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Lucky, Nebraska recover to slam Iowa State

Sep 30, 2007 - 12:35 AM LINCOLN, Nebraska (Ticker) -- Nebraska carried its shaky play into the opening half of its Big 12 Conference opener against Iowa State. But Marlon Lucky would not let it continue.

Lucky ran for a score and threw another as the 25th-ranked Cornhuskers erased an early 10-point deficit en route to a 35-17 victory over the Cyclones in the opening Big 12 contest for both clubs.

Sam Keller threw for 219 yards and two TDs for Nebraska (4-1, 1-0 Big 12 North), which scored 28 unanswered points to take control of the game.

"The bottom line is that we got up 10-0, and the game plan was really unfolding the way we had hoped it would," Iowa State coach Gene Chizik said. "The momentum swung a little bit there towards halftime, and a few big plays turned the game around later in the first half."

Two weeks ago, the Cornhuskers surrendered 313 rushing yards in a 49-31 home loss to No. 1 Southern California before needing a late rally for a 41-40 triumph over Ball State here last Saturday.

In this one, Nebraska fell behind, 10-0, on Jason Scales' three-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left in the second quarter. The Cornhuskers then used a trick play to snap out of their malaise.

Lucky, one of the nation's premier rushers, tossed a 20-yard touchdown to Sean Hill on an option pass to get Nebraska on the board with 4:34 left in the second. The junior running back added a 41-yard TD run to give his team a 21-10 lead on the first possession of the fourth quarter.

"Our plan was to take some shots early, and we thought we could get them to come up on the run," Keller said.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Lucky ran for 107 yards on 16 carries.

"(Lucky) had over 100 yards," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. "We were trying to separate and get into a run-oriented attack, and he just didn't quite get there. I have to give Marlon a lot of credit.

"He had a nice breakout run there in the third quarter that started us off fast. I thought he did an excellent job scoring on that first possession."

Keller's six-yard TD toss to Thomas Lawson was the go-ahead score, giving the Cornhuskers a lead they would not relinquish with 1:08 left before halftime. The Arizona State transfer completed 18-of-28 passes.

Scales ran for two scores for the Cyclones (1-4, 0-1), who committed three turnovers.

"I thought Jason did a really nice job tonight," Chizik said. "I was proud to see him. I think he did some really good things and I think it took him a little while to get juiced up and get a feel for the game.

"I was real happy with him coming in there and have him play the whole game, and he did it, and I think he did a good job."