Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 31

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2008 LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR SECTION d) i canHhd) A If US I 1 I in CJ LY at: -scs )w Want to i06 yur opinion about the Huskers Go to the 'life in red' Missed the rjosteame news conference? Find it in its entiretv. Lb L' 3 C''A J-fTT-" i ij WILLIAM LAUERLincoln Journal Star Nebraska sophomore Niles Paul (above) is alone en route to a 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against San Jose State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The TD sparked a big scoring quarter, which was capped by Marlon Lucky's touchdown run (below). Lucky is congratulated by Jaivorio Burkes (72) and Zach Potter (98). 77 Game a rraif) czecfc or offensive line, NU Kickoff return just the spark Huskers needed 'A 1 i ifth iMW i i STEVEN M.

SIPPLE Journal Star StaffWriter -mii'r BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON Lincoln Journal Star The sign read "Bo says: No way, Jose." Jose had a different opinion on the matter. San Jose State provided the Huskers with about 48 minutes of frustration Saturday, making Big Red's offense look bad and the crowd nervous at all the sloppiness it was witnessing. Then me Spartans kicked the ball toward Niles Paul, who needed just 10 seconds to cast aside any Husker worries of an upset. The sophomore from Omaha North took a close game and colored it red with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, jolting the crowd and his team on a gray day at Memorial Stadium. It was the crushing blow in the Huskers' 35-12 win, a score more flattering to Nebraska than it probably deserves.

"I appreciate the blocking," Paul said of his first ERIC GREGORYLincoln Journal Star San Jose State's potpourri of blitzes, slants and twists obviously created confusion for Nebraska's offensive line Saturday. I'm also discombobulated at this point. I thought the Husker offensive line would be a strength of the team in 2008, perhaps the strength. Um, maybe not. Here's a twist: Nebraska's defense actually helped rescue surprisingly stagnant offense.

Think about that for a second. Think about the Huskers' awful defensive showings in 2007. Well, well, well. The Nebraska defense Saturday forced two critical turnovers and knocked San lose State quarterback Kyle Reed out of the game early in the fourth quarter. He suffered a concussion on a sack by Phillip Dil-' lard and Zach Potter.

Imagine, a Husker defense causing QB concussions after giving its fans headaches almost every weekend last season. Nebraska also got a big lift Finally putting it together Following a San Jose State f7ed goa that cut Nebraskas fead to 14-12 eary the fourth quarter, the Huskers were finally able to put away the Spartans. 12:07 I SKr8kfctoff85 NU 21.SJSU 12 from Niles Paul's 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 35-12 triumph before a crowd of 84,146, many of whom probably left Memorial Stadium feeling uneasy about the home team. The final score will be misleading to those fans around the nation who see it crawl along the bottoms of their television screen. A score of 35-12 makes it See SIPPLE, Page 4E I Roy Helu'S 14yard run caps a M( 9fl ici i 1 9 five-play scoring drive.

NU J'U VVIUI I IblllUUllllg 111 UK KOIligi A UJ prouder of the blocking we had on that play than my touchdown." Scoring untouched, Paul was escorted to the Sea HUSKERS, Page SE iwCTi I Marlon Lucky scores after a drive Nil 5 SJSU 12 OiiUO I that eats 4:19 off the clock. NU 35 SJbU Around the country Around the Big 12 Tracking No. 1 Southern California did not play Saturday as the Trojans prepare for a big showdown with No. 3 Ohio State next week. Upset of the day Jonathan Williams had two short TD runs, quarterback Patrick Plnkney was nearly perfect and East Carolina routed the No.

8 West Virginia 243 for Its third straight win over a ranked team. Story, 6E Close call Colorado needs a late interception return for a TD to beat Eastern Washington. Texas 28 New Mexico 22 Oklahoma State .56 Houston 37 Texas Tech .35 Nevada 19 Colorado .31 E. Washington 24 Oklahoma 52 Cincinnati .26 Kansas State .69 Montana State .10 Kansas .29 Iowa State 48 Louisiana Tech .0 Kent State 28 Missouri 52 Baylor 51 Southeast Missouri .3 Northwestern State .6 Texas More coverage on the atUTEP late.