Nebraska Shuts Out Texas A

A suffocating defense was all Nebraska needed to avenge last year’s loss to Texas A&M.;

After a sluggish first half, the No. 9 Cornhuskers scored four touchdowns in the second and handed the No. 21 Aggies their first shutout in 11 years, 37-0, Saturday.

Nebraska sacked Texas A&M;’s Randy McCown eight times, blocked two field goals and held the Aggies to 118 yards.

“I think today was probably one of the best defensive performances we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said senior defensive back Mike Brown, who had two interceptions and forced two fumbles. “We just dominated.”

Nebraska finished with 430 yards, 288 in the second half. But it was the defense that carried the Cornhuskers, who remain in contention for the Big 12 Conference’s North Division title. Nebraska (8-1, 5-1) is a game behind No. 6 Kansas State, which visits Lincoln on Saturday.

Dan Alexander and Eric Crouch each ran for more than 100 yards and a touchdown. Correll Buckhalter also ran for a score and Josh Brown kicked three field goals for the Cornhuskers, whose loss last year at College Station ended a 19-game winning streak and 40-game regular-season conference winning streak.

The Aggies (6-3, 3-3), defeated by Oklahoma, 51-6, two weeks ago, fell two games behind South Division front-runner Texas.

It was the first shutout loss for Texas A&M; since a 27-0 defeat to Louisiana State in 1988.

“We just did not perform our offense. We were very inept,” Aggie Coach R.C. Slocumb said.