FIRST QUARTER
• Benjamin Burney: After linebacker Marcus Burton’s sack put Nebraska’s offense in a third-and-long situation, the senior strong safety blitzes off the edge and drops Zac Lee in the backfield again, forcing a punt.
• Barry Turner: The senior defensive end loses his helmet early in the third-down passing play, but still runs down the scrambling Tyler Hansen from behind. Turner stops him 1 yard short of a first down.
• Alex Henery: After his first punt bounced out of bounds at the 2-yard line, the junior kicker nails another perfect punt. With his momentum going backward, Scotty McKnight fields this one inside the 5-yard line and is tackled after a 2-yard return.
• Niles Paul: The junior punt returner hesitates briefly but then accelerates suddenly, splitting two defenders and charging 59 yards into the end zone. The special-teams score gives Nebraska a 7-0 lead with 3:34 left.
SECOND QUARTER
• Ben Cotton: The football comes out after Cotton pulls in a 24-yard pass from Lee and falls into the end zone. Replay confirms that the redshirt freshman tight end has possession long enough for the TD to count.
• Dejon Gomes: The junior defensive back steps in front of the intended receiver and intercepts the pass from Hansen, who was getting pressured by Ndamukong Suh and Phillip Dillard. The turnover ends what had been Colorado’s best possession so far.
• Jake Behrens: The senior fullback runs straight for the front corner of the end zone and pulls in a 2-yard pass from Hansen, capping a seven-play, 67-yard drive. The touchdown cuts Nebraska’s lead in half with 5:39 left.
• Matt O’Hanlon: He never has to move. Hansen’s pass hits the senior safety right in his hands, and O’Hanlon returns it 20 yards for a touchdown. Nebraska, holding a 21-7 lead, seizes the momentum back.
THIRD QUARTER
• Tyler Hansen: You don’t see that very often. Suh had a clear shot on Hansen, but the sophomore quarterback eludes the talented tackle and buys enough time to find an open Demetrius Sumler for 9 yards.
• Scotty McKnight: The junior receiver, isolated one-on-one with defensive back Eric Hagg, wins the matchup. McKnight grabs a 6-yard touchdown pass from Hansen, cutting the Huskers’ lead to 21-14 with 6:50 left.
• Cha’pelle Brown: The senior cornerback, blitzing on third down, goes around I-back Rex Burkhead and sacks Lee for a 4-yard loss. Lee, injured one possession earlier, immediately popped up.
• Markques Simas: On third down, the sophomore receiver catches a pass as Hagg dives to deflect the ball. Hagg misses, and Simas gains 58 yards, the longest play from scrimmage this year for the Buffaloes.
FOURTH QUARTER
• Rodney Stewart: The running back cuts back at the line of scrimmage, bouncing the play outside. He gains 28 yards on the run one play after the CU forced and recovered a fumble at midfield.
• Aric Goodman: The kicker misses his second field-goal try of the day. His 37-yard attempt at 13:35 sailed wide left, allowing NU to keep a 21-14 lead. He missed a 52-yarder in the third quarter.
• Rex Burkhead: The I-back squirts between two blockers and scores on a 7-yard run, giving Nebraska a 14-point lead. It’s his ninth carry of the drive, totaling 55 yards on the possession.
• Prince Amukamara: The junior defensive back intercepts Hansen’s fourth-down pass and returns it to the NU 47. With no timeouts and just four minutes left, CU has little hope of pulling off an upset.
• McKnight: It’s meaningless, but the 56-yard touchdown grab does pad McKnight’s stats. He gets behind the defense on the game’s final play. Colorado chooses not to kick an extra point.
— Jon Nyatawa
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