LINCOLN — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini had nothing more to say Sunday night when asked about the crazy finish to the Big 12 championship game almost 24 hours earlier.
Pelini, taking part in a Holiday Bowl teleconference, declined to discuss his postgame conversation with Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe or to comment on the explanation given by Big 12 coordinator of officials Walt Anderson for how the final seconds were handled.
“What happened happened,'' Pelini said. “We lost the football game, and I wish Texas luck. I'm not getting into that.''
With NU leading 12-10 on Saturday night, the game clock expired as a Colt McCoy incomplete pass sailed out of bounds. As the Huskers swarmed the field, replay officials signaled to referee Tom Walker that the play would be reviewed — and eventually one second was returned to the clock.
Hunter Lawrence then kicked a 46-yard field goal for unbeaten Texas to escape with a 13-12 victory and a spot in the BCS national championship game.
“It's over and done with as far as I'm concerned,'' Pelini said.
NU moves up in polls
Nebraska jumped one spot in both the USA Today coaches' poll and the Associated Press rankings Sunday to No. 19 and 20 after its 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 championship game.
The Huskers are the highest ranked of four teams with four losses in the coaches' poll.
Statistically after 13 games, NU sits second nationally in scoring defense, third in passing efficiency defense and ninth in total defense after holding the Longhorns to a season-low 202 yards. It ranks third in sacks per game after getting to Colt McCoy nine times Saturday.
Busy week for Suh
Ndamukong Suh has quite a week ahead.
The NU defensive tackle left Lincoln Sunday for Charlotte, N.C., to attend the banquet tonight for the Nagurski Award. Suh is a finalist for the award with Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes, Tennessee cornerback Eric Berry and Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody.
Pelini will accompany Suh to Charlotte. Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini will join Suh in Houston, where the Lombardi Award will be presented Wednesday night. Bo Pelini and Suh will travel to Orlando for Thursday's ESPN college football awards show, at which Suh is up for the Outland Trophy, the Bednarik Award and the Walter Camp Award.
If named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, Suh and the head coach would travel to New York for festivities Friday and the presentation Saturday. The Heisman voting deadline is today. Three to six finalists will be invited to New York.
Suh and Carl Pelini are also scheduled to attend the Lott Trophy presentation Sunday.
‘Lot of growing up to do'
Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson offered a straightforward assessment Saturday night of the Huskers' offensive performance against Texas.
“We've got a lot of growing up to do,” he said. “A lot of getting better to do. No doubt about it.”
NU gained a season-low five first downs and 106 yards, 43 of which came on the Huskers' final drive of the fourth quarter.
Watson described junior Zac Lee as a “young quarterback.” The first-year starting QB completed 6 of 19 passes for 39 yards with three interceptions.
Lee, too, has a “lot of growing up to do, a lot of developing to do,” according to Watson.
“He'll be OK,” Watson said, “because he's a great kid. He'll keep working hard.”
Said Lee: “It starts with us getting much better at everything. We just have to continue to improve, all the way around.”
Rare occurrence
Just how rare was that kickoff out of bounds by Adi Kunalic with less than two minutes to play Saturday night?
Kunalic had not booted it out of bounds in 69 kickoffs this year until the errant kick that gave Texas possession at its 40-yard line and sparked the Longhorns' final scoring drive.
In fact, Kunalic had kicked out of bounds once in 216 career opportunities.
The low, hooking kick bounced in play and trickled out of bounds near the 10-yard line. Colt McCoy hit Jordan Shipley for 19 yards on first down after the kickoff to the NU 41, and a 15-yard penalty for a horse-collard tackle on Larry Asante moved it to the 26.
— Rich Kaipust, Mitch Sherman and Jon Nyatawa
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