Locker, Huskies shock Huskers

Associated Press

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Jake Locker ended his college career with a win that has the Washington Huskies headed back to respectability.

Locker bounced back from an injury he said looked worse than it was, scoring on a 25-yard run in the third quarter to help Washington to a 19-7 victory over punchless No. 17 Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl on Thursday night.

Tailback Chris Polk ran for 177 yards and a score as the Huskies (7-6) avenged a 56-21 loss to the Huskers (10-4) in Seattle on Sept. 18. The Cornhuskers piled up 533 yards of total offense in that game, including 383 rushing.

While Washington was a winner in its first bowl game since 2002, the Huskers came out flat in their second straight Holiday Bowl appearance. They were manhandled on both sides of the line and imploded under 12 penalties for 102 yards.

Washington outgained Nebraska 340 yards to 189, including 268 to 91 rushing.

“We just ran right at ’em,” Polk said. “We knew we could win if we ran the way we know how to run. They couldn’t stop it. We whupped a team that didn’t respect us.”

Locker, who passed up the NFL draft last spring to return for his senior season, capped the opening drive of the second half with a 25-yard scoring run to give Washington a 17-7 lead. He faked a handoff and then ran right, bouncing off a defender and staying on his feet to score.

“This is the experience that I came back for,” Locker said. “It’s been some frustrating years, but to go out this way and see this program off this way, I’m going to be their biggest fan from here on out.”

Locker ran 13 times for 83 yards. Polk had 34 carries.

Nebraska was coming off a 23-20 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game in which it blew a 17-point lead.

“I’m embarrassed,” said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, a Mooney High graduate. “I obviously didn’t get them ready to play. I thought we were ready to play. I liked our plan. We didn’t execute very well. Obviously we didn’t play our best football. It starts with me.”