Nebraska Gets Running Start Against Kansas

On a day when he set one Nebraska record and helped tie two others, the most important thing to Eric Crouch was another victory.

Coming off their first loss, the No. 5 Cornhuskers defeated Kansas, 56-17, on Saturday to move one victory closer to clinching the Big 12 North title for the second consecutive year.

“It’s a huge win for us to get back on track and reestablish ourselves,” Crouch said.

Crouch led the way with four rushing touchdowns, tying a school record for quarterbacks, and became the top rushing quarterback in Nebraska history with his 127 yards. Crouch has 2,152 career rushing yards. Steve Taylor held the previous mark of 2,125.

“He deserved that record,” Coach Frank Solich said. “He’s done so much in such a short time.”

Crouch said he didn’t realize he passed Taylor until someone told him after the game.

“When I heard that my eyes just kind of lit up,” Crouch said. “It means a lot to me. Not in a million years would I have thought I would accomplish that.”

Crouch scored three touchdowns for the third time this season and became the first Nebraska quarterback to run for four since Scott Frost did it against Missouri in 1997.

The junior from Omaha also helped tie a team record with three backs topping 100 yards. Dan Alexander ran for 119 yards in 15 carries, and Correll Buckhalter carried 16 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. It was only the second time three Cornhuskers rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.

Nebraska (8-1, 5-1) rushed for 493 yards.

“That was the approach we took all week--to be a physical team and a dominating team,” Buckhalter said. “We’re going to run right at you. You’re going to have to put all 11 guys in the box to stop us.”

Kansas (4-5, 2-3) had 266 yards of offense, the Jayhawks’ lowest total since gaining 231 in a 52-13 loss to Kansas State.

“We caught a very good team at a very bad time,” Kansas Coach Terry Allen said. “They dominated us. I don’t know if it was vengeance from last week, but they stepped it up a notch.”

The Huskers didn’t punt in the game.