AUSTIN, Texas - ESPN dubbed this "Survival Saturday," a day when rivals clashed and contenders became pretenders.
Nebraska, you have been voted off the island.
The Bowl Championship Series? That'll probably have to wait until 2004. The Big 12 championship game? That's looking iffy, too.
Nebraska's hopes of getting back with the big boys of college football were smashed in the Texas bluegrass Saturday in a 31-7 Longhorn rout.
They never saw it coming. The Huskers went into the day with a No. 9 BCS ranking. They never saw Texas rolling up 484 yards, never saw the pressure defense that would make quarterback Jammal Lord run for his life.
Lord uncorked one pass that wobbled high in the air, bouncing to the ground as the burnt-orange crazies laughed.
It was that kind of day.
Tackles were missed, NU ball-carriers were swarmed. Even Bevo, the 1,900-pound steer who serves as the Texas mascot, seemed bored as he grazed near the goal post.
The game stirred memories of 2002, when NU was humbled frequently in a 7-7 season.
"It didn't seem like we had a lot of energy today," Nebraska Coach Frank Solich said after his team fell to 7-2 with a thud. "I think they wanted to do it, they tried to do it. They just didn't get it done."
Next up is a road game at Kansas. Lose it and the Huskers, who are 3-2 in the Big 12 North, can probably say goodbye to their hopes of playing in the championship game in Kansas City.
Kansas City was the last thing on Lord's mind as he dragged himself to the team bus. He signed autographs and wore a blank stare as Nebraska fans snapped pictures. He plopped in his seat, closed his eyes and tried to forget the day.
"It'll hurt for a little while," Lord said. "It will even hurt Sunday. But Monday is a new day."
