fae2b559920454.kansas_st_nebraska_football_nenh104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=319&hc=354&q=70&sig=cIrloFB16K9VRntaLzFROg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.d43c662c9f924d68aa4398ae45363f62.kansas_st_nebraska_football_nenh102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=65&yc=1&wc=282&hc=313&q=70&sig=mlSP9Idr1nGJK5b9_8pB_A--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.c66e9a9bd2994879af0cec1f0c76104d.kansas_st_nebraska_football_nenh101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=60&yc=1&wc=292&hc=324&q=70&sig=4atRjr1Wmc87rnU.ZNlxUA--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 5 KSSt-Neb Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Kansas State (6-6, 4-4) ended its season with losses in three of its lastfour games. Because two of the Wildcats’ wins were against lower-division teams,they needed to beat Nebraska to become eligible for a bowl game.
The Huskers’ Zac Lee completed 13 of 19 passes for 166 yards and atouchdown. Helu, who has 1,057 yards, gave them a two-touchdown lead early inthe third quarter with his 14-yard run.
Daniel Thomas ran 19 times for 99 yards for Kansas State, and Grant Gregorywas 11 of 31 for 126 yards. But the Wildcats failed to score a touchdown for thesecond straight game despite their offense spending most of the second half onNebraska’s side of the 50.
Three scoring opportunities were lost when Keithen Valentine fumbled at theNebraska 1 and Josh Cherry missed field goals of 51 and 32 yards.
The Wildcats, trailing by two touchdowns, drove to the Nebraska 25 in thelast 4 minutes, but Ndamukong Suh and Barry Turner teamed up to sack Gregory andthe Wildcats turned the ball over on downs when Gregory led Brandon Banks toomuch on a ball thrown toward the end zone.
The Huskers took over with 3:41 left and were able to run out the clock fortheir fourth straight win after Lee sneaked for a first down on fourth-and-1from his own 36.
Kansas State’s only points came at the end of the game’s opening series,when Cherry kicked a 44-yard field goal.
Nebraska settled for Alex Henery’s 34-yard field goal after Lee overthrewMike McNeill in the corner of the end zone on the Huskers’ opening possession.
Lee hooked up with McNeill the next time the Huskers had the ball to putNebraska up 10-3. McNeill slipped open and snagged the high pass over the middlefor a 17-yard touchdown two plays after K-State linebacker John Houlik drilledLee out of bounds for a 15-yard penalty.
The Huskers were in position to add to their lead after driving to theK-State 5, but Lee was sacked by Jeff Fitzgerald and Tysyn Hartman interceptedhim in the end zone.
K-State’s best scoring chance came after Helu’s 14-yard touchdown run gaveNebraska a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter. The Wildcats drove to theNebraska 13, where they faced third-and-9. Gregory flipped a short pass toValentine, who had the ball popped loose by safety Larry Asante just before hecrossed the goal line. Prince Amukamara recovered for the Huskers.
Comments
Got something to say?