LINCOLN, Neb. — Tommy Armstrong Jr. passed for 377 yards and three touchdowns, Kieron Williams ran back one of Josh Allen’s five interceptions for a score and Nebraska defeated Wyoming 52-17 on Saturday.
The Cornhuskers (2-0) started their 28-point fourth quarter on Armstrong’s perfectly thrown 34-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Westerkamp. Armstrong later flipped a 9-yarder to Westerkamp for his school-record 57th career TD pass.
Williams ran back an interception 23 yards for a touchdown to put Nebraska up 24-10, but the Cowboys (1-1) answered with a six-play, 76-yard drive to make it a seven-point late in the third quarter.
Westerkamp caught four balls for 105 yards and Alonzo Moore had three catches for 109.
Now Nebraska turns its attention to its much-anticipated game against No. 24 Oregon.
“I think it’s great to be 2-0 going into this game,” Nebraska coach Mike Riley said. “It’s an exciting time. The more you win, the more exciting the next game gets. This one, being who they are and what they mean nationally and where we want to go, this is exciting.”
Allen, who played a turnover-free game in last week’s triple-overtime win over Northern Illinois, accounted for all six Wyoming turnovers. Tanner Gentry had seven catches for 124 yards for his second straight 100-yard receiving game.
“There was a tipping point in the game, and sometimes they get away from you. That one did,” Cowboys coach Craig Bohl said. “I don’t know where the exact tipping point was, but it was after one of those interceptions. The score started getting tough.”
THE TAKEAWAY
WYOMING: The Cowboys hung with the Huskers for three quarters, but there was no way Wyoming was going to survive six turnovers — all in the second half. Allen did show flashes, like when he rolled right and threw a perfect strike on a 35-yard pass to Gentry for touchdown on a fourth-and-12 late in the first half.
NEBRASKA: The Huskers showed much more offensive balance than it did a week ago, but the personal fouls and other penalties continued, which could come back to bite them against better opponents. The defense shut down Wyoming star running back Brian Hill — good preparation for Oregon’s Royce Freeman next week.
UP NEXT
WYOMING: The Cowboys return home to play UC Davis of the FCS Big Sky Conference for the first time. The teams have a one-game contract, with Wyoming paying a $400,000 guarantee.
NEBRASKA: The Huskers face No. 24 Oregon in Lincoln. Mike Riley was 4-10 against the Ducks with his outmanned Oregon State teams (1997-98, 2003-14).
