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Armstrong, No. 22 Nebraska rout FAU

Aug 31, 2014 - 12:17 AM Lincoln, NE (SportsNetwork.com) - Tommy Armstrong had two touchdown passes and ran in one more as No. 22 Nebraska rolled to a 55-7 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday to open the season.

Armstrong was 15-of-29 passing for 271 yards and added seven runs for 62 yards for the Cornhuskers (1-0), who went 9-4 last season and beat Georgia in the Gator Bowl.

Ameer Abdullah finished the game with 232 yards on 21 carries and a score, while Terrell Newby added 16 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the win.

Jaquez Johnson was 6-for-12 for 61 yards and a score for the Owls (0-1), who won four in a row to end last season with a mark of 6-6.

Nebraska opened the game with a 13-play, 86-yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Amrstrong for a 7-0 lead.

Florida Atlantic came back with a successful drive of its own, finishing off the 75-yard march on the 11th play as Johnson found Lucky Whitehead for a 20- yard score with under five minutes to play in the first quarter.

Armstrong, though, led his team right back down the field and gave the Cornhuskers a 14-7 lead with a 36-yard scoring toss to Jordan Westerkamp.

Nebraska then held Florida Atlantic and got a 44-yard field goal from Drew Brown, while Greg Joseph missed a 45-yarder at the other end on the Owls' ensuing touch.

On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, Abdullah broke off a 47-yard touchdown run to make it 24-7 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half, and Imani Cross took the ball in from three yards out with 2 1/2 minutes left to give Nebraska a 31-7 lead at the break.

Newby scored from two yards out on Nebraska's first possession of the third quarter, and a 63-yard catch by Kenny Bell set up an 8-yard scoring toss by Armstrong to De'Mornay Pierson-El for a 45-7 lead with just over 6 1/2 minutes left in the third.

Mauro Bondi booted a 45-yard field goal later in the third quarter for a 48-7 lead.

Newby's 1-yard score early in the fourth quarter accounted for the final score.

Game Notes

The only other meeting between these schools occurred on Sept. 5, 2009, a 49-3 victory for Nebraska ... Westerkamp led all receivers with seven receptions for 125 yards ... Jay Warren led Florida Atlantic with 14 carries for 77 yards ... Nebraska totaled 784 yards in the game, fifth-most in program history and most in 23 years ... Nebraska has won 29 straight season-openers, the nation's longest streak.