Anthony Colandrea threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as Nebraska posted its first shutout in a Big Ten Conference game in a 31-0 victory over Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at Piscataway, N.J.
The Cornhuskers (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) snapped a four-game losing skid and locked up bowl eligibility for a third straight season. It was the program’s first shutout in a conference game since 2003 against Iowa State when they were in the Big 12 and their first in any game since 2009.
In the first game with Glenn Thomas calling plays, after offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen was fired, Nebraska ran 43 times for 237 yards and improved to 6-0 when rushing for at least 150 yards.
The rushing success set up the pass, with Colandrea going 15 of 22 for 188 yards and two TDs while rushing for 66 yards and a score.
Jamal Rule added 103 rushing yards for Nebraska.
Rutgers (2-8, 1-5) dropped its fourth straight and managed only 143 yards of total offense as its quarterback play struggled yet again. Sean Ashenfelder, in his first career start, was 3 of 4 for 18 yards before leaving due to injury, with AJ Surace going 4 of 12 for 24 yards with two interceptions.
Down 14-0 at halftime, Rutgers drove into the Nebraska red zone before Surace was intercepted by Caleb Benning. The Cornhuskers turned the takeaway into points, with Mekhi Nelson scoring on a 11-yard run with 8:37 left in the third.
Colandrea found Carter Nelson for a 13-yard TD pass early in the fourth quarter and John Hohl hit a 41-yard field goal with 9:45 remaining to cap the scoring.
Nebraska got things started with a 16-play, 94-yard drive in the first quarter that used more than nine minutes and ended with Colandrea hitting Luke Lindenmeyer for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Colandrea kept it himself for a 6-yard TD run late in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead.
–Field Level Media
