LINCOLN, Neb. — At a school that begins every season with the highest of expectations, this wasn't exactly the start Nebraska had in mind.
The No. 4 Cornhuskers looked unstoppable at times and immobile others as they held off TCU 21-7 Saturday in the Pigskin Classic.
"All areas need some work. That was one of the reasons we took this game," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "Certainly we'll be a better football team as a result of the game today."
Eric Crouch became Nebraska's career leader in total yards and Thunder Collins scored twice in his first start for the Cornhuskers, who struggled offensively but made up for it with a strong defense while improving to 5-0 in preseason "classics."
TCU had the ball in Nebraska territory only once in the second half and finished with just 186 yards, 65 after halftime.
"We expect a lot out of ourselves. You need to have a good defense if you want to do anything," linebacker Mark Vedral said. "We know our offense is eventually going to score."
Crouch completed 10-of-18 passes for 151 yards and ran 24 times for 69 yards. The 5,510 yards for his career surpassed Tommie Frazier's 5,476.
"It means a lot. It's something that's kind of amazing to me. I'd have never expected to do something like that," Crouch said.
Collins, starting for the suspended Dahrran Diedrick, ran 14 times for 71 yards. Diedrick sat out Saturday's game because of his arrest outside a Lincoln bar last weekend.
"I think Thunder did a great job for the short notice he had. You couldn't ask him to do anything more," Crouch said.
The Horned Frogs, opening their first season under coach Gary Patterson, were called for 11 penalties, including four inside their own 10-yard line.
TCU's Casey Printers was 10-for-21 for 122 yards.
"You cannot make mistakes and beat Nebraska. We did that," Patterson said. "We had facemasks and penalties and you cannot win that type of game."
TCU led the nation in defense a year ago and, despite having only five returning starters, held the Huskers in check for much of the afternoon.
But on a second-and-10 from Nebraska's 26, Crouch kept it on an option and zig-zagged his way to TCU's 32 for the Huskers' first big play of the second half. Collins scored three plays later on a 26-yard option run to the left with 25 seconds left in the third quarter, capping a 98-yard drive.
"Nobody's worried about our offense," tackle Dave Volk said. "We came out and showed what we can do when we want to move the ball. That's what it's like to play mistake free football."
Nebraska led 13-7 at halftime. The Huskers opened five of their seven drives at their own 40-yard line or better, including one at the TCU 49, but scored just twice.
TCU was able to hold the Huskers to 11 yards in the second quarter and just 143 total yards for the half.
"I'm real depressed. The defense played OK, but not the best," TCU linebacker Chad Bayer said.
Nebraska's defense also played well, allowing 121 yards in the half, 67 of which came on a broken play that was TCU's only score.
The Huskers looked like they had Printers cornered on the right side, but he scrambled back to the left and found Matt Schobel alone behind the secondary and hit him with a pass at the Nebraska 37. Schobel ran untouched down the sideline for the score that tied it 7-7 midway through the first quarter.
Collins gave Nebraska a 7-0 lead with a 6-yard run around the right side on the Huskers' opening drive. Nebraska needed only six plays, including runs of 12 and 33 yards by Crouch, to go 70 yards.
"Offensively, Crouch is the real deal," Patterson said. "When it made a difference he made plays."
Crouch added a 1-yard dive in the second quarter that capped a 55-yard drive. The Huskers botched the extra-point attempt with a bad snap.
NO. 22 WISCONSIN 26, VIRGINIA 17: Jim Sorgi threw two touchdown passes after replacing the injured Brooks Bollinger to lead No. 22 Wisconsin to a 26-17 win over Virginia on Saturday in the Eddie Robinson Classic.
Sorgi had already spelled a mostly ineffective Bollinger on two series before the starter went down in the second quarter while scrambling to his right. Wisconsin spokesman Steve Malchow said trainers described the injury as a "hurt belly," but wouldn't be more specific.
Bollinger struggled as the Badgers (1-0) introduced the spread offense after years as a power running team. He was 5-of-13 for 41 yards and was intercepted once before he left the game. He also rushed nine times for 27 yards.
Virginia (0-1) lost running back Antwoine Womack in the first quarter after he sprained his right ankle. He had seven carries for 18 yards when he left.