Utah State doesn't expect to get anything out of its trips to Nebraska other than the $300,000 the 'Huskers dangle in front of financially strapped schools who are willing to exchange a certain loss for big bucks.
Saturday afternoon, though, the Aggies got something along with their money: self-redemption. They bounced back from last week's disconcerting loss at Utah well enough to at least move the ball on the country's 16th-ranked team.Defensively, the Aggies couldn't stop Nebraska's run, but neither could Nebraska stop Utah State's pass.
Yes, the Aggies got beat for the sixth straight time at Nebraska, an ugly 59-28 score. And, no, they never threatened to win.
But they accounted pretty well for themselves by passing and doubled their school-record number of points against the 'Huskers.
"This is the best team we've brought in here," said Aggie Coach Chuck Sehblton, "and this is the best we've played here." He said Nebraska probably won't meet another team that will throw as well as the Aggies did because the 'Huskers don't often play passing teams.
"Once we saw they were men as well as us, our confidence got up," said cornerback Ron Edwards, who had an interception and fumble recovery and eight unassisted tackles. His nine total tackles were a game-high.
With Ron Lopez's career-best passing day (373 yards), and Rod Moore's career-best receiving day (220 yards, just four short of the USU school record), the Aggies kept Nebraska's first defense on the field for much of the game. Lopez threw three TD passes, all to Moore, for 44, 12 and 51 yards.
"We were well-prepared by the coaches," said Lopez, who said the offensive package was increased over last week's game at Utah when it seemed to be two runs and a long pass attempt. Shelton said it was decreased because Nebraska uses a base defense and doesn't change much during a game.
"We have great linemen, and we saw (in scouting films) a lot of formations they didn't handle," said Lopez, who tried to use those plays. He said the 'Huskers never seemed to adjust.
Moore said the over-the-middle passes inside the zones were open, but it was also open to the outside if the receiver ran hard, stopped and came back.
It was an inexperienced 'Husker defense playing its first game. "At times, we were a little disjointed the first half," said Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne.
Nebraska ran easily on the Aggie defense, 77 times for 630 yards led by Derek Brown's 175, but when it wanted to pass, Utah State apparently made the 'Huskers change some plans.
So did the storm that rolled through in the third quarter that caused a 19-minute lightning delay, forcing the teams to leave the field to fun-loving students, who raced onto the turf doing belly flops in Memorial Stadium, which by then had begun to resemble a water-fun park.
"You do what's right to protect the kids," said Shelton, who'd never been involved in a lightning delay. "I don't think it had any impact. It was the right thing to do.
"I had heard," added Shelton, "that Osborne had a lot of power in Nebraska, but I think he overdid it."
The Aggies were no match for Nebraska's offensive line, which beefed up some 30 pounds a man over the summer after taking some criticism last year. "I think they thought they had a good defense," said Osborne. "I was surprised how well we moved the ball against them on the ground."
"We've got some problems on defense. I don't know yet what they are," said Shelton, unhappy at two straight games giving up big running yardage.
"They've got a Big Eight offense," he added. "I thought coming in we'd be able to move the ball offensively. We just didn't stop them. They executed awfully well."
Nebraska added passing to its offensive package this season. "We threw it 21 times today, so we're just throwing the heck out of it," said Osborne. The 'Huskers completed 11 passes for 170 yards but were 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter when little mattered.
Nebraska scored five touchdowns on the ground and three through the air.
Nebraska switched quarterbacks from Mickey Joseph, an All-Big Eight honorable mention last year and the league's most efficient, if not prolific, passer, to third-stringer Keithen McCant to start the second quarter.
"Mickey seemed to be tentative," said Osborne. "Mickey obviously had trouble throwing the ball the first half. He had thrown well in practice, and maybe he read and heard so much about he wasn't a passer that he was trying too hard."
McCant played until there were 81/2 minutes left in the game. Joseph returned and sprinted left for a 10-yard TD run and 52-20 lead. He's a 4.3-second 40-yard dasher. A fourth-stringer mopped up.
Lopez's day included 23-for-41 accuracy with two interceptions, one late on a last-ditch try.
In less than the first 25 minutes of play, the Aggies had already scored as many points as they've ever put up at Nebraska in a whole game, despite a start that looked like they were going backward from the Utah game. Less than 35 minutes into the game, early in the third quarter, they scored another TD for 20 points and an Aggie high against the 'Huskers.
Doug Beach missed the PAT kick, his first miss in 38 tries.
The offense seemed slow at first, but Shelton attributed that to getting into the game plan. "Our biggest concern after the Utah game was getting our offense to work," he said. Once things unfolded, Lopez was able to improve.
Despite starting in a 17-0 hole, Lopez's first big play was a throw to Moore, who went 17 yards.
Roger Grant caught a 17-yard pass one play later, and Tracey Jenkins went 30 yards with a Lopez pass to the Nebraska 1. Jenkins was just that far from tying an NCAA record. He had caught TD passes in nine straight games but failed to make it 10 by that yard. Chad Tigert took the scoring plunge from there.
For the game, Utah State netted only 48 yards rushing, Grant with 26.
The Aggies fell behind 24-7 with 7:15 left in the first half, but a 21-yard Floyd Foreman kick return and a 21-yard Foreman reception revved them up again. Jenkins caught an 11-yarder, and, two plays later, Moore dashed on a down-and-in for a reception over the middle and 44-yard TD pass play.
Lopez was 13-for-16 passing for 200 yards in the first half.
USU's defense, meanwhile, forced two fumbles (forced by Rob VanDePol and Del Lyles and recovered by Steve Neeleman and Edwards) and an interception (Edwards).
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(Additional information)
Key stats
Rushing - Nebraska 617 yards, Utah State 48
Ron Lopez, USU - Had a career-high 373 yards passing for three touchdowns, all to Rod Moore, who had a career-high 220 yards receiving, 4 off the school record.
Punting - Nebraska none, USU 7-41.7.