Wyoming Gives Nebraska a Scare, 42-32 : Nonconference: Phillips, Berringer lead No. 2 Cornhuskers, who rally from 21-7 deficit.

Coach Tom Osborne didn’t give No. 2 Nebraska or its coaching staff high grades after the Cornhuskers struggled to a 42-32 victory over Wyoming on Saturday.

“I don’t think we played terrible football today, but we can do better than that,” Osborne said. “If we don’t play better, we’re going to have a hard time from here on out.”

Lawrence Phillips and backup quarterback Brook Berringer each scored three touchdowns to rally the Cornhuskers from a 21-7 first-half deficit.

Despite the sputtering start, Osborne had praise for his backup quarterback, who made the first start of his career in place of Tommie Frazier, out at least two weeks because of a blood clot in his right leg.

Ironically, Berringer was hospitalized Saturday night with a partially collapsed left lung, according to a broadcast report. Team doctor Pat Clare said Berringer could leave the hospital today and Osborne said the injury did not appear serious and it looks like Berringer will be able to play next week.

Berringer scored on runs of five, 24 and 10 yards and the Cornhuskers (5-0) needed each one to get by Wyoming (2-3).

“I think the Nebraska team probably had to deal with a tremendous amount of distractions this week with the Frazier situation,” said Wyoming Coach Joe Tiller.

“And to our credit, we came down and executed well. We had some success, and to their credit, they adjusted to it.”

Berringer rushed 12 times for 74 yards and completed 15 of 22 passes for 131 yards.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jeremy Dombek, making his first start for Wyoming, threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Harris on the Cowboys’ second possession, then found Jeremy Gilstrap from six yards out with 25 seconds left in the first quarter.

Nebraska, using a conservative game plan without Frazier, managed only 58 yards in the first quarter and didn’t score until Phillips vaulted in from one yard out with 5:25 remaining in the half.

And Nebraska didn’t put the game away until Phillips’ eight-yard run following a Wyoming turnover in the fourth period.

Phillips, ranked third nationally, finished with 27 carries and 168 yards in a one-sided duel with the Cowboys’ fifth-ranked Ryan Christopherson, who was held to zero net yards in 12 carries.