A touchdown run by senior David Cobb began a second-half comeback Saturday that propelled Minnesota to a 28-24 upset at Nebraska.
Cobb (5-foot-11, 229 pounds) came in averaging 13.50 yards per game and was held 55 yards under his average. But he had 17 of his 80 yards on a third-quarter touchdown run that started the Gophers on their comeback. Nebraska led 21-7 at halftime, but Cobb's TD cut the lead to 21-14.
The loss overshadowed a big game from Nebraska junior defensive end Randy Gregory, who had eight tackles, a sack and a blocked field goal that was returned 85 yards for a touchdown with 5:18 left in the first half. That was the Huskers' last TD of the day.
Minnesota rushed for 279 yards in beating Nebraska for the second season in a row and for the first time in Lincoln since 1960. Cobb's season total now is 1,430 yards, 34 yards shy of tying the school's single-season record set by Laurence Maroney in 2005.
In addition, the Gophers (8-3, 5-2) remain alive for the Big Ten West Division title. Minnesota has won eight games for just the fifth time since 1967 and has won eight games in back-to-back season for the first time since 1960 and '61. The loss ended any division title hopes for the Huskers (8-3, 4-3) and increases the heat on coach Bo Pelini, who has lost at least four games in each of his previous six seasons at the school.
Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah rushed 20 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. He has 1,417 yards this season, seventh-most in a season in school history; he already is the No. 2 rusher in school history and he now is 386 yards behind Mike Rozier (4,780 yards from 1981-83). The Huskers have two games left, including a bowl contest, so Abdullah technically remains alive for a shot at the career record.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
