Lincoln, NE (Sports Network) - Ryan Hill's one-yard touchdown reception in the
second quarter proved to be the difference, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers edged
the 20th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, 10-3, at Memorial Stadium.
Zac Lee finished 5-of-9 for 35 yards with the TD pass for Nebraska (6-3, 3-2
Big 12), which won its second straight game and has become bowl eligible. Roy
Helu, Jr. rushed 20 times for 138 yards and Brandon Kinnie had two catches for
21 yards in the win.
Landry Jones threw for 245 yards and five interceptions on 26-for-58
efficiency for Oklahoma (5-4, 3-2), which snapped a two-game winning streak
and failed to score a touchdown for the first time since a 29-0 loss to Texas
A&M in 1998. Chris Brown had 12 carries for 50 yards and caught three balls
for 20 yards in the setback. Ryan Broyles totaled eight grabs for 74 yards.
Matt O'Hanlon had three of the five interceptions for Nebraska, which won
despite getting only seven first downs and 180 total yards of offense.
"We knew we had to cause turnovers for the simple fact that we had to put our
offense in great field position," said Nebraska defensive back Larry Asante.
"All game we were just ripping at the ball and trying to get the ball out
anyway that we could."
Trailing 10-3 early in the fourth, the Sooners put together a potential game-
tying drive. Starting at his own 33, Jones connected on a pair of 15-yard
passes to move the ball to the Nebraska 37. The team drove all the way down to
the 24-yard-line, where the Sooners were faced with a 4th-and-7. Jones threw
an incomplete pass to give the Cornhuskers the ball back with about nine
minutes to play.
Alex Henery botched a 43-yard field goal on Nebraska's ensuing touch, and
Oklahoma took over at its own 26 with about 5 1/2 minutes left.
Jones completed three passes for 25 yards to move the ball across midfield.
The team ventured all the way down to the 33-yard-line, where the 'Huskers
were faced with a 4th-and-4. Jones dropped back and looked for Broyles but
his pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage and was intercepted by
Phillip Dillard.
Nebraska took over with 2 1/2 minutes left, but failed to run out the clock
and gave the ball back with under a minute left.
Broyles returned the punt across midfield to the 49-yard line. First down
produced an incomplete pass and on second down a prayer down the field was
intercepted by O'Hanlon, which sealed the deal.
"We're going to keep fighting," said Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds. "We're
not going to let anything come between us. We're fighting forward right now.
We know where we are. We know what's going to be said. We're a family. We're
going to keep fighting. Three games left."
Neither team put any points on the board in the first frame, and Nebraska took
advantage of an Oklahoma turnover early in the second to draw first blood.
Facing a 3rd-and-10 from his own eight-yard line, Jones was picked off by
Prince Amukamara, who returned it to the one. Lee then punched it in to give
the Cornhuskers a 7-0 lead about 1 1/2 minutes into the second.
Tress Way nailed a 28-yard field goal late in the half to close it to 7-3 at
the break.
Henery booted a 28-yarder of his own late in the third quarter to give the
home team a 10-3 lead.