Nebraska 31
Colorado 22

Nov. 28, 2003 • 11:10 a.m. Central
Folsom Field •Boulder, CO • ABC
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska71401031
Colorado796022

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1st quarter
NU: M. Herian 58 pass from J. Lord (D. Dyches kick) 10:15
CU: D. Hackett 33 pass from J. Klatt (M. Crosby kick) 6:38
2nd quarter
CU: Crosby 44 field goal, 13:10
NU: Lord 5 run (Dyches kick) 12:10 
NU: C. Ross 2 run (Dyches kick) 6:01 
CU: Hackett 17 pass from Klatt (pass failed) 0:49
3rd quarter
CU: D. McCoy 31 pass from Klatt (pass failed) 10:46
4th quarter
NU: Dyches 19 field goal, 8:30
NU: J. Davies 1 run (Dyches kick) 5:48
 
                            NU       CU
FIRST DOWNS................ 18       19
  Rushing.................. 12        4
  Passing................... 6       14
  Penalty................... 0        1
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)..... 59-223    30-62
PASSING YDS (NET)......... 146      269
  Att-Comp-Int......... 18-8-0  44-26-2
TOTAL OFFENSE ......... 77-369   74-331
Punt Returns-Yards....... 1-12     2-22
Kickoff Returns-Yards.... 1-64      1-9
Int. Returns-Yards....... 2-26      0-0
Punts (Number-Avg)..... 4-29.8   6-44.5
Fumbles-Lost.............. 1-0      1-1
Penalties-Yards.......... 5-45     7-60
Possession Time......... 30:50    29:10
Third-Down Conv. ........ 5/16    10/19
Fourth-Down Conv. ........ 3/7      1/1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances... 4-4      1-2
Sacks By: Number-Yards... 2-19      0-0

RUSHING
NU: C. Ross 22-103; J. Lord 21-68; J. Davis 4-20; J. Davies 6-18; K. Huston 1-15; S. Kriewald 2-7; TEAM 2-minus 3; D. Horne 1-minus 5.

CU: B. Calhoun 13-49; D. Jolly 6-10; L. Vickers 3-9; J. Bloom 1-4; J. Klatt 7-minus 10. 

PASSING
NU: J. Lord 8-18-0-146.
CU: J. Klatt 26-44-2-269. 

RECEIVING
NU: M. Herian 2-64; M. LeFlore 2-29; R. Pilkington 2-28; I. Fluellen 1-16; T. Liley 1-9.

CU:  D.J. Hackett 9-94; B. Calhoun 6-42; D. McCoy 3-51; J. Bloom 3-33; J. Wallace 2-14; J. Klopfenstein 2-14; J. Donahoe 1-21.

Attendance: 53,434

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Coverage

Stats & recap
COMPLETE STATS
RESPONSIVE IMAGE HERE

PHOTO CAPTION HERE | Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

Late charge lifts Huskers in Solich’s finale

Nebraska scored 10 points in a span of under three minutes midway through the fourth quarter and reached the nine-win mark for the 34th time in 35 seasons with a 31-22 win at Colorado.

It wasn’t enough to save Frank Solich’s job, however, as the Huskers’ sixth-year head coach was notified the following day that he would not be retained.

With the Huskers trailing 22-21, David Dyches capped a 12-play, 58-yard drive with a 19-yard field goal, giving the Huskers a 24-22 lead. On Colorado’s next possession, linebacker T.J. Hollowell intercepted a Joel Klatt pass and returned it 25 yards to the NU 6-yard line, setting up a one-yard scoring run by Judd Davies on fourth-and-goal.

After Colorado drove to the NU 5, Pat Ricketts sealed the win with a leaping interception in the end zone.

Husker quarterback Jammal Lord tied a season high with 146 yards passing, including a 58-yard touchdown to tight end Matt Herian. Lord also rushed for 68 yards, and I-back Cory Ross eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second time with 103 yards on 22 carries.

On defense, Barrett Ruud finished with 16 tackles and a pass breakup, while Hollowell and Demorrio Williams had nine tackles each.

Nebraska also received big performances on special teams, where holder Kellen Huston kept a touchdown drive alive with a 15-yard run on a fake field goal, and senior Josh Davis had a 64-yard kickoff return that set up another touchdown.

With the win, the Huskers snapped a two-game losing streak to CU and earned a berth in the Alamo Bowl with a 9-3 record.

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Omaha World-Herald
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Photos/Audio/Video
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Pregame & team info
2003 schedule
04/19Red 13, White 0
08/30Oklahoma St.W 17-7
09/06Utah St.W 31-7
09/13Penn St.W 18-10
09/25@ S. MissW 38-14
10/04Troy St.W 30-0
10/11@ MissouriL 24-41
10/18Texas A&MW 48-12
10/25Iowa St.W 28-0
11/01@ TexasL 7-31
11/08@ KansasW 24-3
11/15Kansas St.L 7-38
11/28@ ColoradoW 31-22
12/29Michigan St.W 17-3

Commentary

Colonel Mustard

That was a great way for Frank to go out, the team winning for him.


Colonel Mustard
HuskerMax
Shatel

With his job on the line, and distractions lined up from the Flatiron mountains to the Flatiron Cafe in Omaha, Solich came, saw and kicked Buff.

Tom Shatel
Omaha World-Herald
Howard

Solich was bolder in Boulder on Friday than anyone could have expected.

Ed Howard
Nebraska StatePaper
Sheldon

The oft-criticized coach looked conformity in the eye and bet on an unlikely cast of characters several times with the momentum of the game on the line.

Jeff Sheldon
Daily Nebraskan
Douglass

Nebraska’s response to everything swirling around outside the program was to take a business-as-usual approach.

Terry Douglass
Grand Island Independent
Mabry

The Huskers held on, which got me to thinking. This is it. This is what we had been waiting for all season.

John Mabry
Lincoln Journal Star
Red Clad Loon

Kudos also go out to offensive coordinator Barney Cotton, who continually kept the Bluffs off-balance with his playcalling.

Red Clad Loon
The Pond
Paige

Barnett’s idea of coaching special teams is to call a fake punt every few games — and, in the tradition of Bill McCartney, pray that it succeeds.

Woody Paige
Denver Post
Lincicome

If Colorado has saved Solich’s job, maybe he can send each player a thank-you note.

Bernie Lincicome
Rocky Mountain News
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