 "Photo: Chris Vankat")
AMES, IOWA - Just like Nebraska's game against Kansas a week ago, the Cornhuskers got the upper hand early Saturday night.
But unlike the Jayhawks, the Cyclones could not muster a late comeback in Nebraska's 28-14 win at Jack Trice Stadium in front of 55,338, the second largest in ISU history.
"All of our players, from the offense to the defense, executed the game plan tonight," NU Coach Bill Callahan said. "A road win in this league is tough."
Nebraska set the tone early for its first win in Ames since 2000.
On the first drive of the game, the Huskers executed a 10-play, 80-yard march that ended when sophomore I-back Cody Glenn scored on a three-yard touchdown run. The drive chewed 5 minutes, 27 seconds off the clock.
"One of our goals for the season is to go out there and win in the first quarter, and we did tonight," NU senior quarterback Zac Taylor said. "It really kills the momentum of the other team and gives us confidence."
The Cyclones scored a touchdown 50 seconds into the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7, but Nebraska marched down the field on its next possession with an 11-play, 68-yard scoring drive that resulted in junior I-back Brandon Jackson's one-yard touchdown run to give the Huskers a 14-7 lead.
Iowa State and Nebraska traded unsuccessful drives before the Huskers got the ball back at its own 40-yard line with 1:15 remaining in the first half.
Seven plays later, Taylor found junior wide receiver Maurice Purify in the end zone on a 27-yard touchdown pass with only three seconds left in the half.
The score and the ensuing extra point gave the Huskers a 21-7 advantage at halftime.
"I think that play set the momentum for the second half," Callahan said. "It was just an excellent play and a well-executed drive by Zac."
At halftime, Nebraska (5-1, 2-0 Big 12 Conference) had racked up 205 total offensive yards to just 91 yards for Iowa State (3-3, 0-2). The Huskers also won the time-of-possession battle in the first half by nearly eight minutes.
Taylor was 12 of 16 through the air while Glenn and Jackson combined to run the ball 19 times before halftime.
The second half was a different story, however, as 24 of Nebraska's 29 plays were on the ground.
"We wanted to stay committed to run the football," Callahan said. "We weren't being stubborn, but we had a good lead, and we ran the ball effectively in the first half."
While Callahan admitted that the Huskers' offense stalled in the third quarter, earning only 63 yards, he also gave credit to the Cyclones' defense.
The only scoring in the second half came when Nebraska and Iowa State traded touchdowns in the final two minutes of the game.
With the win over the Cyclones, the Huskers kept pace with Missouri as the only undefeated teams in the Big 12 North Division.
Glenn, who ran for a career-high 148 yards, said the win should give the Huskers momentum going into this Saturday's game at Kansas State.
But Glenn also has his eye on a bigger prize - the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 2 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
"If we play the way we did tonight," Glenn said, "then Kansas City, here we come."
