It was cold and snow was swirling in his face as the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorn’s backup kicker Ryan Bailey kicked a 22-yard field goal with 22-seconds left on the clock to ice a 22-20 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln Saturday Oct.21. Bailey got the call because regular kicker Greg Johnson who had missed two field goal attempts on the day was experiencing tightness in his kicking leg.
"I had no idea something like this would happen," Bailey said. "I was here along for the ride." What a ride it was for both the Longhorns (7-1, 4-0 Big 12) and Cornhuskers (6-2, 3-1). The Huskers were on the verge of pulling the upset after taking a 20-19 lead with 4:54 left. But Texas caught a huge break when receiver Terrence Nunn fumbled as the Huskers were trying to kill the clock. Marcus Griffin recovered at the Nebraska 44 with 2:17 left.
Colt McCoy, with a 20-mph wind in his face, snow flurries swirling and Vince Young looking on from the sideline, drove the Longhorns to the Nebraska 5.
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The Longhorns almost lost the ball themselves when Jordan Shipley fumbled, but offensive lineman Kasey Studdard recovered. After McCoy threw incomplete to Sweed in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5, Nebraska challenged to see whether Bo Ruud had intercepted the pass.
Nebraska tried to ice Bailey when coach Bill Callahan asked officials to review the previous play to see if the Huskers may have intercepted a pass by McCoy in the end zone. Replays clearly showed that the ball bounced on the ground, however, and Bailey didn't seem to mind the delay.
Nebraska got two shots at the end zone as the clock ran out — including an untimed down after Texas was called for roughing the passer on what would have been the final play of the game — but both passes from Zac Taylor were broken up.
Texas won its 16th straight road game, extending a school record, and 19th consecutive conference game.
Nebraska, which hasn't beaten a top-10 team since Oklahoma in 2001, lost for the sixth time in seven meetings with Texas since the Big 12 began play in 1996.
Texas installed as a –5.5-point favorite by most sportsbooks, failed to cover with the two point straight up win. The Total was set at 47 which allowed the under supporters to cash in.
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