LINCOLN, Neb. — Taylor Martinez guided four consecutive scoring drives against a tiring Wisconsin defense in the second half to lead No. 22 Nebraska’s comeback from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Badgers 30-27 on Saturday night.
Martinez scored on a 38-yard run, threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kyler Reed and set up Brett Maher for the tying and go ahead field goals. Maher’s 41-yarder with 9:41 left gave the Cornhuskers (3-1, 1-0) their first lead in the Big Ten opener.
Danny O’Brien, who replaced Joel Stave, tried to bring back the two-time defending Big Ten champion Badgers (3-2, 0-1) with less than three minutes to play. But Montee Ball fumbled at midfield on a fourth-and-1, and Martinez took a knee three times to run out the last minute.
Martinez ran for 107 yards and threw for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. Stave passed for 214 yards and a touchdown.
Rex Burkhead ran for 86 yards for the Huskers.
Ball, coming back from a head injury last week, carried 32 times for 90 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Both teams wore alternate uniforms, and the Huskers and their fans were charged up for the game after Nebraska was beaten 48-17 in Madison last year.
Playing off the energy of the boisterous Memorial Stadium crowd, the Nebraska defense held the Badgers to 90 yards in the second half.
Sports, Pages 35 on 09/30/2012