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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Nebraska's defensive players couldn't put into words how they felt after Saturday's 76-39 loss to Kansas.
With the fifth loss in a row for the Cornhuskers, it was difficult for Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove to even look into reporters' eyes after the game.
While giving up 500-plus yards to opponents is hardly unusual for the Cornhuskers this year, giving up the most points in NU school history was hard to swallow.
Kansas pounded into the end zone on 11 of its 13 full possessions, as the Cornhuskers' gave up 572 yards of offense.
"It's hard. It's devastating," Cosgrove said. "You know, I really don't have an answer for you right now. I'm sick about it. Everybody is sick about it."
Nebraska's defense held the Jayhawks to a quick three-and-out in to open the game. Nebraska junior quarterback Joe Ganz, starting for the first time, led the Huskers to the initial score of the contest. After going 3-for-5 passing, Ganz tucked and ran three yards to the end zone for six points on his opening drive.
From there, KU's offense was unstoppable.
Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing led Kansas and found junior Kerry Meier on a 13-yard touchdown pass during the Jayhawks' second drive of the quarter. But the Huskers answered when Ganz hit junior Marlon Lucky with a swing pass for a 62-yard touchdown down the left sideline.
From that point on, the Husker offense began to lose its momentum, and NU's defense attempted to control Kansas' balanced attack, with little success.
Cosgrove said NU started holding back on the blitz as it continued to get burned in the passing game, but even then Kansas had answers for nearly everything Nebraska tried. Nebraska senior safety Bryan Wilson certainly felt the frustration.
"I can't tell you what they were doing that we couldn't stop," Wilson said. "We came in with a solid game plan. We will look at the film and figure out what it was. They got us out of our blitz game early and beat us with key plays here and there.
"They got us on our heels and took advantage of it. It got out of hand real fast."
Taking the lead at the end of the first quarter with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Reesing to tailback Jake Sharp, Kansas was en route to its historic victory.
While the Huskers went on to score 10 more points before halftime, Kansas went into the break with 48 points, the most ever against Nebraska in a first half of play.
Reesing had passed for 273 yards of his eventual 354-yard total by connecting with four different receivers for touchdowns and running back Brandon McAnderson had tallied 48 rushing yards and three of his four touchdowns in the first 30 minutes.
NU linebacker Tyler Wortman said it wasn't a lack of effort by the players that kept the Huskers from stopping the Jayhawks.
"I don't think you can play like that," Wortman said about lacking effort. "You have to keep going no matter what. It comes down to pride."
If anything, the defense could look at the offense for some encouragement.
The Huskers put up only 15 more points on Kansas by the end of the game, but it was the most scored on KU this year by far. Ganz attacked the second-ranked scoring defense in the nation with 405 passing yards and four touchdown throws.
However, Ganz was intercepted four times on the day, three of which came in the second half with Nebraska playing from behind.
"You would never think a team would score 76 on you," Wilson said. "We came in with a good scheme. We thought we could take advantage against them in some areas. We couldn't come against them like we usually do."
KATELYNKERKHOVE@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
