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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- On a day when he set one Nebraska record
and helped tie two others, the most important thing to Eric Crouch
was another win.
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Cornhuskers (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) beat Kansas 56-17 on Saturday to move one win closer to clinching
the Big 12 North title for the second straight year.
|  | | Eric Crouch set two new QB marks Saturday, rushing for a school-record four TDs and becoming the top rushing QB in Nebraska history. |
"It's a huge win for us to get back on track and re-establish
ourselves," Crouch said.
Crouch led the way with four rushing touchdowns, tying a school
record for quarterbacks, and became the top rushing QB in Nebraska
history with his 127 yards. Crouch has 2,152 career rushing yards.
Steve Taylor held the previous mark of 2,125.
"He deserved that record," coach Frank Solich said. "He's
done so much in such a short time."
Crouch said he didn't realize he passed Taylor until someone
told him after the game.
"When I heard that my eyes just kind of lit up," Crouch said.
"It means a lot to me. Not in a million years would I have thought
I would accomplish that."
Crouch scored three touchdowns for the third time this season
and became the first Nebraska quarterback to run for four since
Scott Frost did it against Missouri in 1997.
The junior from Omaha also helped tie a team record with three
backs topping 100 yards. Dan Alexander ran for 119 yard on 15
carries, and Correll Buckhalter carried 16 times for 100 yards and
a touchdown. It was only the second time three Huskers rushed for
more than 100 yards in a game.
The Cornhuskers (8-1, 5-1) rushed for 493 yards in the game.
"That was the approach we took all week -- to be a physical team
and a dominating team," Buckhalter said. "We're going to run
right at you. You're going to have to put all 11 guys in the box to
stop us."
Kansas (4-5, 2-3) had 266 yards of offense, the Jayhawks' lowest
total since gaining 231 in a 52-13 loss to Kansas State in the
fifth game of the season.
"We caught a very good team at a very bad time," Kansas coach
Terry Allen said. "They dominated us. I don't know if it was
vengeance from last week, but they stepped it up a notch."
Dylen Smith completed 14 of 29 passes for 129 and ran for a
touchdown, and Reggie Duncan added a late rushing TD for Kansas,
which has lost 32 straight to Nebraska.
Nebraska didn't seem at all bothered by last week's 31-14 loss
to Oklahoma. The Huskers scored on their first six possessions and
held Kansas to 99 total yards in the first half -- just 1 yard
coming on the ground.
The Huskers didn't punt in the game.
With Virginia Tech's loss to Miami, the Huskers are
likely to move up in the polls and possibly the Bowl Championship
Series standings, which decide who will play for the national
title. Solich said the Cornhuskers know they need to win and win
big to get back into contention.
"Statements need to be made. I don't think there's any question
about it," he said.
Nebraska visits No. 19 Kansas State next week, with the winner
clinching the Big 12 North. If the Huskers win and beat Colorado in
the regular-season finale, a rematch for Oklahoma could very well
be for one of the top two BCS berths.
"We knew we had it in us. we just didn't establish it for four
quarters last week," center Dominic Raiola said.
The Jayhawks didn't shut down a Nebraska drive until midway
through the third quarter when Jammal Lord, backing up Crouch with
the game well in hand, fumbled at the Nebraska 46.
Crouch's 1-yard run with 1:41 left in the second quarter tied
the record and gave him 16 rushing touchdowns for the season,
matching his team-best total from last year.
Crouch also had 1-yard TD dives on the Huskers' first two
possessions as Nebraska ran the ball 14 of its first 15 plays for
123 yards.
Crouch added a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:42 left in the first
quarter to cap a three-play, 38-yard drive that was set up by Bobby
Newcombe's 16-yard punt return.
After a Kansas field goal cut the lead to 21-3, Crouch threw a
3-yard pass that was tipped right into Tracey Wistrom's hands for
the tight end's fifth touchdown of the season. Crouch opened the
80-yard drive with a 47-yard run.
Lord and Judd Davies also had short touchdown runs for the
Huskers.
Nebraska gave Kansas its first scoring opportunity on a botched
punt return at the end of the first quarter. The Huskers didn't
clear away when the punt started bouncing and it hit backup running
back DeAnte Grixby's foot. Kansas recovered it and got a 45-yard
field goal from Joe Garcia five plays later to cut the lead to
21-3.
The Jayhawks didn't score again until Smith's 5-yard TD run with
6 seconds left in the third quarter.
"We had a good game plan coming in and they did not do anything
we did not expect," Smith said. "They just did it the way you are
supposed to do it."
Crouch shares the quarterback TD record with Frost, Jerry
Gdowski and Mickey Joseph.
The only other three Huskers to rush for 100 yards the same game
were Taylor, Ken Clark and Terry Rodgers in 1988 against Arizona
State.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Kansas Clubhouse
Nebraska Clubhouse
Nebraska backup OL Rutherford likely out for season
AUDIO/VIDEO
 With a cast on his arm, defensive tackle Jeremy Slechta picks off Dylan Smith.
avi: 1355 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tracey Wistrom grabs the tipped ball in the end zone for a TD.
avi: 1134 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eric Crouch racks up his third TD of the day.
avi: 1349 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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