Helu, Huskers power past KU

• NU coach Bo Pelini at the postgame press conference:



LAWRENCE, Kan. – Nebraska found a spark of fourth-quarter offense and came from behind to beat Kansas 31-17 today before 51,525 at Memorial Stadium.

The Huskers, down 17-16 with less than eight minutes to play, benefited from a Niles Paul kickoff return to the KU 36-yard line and a third-down facemask penalty on KU cornerback Justin Thornton to score the game-winning touchdown on Roy Helu's 20-yard run with 6:32 to play.

Thornton was flagged for grabbing the headgear of freshman receiver Khiry Cooper after a third-and-14 reception behind the line of scrimmage. The penalty gave Nebraska new life and a first down at the 20. Helu scored on the next play.

NU quarterback Zac Lee connected for a two-point conversion with Paul, who caught four passes for a career-high 154 yards.

The Huskers stopped Kansas after going ahead and drove 74 yards to score the game-clinching touchdown on Helu's 14-yard run with 29 seconds left.

Helu finished with 28 carries for 156 yards.

Lee played the entire game, completing 13 of 21 throws for 196 yards without an interception.

NU improved to 7-3 and took sole possession of first place in the Big 12 North Division at 4-2. The Huskers must beat Kansas State Saturday in Lincoln to clinch their first appearance in the conference title game since 2006.

KU lost its fifth straight game and dropped to 5-5 and 1-5.

The Blackshirts handled Kansas early, holding the Jayhawks without a first down in the opening quarter. KU quarterback Todd Reesing scrambled for 13 yards on the first play of the second quarter, a sign of things to come.

Reesing beat Nebraska consistently until halftime as Kansas moved the chains 11 times in the second quarter to force a 10-10 tie at the half.

Offensively, the Huskers scored on a 58-yard march to open the game. It snapped a streak of 44 consecutive NU possessions without a touchdown drive of 50 yards or longer. The score came with a bit of drama when Lee fumbled an option keeper from the 1-yard line into the end zone. Helu jumped on it to put the Huskers on top.

The Huskers turned momentum in the third quarter on a fumble by Kansas receiver Kerry Meier at the NU 4-yard line. Dejon Gomes caused the turnover after a 19-yard completion, and Matt O'Hanlon recovered the football.

Nebraska turned it into a second Henery field goal to make it 13-10.

After another Henery field goal early in the fourth quarter, Kansas answered with an 89-yard drive. Reesing hit Dezmon Briscoe for a 21-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Jayhawks their only lead at 17-16 with 7:34 to play in the game.

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