Sooners Cruise, ‘Huskers Wake Up : Nebraska: Kansas proves tougher than expected in 41-9 loss.

Nebraska may have beaten Kansas for the 22nd consecutive year, but the Jayhawks proved the gap has narrowed.

“They played a great first half,” Scott Baldwin said after rushing for 170 yards and two touchdowns in Nebraska’s 41-9 victory on Saturday. “We just stayed in there and kept our minds together and things worked out all right.”

The 13th-ranked Cornhuskers, 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Eight, trailed, 3-0, in the first quarter and were being beaten on the line of scrimmage.

A poor attempt at an onside kick by Dan Eichloff after his 36-yard field goal gave Nebraska the ball in Kansas territory, and Mickey Joseph hooked up with Johnny Mitchell for a 35-yard scoring pass on fourth and four. A long run by Baldwin and Mitchell’s 28-yard scoring catch a few seconds before halftime gave the Cornhuskers a 17-3 lead.

Kansas (3-6-1, 2-3-1), which hasn’t beaten Nebraska since 1968, missed an opportunity in the first half when Chip Hilleary overthrew a receiver who was all alone five yards from the Nebraska goal line. The Jayhawks dropped several passes in the first half.