Ole Miss 27
Nebraska 23

Dec. 27, 2002 • 3:38 p.m. Central
Independence Bowl • Shreveport, LA • ESPN
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska3143323
Ole Miss01410327
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
1st Quarter
NU: Brown 29 field goal, 6:53
2nd Quarter
NU: Herian 41 pass from Lord ( Brown kick) 13:38
UM: Johnson, 11 pass from Manning (Nichols kick) 7:47
NU: Groce 60 punt return (Brown kick) 2:43
UM: Sanford 1 run (Nichols kick) 1:32
3rd Quarter
UM: Nichols 37 field goal, 9:00
NU: Brown 23 field goal, 7:06
UM: Sanford 1 run (Nichols kick) 3:24 
4th Quarter
NU: Brown 29 field goal, 7:50
UM: Nichols 43 field goal, 4:39
 
                            NU         UM
FIRST DOWNS................ 17       20
  Rushing.................. 11        5
  Passing................... 5       14
  Penalty................... 1        1
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)..... 52-266    32-52
PASSING YDS (NET).......... 93      313
  Att-Comp-Int......... 17-7-2  44-25-0
TOTAL OFFENSE ......... 69-359   76-365
Fumble Returns-Yards...... 0-0      0-0
Punt Returns-Yards...... 8-102     3-23
Kickoff Returns-Yards... 5-105     5-80
Int. Returns-Yards........ 0-0     2-27
Punts (Number-Avg)..... 6-43.8   8-43.8
Fumbles-Lost.............. 0-0      1-0
Penalties-Yards.......... 6-70     6-41
Possession Time......... 29:29    30:31
Third-Down Conv. ........ 6/16     5/16
Fourth-Down Conv. ........ 0/1      0/1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances... 3-3      4-4
Sacks By: Number-Yards... 4-29      1-7

RUSHING
NU: Diedrick 13-92, Lord 17-83, Horne 15-65, Davies 5-15, Davis 2-11

UM: McClendon 12-36, Turner 7-30, Razzano 4-6, Sanford 3-4, Manning 6-minus 24

PASSING
NU: Lord 7-16-93-2, Davies 0-1-0-0
UM: Manning 25-44-313-0

RECEIVING
NU: Herian 1-41, Thomas 3-34, Pilkington 1-24, LeFlore 1-minus 2, Davis 1-minus 4

UM: Flowers 6-76, Biddle 4-62, Collins 6-58, Espy 2-54, Johnson 3-47, Razzano 1-9, Rice 2-8, McClendon 1-minus 1

Attendance: 46,096

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Rebels rally, snap 40-year Husker streak

Nebraska couldn’t hold a 10-point lead as the Huskers’ season ended with a 27-23 loss to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl.

The Huskers managed just 97 yards of offense in the second half as the Rebels stormed back for the win. With a final 7-7 record, Nebraska saw its streak of winning seasons end at 40.

Nebraska jumped to a 10-0 lead when Jammal Lord found tight end Matt Herian for a 41-yard scoring strike 1:22 into the second quarter.

Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning cut the lead to 10-7 with an 11-yard TD pass to Kerry Johnson midway through the second quarter before the Huskers’ DeJuan Groce broke a punt return for a 60-yard score to put the Nebraska back up by 10. It was Groce’s fourth punt-return TD of the season, tying an NCAA record.

Ole Miss came right back, driving 88 yards in 71 seconds to put the Rebels within 17-14 at the half.

In the second half, the teams exchanged field goals before a failed fake punt by the Huskers gave Ole Miss the ball at the NU 35. Four plays later, Toward Sanford’s 1-yard scoring run gave the Rebels a 24-20 lead.

The Huskers cut the deficit to 24-23 on a Josh Brown field goal, but the Rebels got some breathing room with a field goal of their own with 4:39 left.

Nebraska had two more possessions but failed to mount a threat. The game ended with Ole Miss intercepting Lord’s deep desperation pass at the Rebels’ 15.

Omaha World-Herald*
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Biloxi Sun Herald
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Pregame & team info
2002 schedule
04/20Red 17, White 7
08/24Arizona St.W 48-10
08/31Troy St.W 31-16
09/07Utah St.W 44-13
09/14@ Penn St.L 7-40
09/28@ Iowa St.L 14-36
10/05McNeese St.W 38-14
10/12MissouriW 24-13
10/19@ Oklahoma St.L 21-24
10/26@ Texas A&MW 38-31
11/02TexasL 24-27
11/09KansasW 45-7
11/16@ Kansas St.L 13-49
11/29ColoradoL 13-28
12/27Ole MissL 23-27

Commentary

Colonel Mustard

They changed the blocking scheme and stopped our pass rush and crowded the line and forced the pass. We were unable to counter the moves.


Colonel Mustard
HuskerMax
Shatel

The boys played hard. They ran the ball well early. Ole Miss adjusted and forced them to pass. They lost again.

Tom Shatel
Omaha World-Herald
Ayoub

Like good and loyal soldiers the boys in red and white showed up, but for the seventh time this season made us wonder.

George Ayoub
Grand Island Independent
Red Clad Loon

Ole Miss? Shoving NU around like a bunch of Hy-Vee shopping carts in the second half?

Red Clad Loon
The Pond
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