// This is the single game page 2011 Michigan State at Nebraska football - HuskerMax game page

Nebraska 24
Michigan St. 3

Oct. 29, 2011 • 11 a.m. Central
Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE • ESPN
1st 2nd 3rd 4th  F 
Michigan St. 0 3 0 0 3
Nebraska 10 0 14 0 24

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1st quarter
NEB: Burkhead 1 run (Maher kick) 9:12
NEB: Maher 20 field goal, 1:21
2nd quarter
MSU: Conroy 25 field goal, 1:38
3rd quarter
NEB: Burkhead 1 run (Maher kick) 9:32
NEB: Burkhead 27 pass from Martinez (Maher kick) 0:20
 
                            MSU        NEB
 First downs ............... 12         18
   By rushing ............... 7          8
   By passing ............... 3          5
   By penalty ............... 2          5 
 Rushes-Yards (net) .... 30-101     58-190
 Passing yds (net) ......... 86         80
   Att-Comp-Int ....... 27-11-1     13-7-1
 Total offense ......... 57-187     71-270
 Fumble returns-Yds ....... 0-0        0-0
 Punt returns-Yds ........ 3-31       1--4
 Kickoff returns-Yds .... 4-119       1-28
 Int. returns-Yards ...... 1-25       1-26
 Punts-Avgerage ........ 5-36.4     4-43.2
 Fumbles-Lost ............. 0-0        3-0
 Penalties-Yards ......... 9-90       9-58
 Possession time ........ 28:35      31:25
   1st Quarter............ 6:58       8:02
   2nd Quarter............ 9:06       5:54
   3rd Quarter............ 3:48      11:12
   4th Quarter............ 8:43       6:17
 Third-down conv. ........ 3/14       7/15
 Fourth-down conv. ........ 1/3        0/0
 Sacks by: Number-Yards.... 1-5       4-21

RUSHING
MSU: L.Bell 12-58; E.Baker 10-38; K.Martin 2-5; K.Cousins 6-0.

NEB: R.Burkhead 35-130; T.Marlowe 1-39; T.Martinez 12-23; A.Green 4-8, K.Bell 1-4; T.Legate 1-0; B.Heard 1-(minus-7), TEAM 3-(minus-7).

PASSING
MSU: K.Cousins 11-27-1, 86 yards, 0 TD
NEB: T.Martinez 7-13-1, 80 yards, 1 TD
 
RECEIVING
MSU: K.Martin 5-58; L.Bell 3-12; B.Linthicum 2-16; T.Anderson 1-0.

NEB: B.Kinnie 2-23; B.Cotton 2-5; R.Burkhead 1-27; K.Bell 1-19, T.Marlowe 1-6.

Attendance: 85,641

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Coverage

Stats & Recap
Complete Stats

Huskers stymie Cousins, ninth-ranked Spartans

Nebraska’s defense put on a stifling performance and Rex Burkhead collected three touchdowns and 157 all-purpose yards to power No. 13 Nebraska to a 24-3 pounding of No. 9 Michigan State.

The Huskers jumped to a quick 10-0 first-quarter lead by taking advantage of a Michigan State mistake while playing strong defense.

After the Spartans picked up two first downs on the ground on the game’s opening drive, senior defensive back Lance Thorell stepped in front of MSU receiver B.J. Cunningham and picked off a Kirk Cousins pass at the NU 49 and returned it to the Michigan State 25. Seven plays later, Burkhead spun into the end zone from one yard out to give Nebraska a 7-0 lead with 9:01 left in the opening quarter.

Leading 10-3 at the half, the Huskers put the game away in the third quarter with a dominant all-around effort. Nebraska’s two third-quarter possessions covered 169 yards on 26 plays and consumed 11:06 of the clock with both resulting in touchdowns.

The Spartans were held to under 200 yards of total offense. Cousins entered the game averaging 229.6 yards passing per game but could manage just 86 yards on 11 completions in 27 attempts. He was also sacked four times.

Omaha World-Herald*
Lincoln Journal Star*
Grand Island Indep.*
Daily Nebraskan
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Columbus Telegram
HuskerOnline
Norfolk Daily News
Big Red Report
Nebraska Athletics
Detroit Free Press*
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MLive.com
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Des Moines Register
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Photos/Audio/Video
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Pregame & team info
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Opponent info
Predictions | Stats matchup
Series history
2011 schedule
04/16 Red 32, White 29
09/03 Chattanooga W 40-7
09/10 Fresno St. W 42-29
09/17 Washington W 51-38
09/24 @ Wyoming W 38-14
10/01 @ Wisconsin L 17-48
10/08 Ohio St. W 34-27
10/22 @ Minnesota W 41-14
10/29 Michigan St. W 24-3
11/05 Northwestern L 25-28
11/12 @ Penn St. W 17-14
11/19 @ Michigan L 17-45
11/25 Iowa W 20-7
01/02 @ South Carolina L 13-30
Courtesy of Huskers.com
Dennard and Stafford break up a Spartan pass.

Commentary

Stryker

Just like that, a disjointed defense found choreography.

Tad Stryker
HuskerMax
Shatel

What we saw were signs of hope, all around, for a November charge through the hinterlands.

Tom Shatel
Omaha World-Herald
Sipple

In Nebraska's most critical game of the season to date, the Burkhead legend grew.

Steven M. Sipple *
Lincoln Journal Star
Bishop

Darn near everyone in the secondary saved their best coverage day for Sparty.

John Bishop
KLIN
Barfknecht

Saturday looked like an S.O.S. – Same Old Spartans – especially laying an egg on the road.

Lee Barfknecht
Omaha World-Herald
Husker Mike

Biggest difference maker to me? Cornerback Andrew Green.

Husker Mike
Hamar

It was Big Ten Conference football at its best, or worst. Most of those people who used to make fun of the Big Ten aren’t doing that anymore.

Bob Hamar *
Grand Island Independent
Chatelain

This was a fanny-whippin' from start to finish, with SuperRex leading the way.

Dirk Chatelain
Omaha World-Herald
Rosenberg

The Spartans put too much of the game on Cousins’ arm before it was necessary

Michael Rosenberg
Detroit Free Press
Mayo

The pressure on Cousins by the defensive front four … was astounding.

David Mayo
MLive.com
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