The Nebraska Cornhuskers improved to 3-0 after defeating North Dakota 34-7 on Saturday evening. This is the third straight season that Nebraska has gone undefeated in nonconference play.
Nebraska had 493 yards of total offense, rushing for 277 yards and throwing for 216. This was the third straight game that Nebraska has topped 200 yards in both categories.
North Dakota coach Eric Schmidt credited Nebraska's physicality for setting an early tone.
"I think it just comes down to big-boy football. The team that could run the football and the team that couldn't won and lost tonight. So give Nebraska a lot of credit. Just think they're much improved from what I saw a year ago. You know, defensively got us behind the sticks a lot with a lot of sacks,
TFLs, explosive plays, and those are hard things to be able to overcome for our offense."
Freshman running back Jamal Rule had 15 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns. He's the first freshman running back to have multiple 100-yard games in a season since David Horne (three in 2002). Schmidt had high praise for the Huskers' running backs.
"Our guys figured out they were running outside zone. All right, like point blank, like everybody in the stadium knew what was going on, and we still couldn't stop it," Schmidt said. "So it was bad on the play caller, me, not doing a good enough job of being able to get our guys lined up and playing. And good on them, man. They stuck to a game plan and have an identity of who they want to be, it doesn't matter what you do."
With the victory, Nebraska improved to 3-0 all-time against North Dakota and 17-0 all-time against FCS opponents. The Huskers now enter Big Ten play and faceMichigan State on Saturday, Sept. 26.
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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What North Dakota coach Eric Schmidt said after loss to Nebraska
