The Troy Trojans played a scrappy game against Floriday State yesterday. They lost by a mere seven points against the number nine-ranked team in the nation. So, after we beat the USC Trojans in prime time next Saturday night, let’s not get lost in too much exuberance, for there are lots of games left on the schedule, including Troy the following week.

Nebraska has moved up two spots to #19 in the USA Today Poll:

1. Ohio State (59) 2-0 1,571
2. USC (2) 1-0 1,471
3. Notre Dame (1) 2-0 1,391
4. Auburn (1) 2-0 1,369
5. West Virginia 2-0 1,293
6. Florida 2-0 1,177
7. LSU 2-0 1,159
8. Texas 1-1 1,107
9. Georgia 2-0 997
10. Florida State 2-0 977
11. Oklahoma 2-0 953
12. Louisville 2-0 905
13. Michigan 2-0 820
14. Virginia Tech 2-0 770
15. Miami (FL) 1-1 622
16. Iowa 2-0 603
17. Tennessee 2-0 600
18. Oregon 2-0 529
19. Nebraska 2-0 431
20. TCU 2-0 333
21. California 1-1 248
22. Texas Tech 2-0 231
23. Arizona State 2-0 159
24. Alabama 2-0 150
25. Boston College 2-0 146

As well as holding the #19 spot in the AP Poll:

1. Ohio State 2-0 1,614
2. Notre Dame 2-0 1,468
3. Auburn 2-0 1,447
4. USC 1-0 1,446
5. West Virginia 2-0 1,380
6. LSU 2-0 1,287
7. Florida 2-0 1,249
8. Texas 1-1 1,150
9. Florida State 2-0 1,029
10. Georgia 2-0 944
11. Michigan 2-0 942
12. Louisville 2-0 911
13. Tennessee 2-0 782
14. Virginia Tech 2-0 763
15. Oklahoma 2-0 755
16. Iowa 2-0 690
17. Miami (FL) 1-1 625
18. Oregon 2-0 547
19. Nebraska 2-0 455
20. TCU 2-0 285
21. California 1-1 284
22. Arizona State 2-0 206
23. Boston College 2-0 193
24. Texas Tech 2-0 186
25. Penn State 1-1 95

By the numbers, it was solid effort from the Huskers with a rather light diversity in their play calling. The result: Nebraska 56 - Nicholls State 7.

The Defense gave up a total of 187 yards of offense - all on the ground - 49 of which came on a rush by Nicholls State RB, Grant Thorn. And yes, you read that correctly, 0 pass yards on 3 attempts by Nicholls State. The Blackshirts also forced 7 fumbles, recovering 3.

Zac Taylor finished the game 19 of 23 for 202 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions while spreading the ball among 10 different receivers - a sure sign of the west coast offense operating efficiently.

Marlon Lucky led the running backs with 103 yards on the ground and a touchdown, followed by 83 from Kenny Wilson; also with a touchdown. Cody Glenn looked sharp in short yardage situations racking up 47 yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the receiving end of touchdown passes, Maurice Lucky: 2 catches for 61 yards; Matt Herian: 4 catches for 37 yards; Frantz Hardy, 1 catch for 14 yards and Dane Todd: 2 catches for 9 yards.

Jordan Congdon was 8 for 8 on PATs but missed a field goal attempt.

YouTube.com has fan video of the 2006 tunnel walk from the LaTech game including the introduction on the new video screen.

(Live updates on Scoring Plays)

Nebraska: Touchdown
Cody Glenn - 8 Yard Rush
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 56 - Nicholls State 7

Nebraska Touchdown
Kenny Wilson - 14 Yard Rush
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 49 - Nicholls State 7

Nicholls State Touchdown
Broderick Cole - 1 yard Rush
Alexander Romero PAT
Nebraska 42 - Nicholls State 7

4th Quarter Begins

Nebraska Touchdown
Maurice Purify - 42 yard Reception (From Zac Taylor)
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 42 - Nicholls State 0

Nebraska Touchdown
Frantz Hardy - 14 yard Reception (From Zac Taylor)
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 42 - Nicholls State 0

3rd Quarter Begins

Nebraska Touchdown
Marlon Lucky - 1 yard Rush
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 28 - Nicholls State 0

Nebraska Touchdown
Matt Herian - 19 Yard Reception (From Zac Taylor)
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 21 - Nicholls State 0

2nd Quarter Begins

Nebraska: Touchdown
Dane Todd - 1 Yard Reception (From Zac Taylor)
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 14 - Nicholls State 0

Nebraska: Touchdown
Cody Glenn - 1 Yard Rush
Jordan Congdon - PAT
Nebraska 7 - Nicholls State 0

1st Quarter Begins

The National Football League season is underway. Pittsburgh and Miami are battling at the moment. But how much can we care, for neither team has a former Husker on the roster? Thankfully, these two teams are in the minority, as 31 former Nebraska players appear on the rosters of 20 different teams this season.

The 31 players leads the Big 12 Conference, one more than Texas and two more than Oklahoma.

Dominic Raiola, #51, Detroit Lions

Nearly 300 former players have represented Nebraska in the NFL. Over the past 10 years, NU leads all Big 12 schools with 52 players chosen in the NFL Draft.

The Lions and the Saints both have three Huskers on the roster.

[via Huskers.com]

According to the Omaha World Herald, the smack talking has commenced.

The next opponent on USC’s football schedule is Nebraska.

To Trojan center Ryan Kalil, it could just as well be “Anybody State.”

That’s not a knock on the Huskers, the All-America candidate said. But after winning 46 of the past 48 games, that’s how USC operates.

“We’ve become accustomed to not really caring who we play,” Kalil said. “We worry about ourselves and what we do.”

USC made a statement of similar sorts in their Saturday opener by pounding Arkansas 50-14. After an open date this week, USC takes on Nebraska in Los Angeles on Sept. 16.

Before the Huskers can concentrate on handing Kalil his words, the squad must line up against the Colonels of Nicholls State, a I-AA opponent out of the Southland Conference. Nicholls beat Southern Arkansas 35-0 in their season opener.

They looked solid.

After getting the first-game jitters out of their system, there was no stopping the Big Red Machine. Nebraska amassed 584 yards, 252 of which were on the ground.

The defense was stellar and outside of “the catch,” a 39 yard one-handed touchdown catch by LaTech’s Johnathan Holland, the Blackshirts had their way with the Bulldogs the entire game.

The real test is in 2 weeks.

It’s time for football.

According to KETV, tomorrow’s opponent Louisiana Tech enters the season with some pent-up hostility. After going 7-4 last season, Tech was not extended a bowl invitation.

We also need to factor in George Darlington’s return to Lincoln. He spent 30 years as an assistant coach at Nebraska before he was fired by Frank Solich in 2002. He’s now the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech. So, expect some D from the Bulldogs.

Another factor: La Tech likes to play marquis schools. “They want to go after the big guys,” said Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon. “Their saying, which, I’m sorry, is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard is: Anyone, anywhere, anytime,’ over a picture of our stadium. That makes me anxious to send them home unhappy.”

This will be the second meeting between the schools. In 1998, the Huskers destroyed La Tech, 56-27 in the Eddie Robinson Football Classic.

[UPDATE] In route to a 49-10 victory, NU amassed 332 yards passing and 252 rushing. There’s the balanced attack we were promised. According to the Kansas City Star, “No Nebraska tight end had caught a scoring pass since the second game of Callahan’s first season. Saturday, four different tight ends scored.”