No. 25 Nebraska blows out Idaho State 73-7

Published Sep. 22, 2012 10:05 p.m. ET

foxsports

For Idaho State, this one was all about the money.

The $600,000 guarantee Idaho State earned for showing up for a 73-7 loss to No. 25 Nebraska represents 5 percent of the school's $12 million athletic budget.

Were there any other positives to come out of this for the Bengals?

''Not a lot,'' coach Mike Kramer said.

The Cornhuskers (3-1) led 35-0 after the first quarter and 45-0 at half.

The Bengals (1-2), of the Football Championship Subdivision, have lost 34 straight road games and 46 of their past 52 games overall.

Nebraska rolled up 385 of its 569 yards on the ground, with Rex Burkhead running for 119 and Imani Cross for 100.

Kramer said the Huskers did nothing unexpected offensively.

''Eleven guys got blocked on almost every single play,'' he said. ''Excuse me, 10 guys got blocked on every play and the 11th guy didn't make the tackle.''

Burkhead, playing for the first time since he sprained his left knee in Nebraska's opener, broke a 61-yard touchdown run on his third carry. His 2-yard TD on his eighth and final run early in the second quarter made it 42-0.

Nebraska also got touchdowns on Ciante Evans' 29-yard interception return and Ameer Abdullah's 81-yard punt return, making it the first time since the 2009 game against Colorado that the Huskers scored on offense, defense and special teams.

Idaho State's score came on CJ Reyes' 28-yard pass to Luke Austin in the fourth quarter.

Idaho State had 210 total yards, all but 72 coming in the second half against Nebraska's defensive reserves. Kevin Yost was 16 of 34 for 123 yards, with two interceptions. He was sacked six times.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini was back on the sideline. He became ill during last week's game against Arkansas State and was taken to a hospital by ambulance after halftime. He complained of heartburn and disorientation. A series of tests were negative, and he was back at work the next day.

Nebraska, which opens Big Ten play against Wisconsin at home next Saturday, scored on four straight possessions after Brett Maher missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt on the game's opening series.

Nebraska's 45 points in the first half were its most since scoring 52 against Baylor in the first half in 2000.

The Huskers scored again when Abdullah fielded Reyes' bouncing rugby-style punt at his 19-yard line, made three defenders miss and cut inside near the goal line as blocker Daniel Davie kept Donovan Henley at bay.

Kramer said his punt coverage was timid.

''They ran one back 80-freaking yards for a touchdown,'' Kramer said. ''Every time we started punting, we started tip-toeing at the end.''

Martinez completed 9 of 13 passes and moved into fifth place on Nebraska's career passing list with 4,598 yards, overtaking 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch.

With his 12th career 100-yard game, Burkhead went from 11th to seventh on the Huskers' career rushing list with 2,841 yards.