LINCOLN, Neb. — Until Niles Paul’s 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, San Jose State was threatening to leave Memorial Stadium with more than just the $800,000 it was due for showing up Saturday.
Not content to play the patsy role, the 26 1/2-point underdog Spartans pulled within two points after a field goal early in the fourth quarter and had the momentum.
Then Paul broke loose for his long runback, San Jose starting quarterback Kyle Reed was knocked out of the game and the Spartans were finished. Nebraska went on to win 35-12.
“We got lucky. That’s all it was,” Huskers guard Matt Slauson said. “The football gods were looking upon us. There was a point in the game where they had double our yards and we were still up. I don’t know how that works.”
Nebraska’s lead became much less tenuous when Paul scored after Jared Strubeck’s 27-yard field goal for the Spartans made it 14-12 with 12:17 left.
San Jose State’s comeback hopes all but ended on the first play after Paul’s return, when Zach Potter and Phillip Dillard knocked Reed out of the game with a sack. Reed suffered a slight concussion.
Nebraska’s Roy Helu Jr. scored on a 14-yard run and Marlon Lucky scored from 5 yards out to put the game out of reach and send the Spartans (1-1) to their 12th straight nonconference road loss.
The Spartans played the Huskers on even terms or better most of the afternoon. All the Huskers (2-0) had managed before Paul’s return was one long scoring drive and nose tackle Ndamukong Suh’s 49-yard TD interception return.
San Jose State outgained the Huskers 353 yards to 315, and though the Spartans trailed 14-9 after three quarters, they easily could have led if their kicking game hadn’t cost them seven points the first half. Will Johnson missed an extra point and a 41-yard field goal and Strubeck bounced a 32-yarder off the right upright.
“We practiced to be in the hunt in the fourth quarter with a chance to win,” San Jose State coach Dick Tomey said. “That’s what you hope to do in every game and we were right there.”
Nebraska senior Joe Ganz, 17-for-25 passing for 216 yards and an interception, said he and his offensive teammates couldn’t find any rhythm.
“Now,” he said, “we realize we’re not as good as we thought we were.”
