Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 31

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2008 LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR SECTION r- 1 JUiiuu, i jiii in iiiii minim inniinuu 1.1. 11 Ji.m. i uiihunii i iimi miii.inn.DHi tf mm' i mn. i i id) TfTnD) M1 L. JT 1 UP sail fTTTl i More at Huskertxtra.com Our writers are blogging about the Huskers daily at 'life in the ffl ON THE MOVE: For second straight week, Huskers click on offense BACK TO WORK: NU businesslike in dismantling ISU for first Big 12 victory BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON Lincoln Journal Star AMES, Iowa This didn't look like a team with doubts, a team wondering when misfortune was about to raise its head.

Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium, Nebraska looked a little bit like it used to look on road trips to places like Ames the hammer to the other team's nail. Not surprised by success. Undeterred by adversity. Not satisfied even after a four-touchdown win. Yes, NU's 35-7 victory against Iowa State felt strangely familiar, like a Husker win of yesteryear.

A three-game losing skid may have been snapped, but the Huskers walked off the field looking like nothing more than a bunch of guys who had just completed their shift at work. This was a business trip. A good one at that. "I'm not seeing a team that's too high in that locker room," Husker coach Bo Pelini said. "I was just with a team in the locker room that's not satisfied with how we played: Believe me, we enjoy it because we just came off three losses.

We're going to enjoy it, but we understand also there's a lot to fix." In the first half, the Huskers didn't just hope for touchdowns. They expected them and got them probably even leaving two scores on the field while making the Cyclones look outclassed. "There was definitely a sense of confidence like every play was going to be a See HUSKERS, Page 4E X5- 7 i' Mil St ir 2'-' V''- 1 Iff! VSJ' SIS1 1 STEVEN M. SIPPLE Journal Star Staff Writer NU looks ready for a return to the bowl scene AMES, Iowa After Nebraska dominated the first half Saturday try 19 first downs to Iowa State's two press box wags started talking about crazy stuff, like Nebraska perhaps playing in the Alamo Bowl this season. A dose of reality arrived in the third quarter.

An Iowa State tailback burst into the great wide open en route to paydirt. Meanwhile, Nebraska momentarily forgot how to manufacture first downs. My addled brain adjusted accordingly. Perhaps Nebraska was better suited for the Independence Bowl, or maybe the Sun Bowl, or Insight Bowl. Point is, the Huskers legitimately look ready to go bowling again.

As surely as the wind whips through Jack Trice Stadium every autumn, these I luskers now appear to be eminently bowl-worthy. The Alamo Bowl? Nebraska probably would have to finish with a record of 8-4 or at least 7-5 to get there. Crazy stuff? See SIPPLE, Page 4E i. .1 TED KIRKLincotn Journal Star Nebraska senior defensive end Zach Porter (left) sacks Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud during the first quarter Saturday in Ames, Iowa. Nebraska had two sacks.

NU 'S llCttCr llcllf rhe flrst half ms the difference In Saturday's game In Ames, which led to a 21-0 halftlme lead for the Huskers. Iowa State punted on its first four possessions. Nebraska's first-half drives 45 plays, 349 yards, 20:40, 10 penalty yards lOWa State's first-half drives 21 plays, 45 yards, 9:20, 22 penalty yards nrai (TP) 9 71 Fourth (TP) 1185 Sixth 559 Third 3 2 Second (TD) 9 92 FTrrtdrtv 8 30 Fourth 3 8 Fifth 51-1 Sixth 11-3 Third 31-6 Second 619 3 6 Around the Big 12 Nebraska 35 Texas Tech Iowa State 7 Texas No.l Texas runs wild on Mlzzou In front of 98,383 fans. Page 8E Texas 56 Missouri 31 Colorado 14 Kansas State 13 Oklahoma 45 Kansas 31 .43 Oklahoma State 34 .25 Baylor 6 mini iffwpawi i i K1 -T'- I 1-1 37 1 u'Ji' iiili WW.