Ames, Iowa -- Seneca Wallace accounted for 270 total yards and three touchdowns, as No. 19 Iowa State converted five Husker turnovers into 17 points, as the Cyclones downed No. 20 Nebraska, 36-14, in Ames Saturday.
The win, ISU?s first over Nebraska since 1992, lifted the Cyclones to 4-1 on the year and 2-0 in the Big 12, while NU, which dropped its conference opener for the first time since 1974, fell to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
After falling behind 10-0 on a Adam Benike 23-yard field goal and a Hiawatha Rutland 1-yard touchdown run, NU came right back early in the second quarter, as Jammal Lord found true freshman Ross Pilkington for a 90-yard touchdown, the third-longest pass play in school history, closing the Cyclone lead to 10-7.
Lord completed 5-of-10 passes for 120 yards, as the Cyclones held NU to 273 yards, including just 81 rushing yards.
ISU, which had lost its last 29 games against ranked opponents, extended the to 19-7 on Benike?s second field goal, this one from 35 yards, and a three-yard pass from Wallace to Lane Danielsen.
Wallace completed 19-of-32 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown, while Danielsen caught a game-high nine passes for 111 yards and the score.
The Huskers, who committed a pair of in the first half, stayed within striking distance as freshman cornerback Fabian Washington snuffed out an ISU drive with an interception in the end zone. Washington?s performance highlighted the Blackshirts? effort, as he finished with four tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
ISU took the second half kickoff and went 80 yards on 11 plays before Wallace scored on a one-yard plunge on fourth down, giving the Cyclones a 26-7 lead.
The Husker special teams made an impact on ISU?s next possession, as Aaron Terpening and Demorrio Williams blocked a Tony Yelk punt, giving NU the ball at the ISU 2-yard line. Fullback Judd Davies put the Huskers within 26-14, scoring from two yards out on the ensuing play.
That would be as close as the Huskers would get, as the Cyclones tacked on 10 fourth-quarter points on Wallace?s 7-yard run and Benike?s third field goal of the afternoon.
Patrick Kabongo led NU with a career-high 15 tackles, while Pat Ricketts, Chad Sievers and T.J. Hollowell had at least 10 tackles apiece in the loss.
The Huskers return to action next Saturday, when they take on McNeese State at 11:30 a.m. The game will not be televised by it will be broadcast on the Internet to fans who have subscriptions to HuskersNside.
