Mcgee, Lane Run All Over Huskers In Aggies' 36-14 Win

Saturday, October 20th 2007, 5:22 pm

By: News On 6

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Stephen McGee set career highs with 35 carries for 167 yards and Jorvorskie Lane rushed for 130 yards and four touchdowns, leading Texas A&M to a 36-14 victory over Nebraska on Saturday.

Texas A&M (6-2, 3-1 Big 12) won for the first time in six visits to Lincoln since 1955 and spoiled a day of celebration for Cornhusker fans, who welcomed back Tom Osborne as interim athletic director.

The Aggies, blown out by Miami and Texas Tech in their two previous road games this season, responded after Nebraska (4-4, 1-3) pulled within two points and at least temporarily took some heat off their embattled coach, Dennis Franchione.

A&M opened the third quarter with two 80-yard touchdown drives, with Lane finishing both for a 30-14 lead. Then its defense held the Huskers scoreless after they drove inside the 10-yard line.

The Huskers now have a three-game losing streak for the third time in four seasons under coach Bill Callahan, who had the heat ratcheted up with the firing of Steve Pederson, the man who hired him.

Many in the crowd of 84,473 wore T-shirts commemorating Osborne's return to the athletic department , 10 years after finishing his Hall-of-Fame coaching career. The shirts read: ``T.O. Tradition. Order.''

It was A&M that looked like the Nebraska teams Osborne coached. Using an Osborne staple _ the triple option _ McGee did a pretty good impersonation of Nebraska 1997 national champion quarterback Scott Frost.

Nebraska's linebackers bit hard on fake handoffs to Lane, allowing McGee to pick up big chunks of yardage.

McGee ran seven consecutive times on the Aggies' first series of the second half. Lane then broke off a career-long 31-yard run before scoring from the 2.

McGee had runs of 13 and 12 yards on A&M's next possession, then faked a handoff to Lane and ran for 6 more to convert a fourth-and-2 at the Nebraska 30. Lane scored four plays later from the 4 to make it 30-14.

The Huskers were in position to get back in the game, moving from their 24 to the A&M 6, but Sam Keller, not spotting an open Todd Peterson in the back of the end zone, scrambled and was thrown for a 3-yard loss on third down. His fourth-down pass to Maurice Purify in the end zone was tipped away.

Lane's 1-yard run late in the fourth finished the scoring.

McGee completed 13 of 22 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Keller was 26-of-44 for 275 yards, with Marlon Lucky catching 13 for 125 yards.

Nebraska had pulled to within 16-14 late in the second quarter after driving 79 yards in nine plays, scoring on Keller's 10-yard pass to Purify.

Texas A&M had led 16-7 after converting a Nebraska turnover into a touchdown. The Aggies appeared to have been stopped at their 35, but Nebraska punt returner Nate Swift dropped the ball after calling for a fair catch, and A&M's Corey Gibas recovered at the Nebraska 28.

Lane bulled his way for 27 yards on the next play, then ran in for the touchdown.

Texas A&M scored on its first possession, with McGee hitting Earvin Taylor with a 2-yard rollout pass. Ndamukong Suh blocked Matt Szymanki's extra-point try.

The Huskers went up 7-6 on the ensuing series. Keller hit Sean Hill for a pair of 13-yard gains, Quentin Castille picked up 13 on a run. Lucky got 13 more on a screen pass before Castille scored from the 3.

The Aggies drove from their 20 to the Nebraska 6, but an offensive pass interference penalty forced them to settle for Szymanki's 39-yard field goal and a 9-7 lead.