(15) Nebraska Loses Abdullah, Wins Over Purdue
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Banana Stock/Getty Images(LINCOLN, Neb.) — The Nebraska Cornhuskers lost star running back Ameer Abdullah to a knee injury early, but the 15th-ranked team in the country pieced together a 35-14 win over Purdue on Saturday. The victory put Nebraska (8-1) in sole possession of first-place in the Big Ten West.
“We’re very optimistic,” coach Bo Pelini said when asked about the immediate future of his tailback.
Without Abdullah, Imani Cross carried the majority of the load and scored on two rushing touchdowns while quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. added another score on the ground. Armstrong also threw for a touchdown, finding De’Morney Pierson-El to open the scoring in the first quarter.
After Purdue (3-6) tied the game early in the second frame, the Huskers scored 21 unanswered points to put it out of reach. Cross book ended the three scores with his two rushing touchdowns while Terrell Newby scampered for a seven-yard score late in regulation.
It was not a very clean game for either squad. Nebraska committed three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions from Armstrong, while Purdue’s Austin Appleby also threw two picks.
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