The No. 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers struggled significantly on offense, but a strong defensive performance was enough in the 13-7 win over Iowa on Friday. It was the the sixth-straight win for Nebraska (10-2, 7-1), who've won the Big Ten Leaders Division.
Nebraska vs. Iowa 2012 final score: Cornhuskers survive, clinch Big Ten title shot
The Nebraska Cornhuskers survived on Friday despite a lackluster offensive performance against Iowa and will advance to play Wisconsin for a chance at the Rose Bowl.
Eric Francis
The Cornhuskers trailed Iowa at halftime, 7-3, when Hawkeyes quarterback James Vandenberg's 1-yard touchdown capped a 62-yard drive in the final seconds of the first half. Nebraska's offense would come alive in the third quarter just enough to take advantage of similar offensive struggles by Iowa, taking a 13-7 lead after Ryan Burkhead's 3-yard touchdown run.
Nebraska managed just 259 yards of offense against the Hawkeyes as Nebraska struggled both in the passing game and on the ground, managing just 3.9 yards per carry on 50 attempts. Between the two teams there was just 458 yards of total offense to go along with 13 total punts.
Box Score Hero: If there is such a thing in this game, running back Rex Burkhead provided the most consistent performance on offense by gaining 69 yards on 16 carries while scoring a touchdown.
Rankings Ramifications: The disappointing performance on offense could bump Nebraska down a spot or two, although they should not move from from their current No. 14 ranking.
But Did They Cover? Nebraska failed to cover the 15-point spread.
For More On This Game: For more on Huskers football, visit Nebraska blog Corn Nation, plus Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire. For more on Hawkeyes football, visit Iowa blog Black Heart Gold Pants.
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