Manhattan, Kan. - Ell Roberson rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns, as No. 11 Kansas State downed Nebraska, 49-13, Saturday afternoon at KSU Stadium.
With the win, Kansas State improved to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12, while the Huskers dropped to 7-5 and 3-4 in the league.
The Wildcats jumped to a 21-3 lead on a pair of Roberson touchdown runs, including one of 91 yards, and a blocked punt for a score before Josh Brown?s second field goal of the game with six second remaining in the half trimmed the Wildcat lead to 21-6 at halftime.
NU forced a fumble on Kansas State?s first possession of the second half, as Scott Shanle stripped Roberson of the ball and Trevor Johnson recovered at the KSU 35. The Huskers would capitalize one play later, as Jammal Lord scored on an electrifying 35-yard scoring run to put NU within 21-13.
Lord was held to just 54 yards rushing on 21 carries, while completing 9-of-25 passes for 134 yards in the loss.
On the Wildcats? next possession, Josh Bullocks recovered a Darren Sproles fumble at the KSU 24, but the Huskers could not convert, as Josh Brown?s 28-yard field goal bounced off the right upright.
Kansas State seized the momentum from that point on, going 80 yards in seven plays as Sproles scored from 8-yards out to give the Wildcats a 28-13 lead.
KSU would tack on three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes, as Roberson scored on a 25-yard keeper before Sproles, who rushed for 102 of his 155 yards in the fourth quarter, scored on runs of 12 and 70 yards in the final 5:04 for the final margin.
Roberson?s 228 yards rushing total marked the third-highest total against NU, as KSU rushed for 415 yards in the win.
One bright spot for the Blackshirts was the return of senior rush end Chris Kelsay, who made a team-best eight tackles, including a sack, in his first action since suffering a hamstring injury on Oct. 5.
The Huskers close the regular season with the annual showdown against Colorado on Friday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 p.m. The game will be nationally televised by ABC.
