UNIVERSITY PARK - Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 17-14 loss to Nebraska on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:
Play of the game: On first down from the Nittany Lions' 14, Cornhusker quarterback Taylor Martinez optioned right and flipped the ball at the very last second to Rex Burkhead, whose touchdown gave Nebraska a 17-0 lead with 8:51 left in the third quarter.
Offensive player of the game: Burkhead rushed for 121 yards on 25 carries and one TD. He also attempted a pass and caught a pass.
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Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Penn State running back Stephfon Green rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensive player of the game: Nebraska linebacker Will Compton made 13 tackles, including one for loss.
Most telling statistic: Of Nebraska's eight punts, five put Penn State inside its own 20. Of the Lions' seven punts, none were downed inside the 20.
Hidden statistic: Penn State went scoreless in the first half for the second straight game and failed to score a touchdown in the first half for the fourth time this year.
Best run: Silas Redd cut into an opening and broke two Nebraska tackles for a 14-yard gain in the first quarter.
Best pass: Matt McGloin threw a 40-yarder over the middle to Derek Moye at the Cornhuskers' 5, leading to a touchdown that pulled PSU within 17-7 midway through the third quarter.
Worst pass: This was not a day for great quarterbacking. McGloin had Justin Brown open over the middle in the first half but threw behind him.
Best catch: Curtis Drake snagged a pass deflected off Brown and turned it into a 31-yard gainer in the first quarter.
Catch it, will ya: Didn't see any obvious drops.
Best call: The Lions ran a reverse in which Drake found McGloin for a 16-yard reception to the Huskers' 6, setting up a TD that pulled them within 17-14 with 5:42 left in the game.
Worst call(s): Penn State, down 17-7, ran the ball too much in the fourth quarter, wasting time, lacking urgency and ultimately failing on fourth-and-1 with 1:49 left.
Best block: McGloin stuck his nose in to aid a short gain on a first-quarter reverse.
Best tackle: Devon Still beat a double-team to dump Martinez for an early 3-yard loss.
Best hit: Stephfon Green decked Nebraska kickoff returner Kenny Bell to open the second half.
Best kick: Nebraska punter Brett Maher boomed a 61-yard punt to the PSU 11 with 3:52 left.
Worst kick: Anthony Fera missed a 47-yard field goal that could have opened the scoring in the first quarter. That let a little air out of the emotional crowd.
Worst penalty: On third-and-9 from the PSU 14, Nebraska drew a borderline pass interference call against the Lions' Nick Sukay in the last minute that set up the Cornhuskers' first TD and a 10-0 lead with 44 seconds left in the first half.
Best effort: In his best game of the season, Green rushed for 71 yards on 17 carries and both PSU touchdowns. He also caught three passes and made one tackle.
Unsung hero: Martinez isn't flashy, and he's got an unorthodox delivery. But he managed the game well and accounted for nearly 200 yards of offense by completing 13-of-26 for 143 yards and no interceptions and rushing 10 times for 56 yards.
