South Carolina 30
Nebraska 13

Jan. 2, 2012 • 12 p.m. Central
Capital One Bowl • Orlando, FL • ESPN
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska1300013
South Carolina9701430

Embed from Getty Images

1st quarter 
NU: Bell 30 pass from Martinez (kick blocked) 11:58
SC: Gilmore returned PAT for two points, 11:58
SC: Shaw 1 run (Wooten kick) 6:04
NU: Abdullah 1 run (Maher kick) 3:33
2nd quarter
SC: Jeffery 51 pass from Shaw (Wooten kick) 0:00
4th quarter
SC: Miles 9 pass from Shaw (Wooten kick) 12:25
SC: Miles 3 run (Wooten kick) 3:05

                              NU       SC
First downs ................. 17       16
  Rushing..................... 8        7
  Passing .................... 7        8
  Penalty .................... 2        1
Rushes-Yards (net) ...... 46-137   40-121
Passing yards (net) ........ 116      230
  Att-Comp-Int ......... 16-10-1  17-11-0
Total offense ........... 62-253   57-351
Fumble returns-Yards ....... 0-0      0-0
Punt returns-Yards ........ 1--1     2-19
Kickoff Returns-Yards ..... 3-58     2-73
Int. returns-Yards ......... 0-0      1-3
Punts-Average ........... 5-39.4   5-39.4
Fumbles-Lost ............... 1-1      1-0
Penalties-Yards .......... 10-58     6-66
Possession time .......... 30:49    29:11
Third-down conv. .......... 3/13     4/13
Fourth-down conv. .......... 1/1      3/3
Red-zone scores-Chances .... 1-3      3-4
Sacks by-Yards ............ 4-31     6-41

RUSHING
NU: R.Burkhead 23-89; T.Martinez 16-37; K.Bell 1-14; T.Marlowe 1-6; A.Abdullah 4-minus 1; K.Reed 1-minus 8.

SC: K.Miles 15-67; C.Shaw 19-42; A.Sanders 3-15; D.Byrd 1-3; TEAM 2-minus 6.

PASSING
NU: T.Martinez 10-16-1-116.
SC: C.Shaw 11-17-0-230.

RECEIVING
NU: R.Burkhead 5-35; K.Bell 3-53; B.Cotton 1-22; T.Legate 1-6.

SC: A.Jeffery 4-148; A.Sanders 3-45; K.Miles 2-13; R.Anderson 1-21; J.Cunningham 1-3.

Attendance: 61,351
Alshon Jeffery and Alfonzo Dennard
The competition between Alshon Jeffery and Alfonzo Dennard grew so heated that both players were ejected. • Courtesy of Huskers.com

Coverage


Stats & recap
Complete Stats

Early lead doesn’t hold up in bowl defeat

In a game filled with big plays and missed opportunities, Nebraska jumped to a 13-9 lead, but South Carolina scored the game’s final 21 points for a 30-13 win in the Capital One Bowl.

Nebraska struck first when Taylor Martinez hit Kenny Bell with a 30-yard touchdown strike three minutes into the game. The extra-point try, however, was blocked and scooped up by South Carolina for a two-point return, and Nebraska led by 6-2.

After South Carolina drove 55 yards for a touchdown, the Huskers responded with a 60-yard march for a 13-9 advantage.

In the second period, each team came up empty on a possession that penetrated the opponent’s 10-yard line. Nebraska then mounted an 11-play drive, only to have it thwarted by an interception that gave South Carolina the ball on its own 29.

Just 38 seconds remained in the half, but two plays quickly got South Carolina to its own 49. Then came the game’s most pivotal play: As time expired, Shaw connected with Alshon Jeffery on a 51-yard Hail Mary pass, and the Gamecocks had a 16-13 halftime lead.

Nebraska controlled the third quarter, but a missed field goal and a half-dozen penalties hurt the Huskers’ cause. The Gamecocks took command in the final period, holding Nebraska to minus-15 yards and scoring two TDs to ice the game.

Omaha World-Herald*
Lincoln Journal Star*
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Grand Island Independent
HuskerMax
Columbus Telegram
Husker Locker
Big Red Network
Spartanburg Herald Journal*
More S.C. Sources
Charleston Post & Courier*
The State
Greenville News
The Big Spur
South Carolina Athletics
Orlando Sentinel*
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Associated Press
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Pregame & team info
Pregame press: Jan. | Dec.
Opponent info
Predictions | Stats matchup
Series history
2011 schedule
04/16Red 32, White 29
09/03ChattanoogaW 40-7
09/10Fresno St.W 42-29
09/17WashingtonW 51-38
09/24@ WyomingW 38-14
10/01@ WisconsinL 17-48
10/08Ohio St.W 34-27
10/22@ MinnesotaW 41-14
10/29Michigan St.W 24-3
11/05NorthwesternL 25-28
11/12@ Penn St.W 17-14
11/19@ MichiganL 17-45
11/25IowaW 20-7
01/02@ South CarolinaL 13-30

Commentary

Stryker

Nebraska's lack of mental focus ... was simply a matter of the players following the lead of their head coach. Far too often, Bo disrupts his own team.

Tad Stryker
HuskerMax
Shatel

The better team finds a way to win. The loser finds a way to lose.

Tom Shatel
Omaha World-Herald
Sipple

I expect much more from Nebraska than what I saw in this outing.

Steven M. Sipple
Hamar

The margin of error for Bo Pelini’s team is pretty slim.

Bob Hamar *
Grand Island Independent
Chatelain

A day that began with promise ended with an implosion.

Dirk Chatelain
Omaha World-Herald
Bishop

If you want to take that next step, it’s time to work on developing some poise.

John Bishop
KLIN
Husker Mike

I don't think South Carolina out-athleted Nebraska today. They out-executed Nebraska, especially down the stretch.

Husker Mike
Towle

From the many little mistakes to the game-changing big ones, it was nothing we hadn't seen before, and what we all hoped were aberrations.

Brian Towle
Husker Locker
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