Game recap: Georgia Southern stuns Nebraska Cornhuskers with victory in Lincoln
Their history together started Saturday, when the Georgia Southern Eagles (now 2-0, 0-0 Sun Belt Conference) and new head coach Clay Helton went into Lincoln and the sea of red at Memorial Stadium to face the host Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska won't forget this first meeting.
Husker fans, more than 86,000, saw the Eagles best the Cornhuskers by a field goal, 45-42. The athletics program is guaranteed a payout of $1,423,000.
The loss is another close-game defeat in a tough run for Nebraska coach Scott Frost, in his fifth season at the helm at his alma mater. The former Huskers star QB, a member of two national championship teams, is trying to turn around a program that has gone 4-8, 5-7, 3-5, 3-9 and now 1-2 under his watch.
How it happened: Takeaways from Georgia Southern's upset of Nebraska on Saturday night
Game day information: Georgia Southern football vs. Nebraska on Saturday: Kickoff, how to watch and more
Annual visit: Kyle Vantrease returns to hostile territory at Nebraska, this time as QB for Georgia Southern
Commentary: So far, so good for Georgia Southern Eagles in debut for coach, high-flying offense
First impressions: Takeaways from Georgia Southern's dominant effort in coach Clay Helton's debut
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11:25 p.m. | Georgia Southern hangs on against Nebraska for second-ever win against Power 5 opponent
Nebraska's Timmy Bleekrode was wide left on a 52-yard field-goal attempt as time ran out. Georgia Southern wins 45-42 for its second win ever over a Power 5 conference opponent (2013 at Florida)
11:18 p.m. | Touchdown Kyle Vantrease on a designed run
Froth the 8 yard linke, with the quarterback stretching the ball over the goal line. Alex Raynor made the extra point for 45-42 with 36 seconds left in regulation.
10:55 p.m. | Critical call reverses Nebraska fumble
Backup QB Logan Smothers had a big run, with the ball punched out by Georgia Southern linebacker Marques Watson-Trent and recovered by Dillon Springer. Called a fumble on the field, official review ruled Smothers' knee had touched the ground first on a bang-bang play at 6:33 left in regulation with Georgia Southern up 38-35.
10:48 p.m. | Georgia Southern drove, but quarterback Kyle Vantrease throws the intercepton
After a clutch 4th-and-1 by Georgia Southern, the Eagles turned ball over. '
Kyle Vantrease was hit by Garrett Nelson as he threw, and Marques Buford Jr. turned around just in time to pick off the pass for his second interception of the game.
Nebraska ball at its 2 with 9:03 left in fourth.
10:20 p.m. | Nebraska ties it as Georgia Southern hasn't found a way to stop the Cornhusker defense
Georgia Southern's defense hasn't solved Nebraska's offense, which just went 84 yards on 13 plays in 4:59, culminated by Ajay Allen's 7-yard TD run. With the PAT, it's 35-35 with 3:18 left in the third quarter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Southern live update: Nebraska game score
