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Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal juggles the ball during Nebraska´s 48-12 win Saturday. McNeal accounted for five of A&M´s turnovers: three interceptions and two fumbles. John C. Livas * The Battalion

Crazy Eights

Nebraska cashes in on eight A&M turnovers in 48-12 win

By: Dallas Shipp

Posted: 10/20/03

       LINCOLN, Neb. - It was like Christmas in Nebraska Saturday. Everyone was wearing red and the gifts just kept on coming for the Cornhuskers, who capitalized on eight Texas A&M turnovers on their way to a 48-12 win at Memorial Stadium.
       No. 18 Nebraska scored 35 points off Aggie turnovers, including 14 points in the first quarter that seemed to take the life out of an A&M offense that was otherwise off to a good start.
"We turned the ball over too many times today," said A&M coach Dennis Franchione. "It's not like this offense to turn the ball over as many times as we did. It was like a snowball effect out there."
       A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal had the worst game of his career, leading the turnover parade with three interceptions - one returned for a touchdown by Nebraska linebacker Barrett Ruud - and two fumbles for the Aggies.
"We just didn't execute today," McNeal said. "That's just part of the game, nothing major. It just happens."
       Prior to Saturday, McNeal had never thrown more than one interception in a game. But he wasn't the only Aggie playing Santa Claus Saturday.
       Junior quarterback Dustin Long threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and A&M running back Derek Farmer coughed up a fumble as well.
Two of the Aggies' eight turnovers came inside the red zone, killing two potential scoring opportunities for the Aggies.
       McNeal fumbled on the Nebraska 21-yard line in the second quarter after a five-play, 76-yard drive to the Nebraska 11-yard line for the Aggies.
       Farmer fumbled on the Cornhusker 10-yard line late in the third quarter to kill a three-play 40-yard drive.
"Everything you can't do to win a game, we did today," said A&M senior offensive lineman Alan Reuber. "Offensively we didn't give our team a chance to win the game."
The turnovers were deadly for an Aggie offense that started the game with an eight-play, 55-yard drive. A&M looked poised to continue the offensive assault that started against Baylor a week ago.
       But as the turnovers began to pile up, so did the Nebraska side of the scoreboard. The Huskers didn't waste any extra opportunities provided by the Aggies.
       Nebraska quarterback Jammal Lord led the Huskers with 109 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. It was Lord's third 100-yard rushing performance this season and the eighth of his career.
"Jammal has been through a lot in his career and it was great to see him really get some things done in a manner that I think is extremely good," said Nebraska coach Frank Solich.
The Huskers racked up 333 yards on the ground, just four yards shy of their season high 337 yards against Penn State. With the win, Nebraska is 194-7 in the last 30 years when rushing for 300 yards or more in a game, and 13-2 under Solich.
       Nebraska safety Josh Bullocks picked off his seventh pass of the season Saturday, tying a school record. His seven interceptions is the best in the nation, averaging one pick per game so far this season.
       The lone bright spot for the Aggie offense was the play of A-back Jason Carter, who was predicted to be a key contributor for the Aggies this year.
       Until Saturday, Carter had not lived up to his expectations and was removed from punt returner after key fumbles earlier this season.
But as the fourth quarter game was winding down, Carter returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. It was the first kickoff returned for a touchdown by the Aggies since 1997, when Sirr Parker scored on a 78-yarder against Iowa State.
       The Aggie defense held up well against the Huskers despite giving up more than 300 yards rushing.
       Nebraska scored six of its seven touchdowns on drives that began in Aggie territory. The other touchdown came on a drive that started on their own 49-yard line.
       A&M safety Jaxson Appel refused to make that an excuse for the 48 Husker points.
"It doesn't matter how far they have to go, the result is the same," Appel said. "They did what we thought we had to stop. We felt prepared coming in, we just didn't execute well enough."
       Appel finished the game with a team-high nine tackles.
       The Aggies will look to regroup Saturday against No. 18 Oklahoma State at Kyle Field at 2:30 p.m.