Fight to Finish for Nebraska

At a school that begins every season with the highest of expectations, this wasn’t exactly the start Nebraska had in mind.

The No. 4 Cornhuskers looked unstoppable at times and immobile others as they held off Texas Christian, 21-7, Saturday in the Pigskin Classic.

“All areas need some work. That was one of the reasons we took this game,” Nebraska Coach Frank Solich said. “Certainly we’ll be a better football team as a result of the game today.”

Eric Crouch became Nebraska’s career leader in total yards and Thunder Collins scored twice in his first start for the Cornhuskers, who struggled offensively but made up for it with a strong defense.

TCU had the ball in Nebraska territory only once in the second half and finished with 186 yards, 65 after halftime.

Crouch completed 10 of 18 passes for 151 yards and ran 24 times for 69 yards. The 5,510 yards for his career surpassed Tommie Frazier’s 5,476.

Collins, starting for the suspended Dahrran Diedrick, ran 14 times for 71 yards. Diedrick was suspended for the game because of his arrest outside a Lincoln bar last weekend.

The Horned Frogs, opening their first season under Coach Gary Patterson, were called for 11 penalties, including four inside their 10-yard line.

But TCU’s defense, which limited Nebraska to 159 yards on the ground, kept the Horned Frogs in the game.