Lincoln, NE (Sports Network) - Nebraska lost its workhorse running back Rex
Burkhead in the second quarter, but junior quarterback Taylor Martinez picked
up the slack.
Martinez threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns on 26-of-34 efficiency as No.
17 Nebraska pulled away from Southern Miss, 49-20, and extended its nation's
longest active winning streak in season openers to 27.
Burkhead, who ran for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, carried the
ball three times for 68 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown run in the
opening frame, before exiting with a left knee injury.
Burkhead's backup, Ameer Abdullah, racked up 81 yards rushing on 15 carries,
while Braylon Heard added 34 yards on the ground with a score for the
Cornhuskers (1-0), who went 9-4 a year ago and finished third in the Legends
division of the Big Ten.
Chris Campbell was 6-of-11 for 69 yards and a score in Ellis Johnson's head
coaching debut for the Golden Eagles (0-1), who won a school-record 12 games a
year ago.
Johnson, who spent the last four seasons as the defensive coordinator at South
Carolina, took over for Larry Fedora, now the head coach at North Carolina.
GAME NOTES:
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