LINCOLN, NEB. — With Tom Osborne and members of his undefeated 1997 Nebraska team watching, Bill Callahan’s current Cornhuskers took a historic beating.
Oklahoma State pounded Nebraska 45-14 Saturday, the largest rout of the Huskers at home in 49 years.
It was the first time since 1960 the Cowboys won at Memorial Stadium, and it came a week after Nebraska lost 41-6 at Missouri.
Missouri’s 31-0 victory in 1958 was the previous most-lopsided home loss for Nebraska.
Callahan, who signed a five-year contract last month, said he wasn’t concerned about his job security. Just last season, Nebraska played in the Big 12 title game.
But the Huskers (4-3, 1-2 Big 12) have played uninspired football all season while becoming the first team in the program’s 118-year history to surrender 40 points four times in the same season.
“I’m just going to do the best I can,” said Callahan, 26-18 in four seasons. “Whatever happens happens. I don’t think you can coach in fear or coach like you’re scared of something. I’ve never coached like that in my life. I’ve been in this business for 30 years. I sure as hell ain’t going to start right now.”
The Cowboys (4-3, 2-1), who had lost 20 straight games in Lincoln, scored on their first six possessions while getting out to a 38-0 halftime lead. That marked a stretch of six quarters where Nebraska was outscored 79-6.
Dantrell Savage rushed for a career-high 212 yards and a touchdown, Julius Crosslin scored twice, and Chatfield High School graduate Zac Robinson ran and passed for touchdowns for the Cowboys. Their defense forced four punts and two turnovers in the first half and held Nebraska on fourth down at the OSU 10.
“We played perfect football in the first half,” OSU linebacker Rodrick Johnson said. “We did exactly what the coaches asked us to do, and in the second half we tried to continue.”
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy knows all about the Cowboys’ long stretch of futility in Lincoln, having quarterbacked them from 1986-89 in the days of the old Big Eight.
“It means a lot,” Gundy said. “I’m excited for the players because they’re the ones who put in the effort and hard work. We had a shot up here in 1988 and we didn’t play well.”
The Cowboys averaged 8.5 yards a play in the first half, then scaled back their offense after the game was safely in hand. They finished with 551 yards, their largest output in 42 all-time games against Nebraska.
Sam Keller passed for Nebraska’s touchdowns, a 13-yarder to J.B. Phillips and a 1-yarder to Thomas Lawson.
OSU was up 17-0 before Nebraska picked up a first down.
“I really thought coming into this contest we were going to play more competitively, but that wasn’t the case,” Callahan said.
