Nebraska 30
South Carolina 21

Oct. 3, 1987 • 3:07 p.m. Central
Memorial Stadium •Lincoln, NE • ESPN
1st2nd3rd4th F 
South Carolina0714021
Nebraska31001730
First Quarter
NU: FG Chris Drennan 27, 8:37
Second Quarter
NU: FG Drennan 36, 3:14
SC: Ryan Bethea 35 pass from Todd Ellis (Collin Mackie kick) 2:00
NU: Richard Bell 78 pass from Steve Taylor (Drennan kick) 1:12 Video
Third Quarter
SC: Sterling Sharpe 80 pass from Ellis (Mackie kick) 11:18
SC: Bethea 17 run (Mackie kick) 7:27
Fourth Quarter
NU: Keith Jones 3 run (Jones run failed) 9:58
NU: Jones 4 run (Jones run) 7:38
NU: FG Drennan 43, 2:07

A-76,061
                         SC         NU
First downs ............ 18         24
Rushes-yards ...... 22-(-14)    68-268
Passing yards ......... 256        138
  Comp-Att-Int..... 17-36-3     7-17-2
Total offense ...... 58-242     85-406
Returns-yards ........ 3-17       4-72
Sacks by ............. 3-17       6-53
Punts-avg. ........... 5-39       4-38
Fumbles-lost .......... 2-1        1-1
Penalties-yards ...... 6-31      10-93
Time of possession .. 20:12      39:48
Third-down conv. ...... 2/9       6-15
Fourth-down conv. ..... 0/1        0-0

RUSHING
SC: Harold Green 6-18, Bethea 2-14, Sharpe 1-3, Brown 1-1, Bing 1-(-4), Ellis 11-(-46)

NU: K. Jones 25-129, Micah Heibel 15-82, Bell 2-15, Knox 5-15, Clark 2-13, Sheppard 1-12, Carpenter 2-5, Taylor 13-1, Clete Blakeman 3-(-4)

PASSING
SC: Ellis 17-36-3-256
NU: Taylor 6-16-2-130, Blakeman 1-1-8-0

RECEIVING
SC: Bethea 4-66, Sharpe 3-87, Danny Smith 3-44, Green 2-22, Andrews 2-16, White 2-9, Brown 1-12

NU: Rod Smith 4-52, Bell 1-78, Hawkins 1-4, Sheppard 1-4

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None

MORE INDIVIDUAL STATS

Coverage

Recap
Tim Rother

Nebraska defensive tackle Tim Rother gets past a South Carolina offensive lineman. | Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

Huskers escape with fourth-quarter comeback

South Carolina scored twice within four minutes to take a 21-13 lead in the third quarter, but the Gamecocks netted only 9 offensive yards after that and second-ranked Nebraska rallied to post a 30-21 win.
 
The rally started with an 18-play, 96-yard, 9:01 drive in which quarterback Steve Taylor was lost to a shoulder injury. The go-ahead touchdown was set up by a Gamecock fumble, then Mark Blazek’s late interception set up the clinching field goal.
 
Keith Jones rushed for 129 yards and was named Big Eight offensive player of the week.
 
H’MAX NOTES: Clete Blakeman finished the game at quarterback after Taylor’s injury, which came on a hit by safety Brad Edwards on the final play of the third quarter … The game was close even though the Huskers enjoyed a nearly 2-1 advantage in time of possession and a 406-242 edge in total offense. … For the second time in four games, the Blackshirts held an opponent to negative yards rushing (-14). … The game marked the debut of the redesigned Herbie Husker mascot.

Recap source: 1988 media guide

Omaha World-Herald*
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Pregame & team info
1987 schedule
04/25Reds 33, Whites 28
09/05Utah St.W 56-12
09/12UCLAW 42-33
09/26@ Arizona St.W 35-28
10/03South CarolinaW 30-21
10/10KansasW 54-2
10/17@ Oklahoma St.W 35-0
10/24Kansas St.W 56-3
10/31@ MissouriW 42-7
11/07Iowa St.W 42-3
11/21OklahomaL 7-17
11/28@ ColoradoW 24-7
01/01Florida St.L 28-31
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