Field Level Media
Sep 11, 2021
Adrian Martinez accounted for 354 yards of total offense while Gabe Ervin and Samori Toure each scored two touchdowns as Nebraska overwhelmed Buffalo 28-3 on Saturday afternoon in Lincoln, Neb.
Martinez, a fourth-year junior, threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 13-of-19 passing and ran for 112 yards. It was his seventh career 100-yard rushing game and put him over 2,000 for his career, the fifth Nebraska quarterback to reach that number.
Ervin, a true freshman, scored on runs of 2 and 1 while Toure hauled in a pair of 68-yard touchdown passes from Martinez.
Nebraska (2-1) had a chance for points on its first two drives but its own mistakes negated any scoring. Connor Culp hit the upright on a 32-yard field goal on the Cornhuskers' first possession, the first of three misses for the reigning Big Ten Kicker of the Year, and an offensive pass interference call wiped out a 44-yard touchdown catch by Toure.
The 'Huskers finally broke through midway through the second quarter when, after eluding a sack in the backfield, Martinez scrambled for a 71-yard gain. One play later, Ervin scored from 2 yards out.
Martinez then connected with Toure on a 68-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half to give Nebraska a 14-0 lead at the break.
Buffalo (1-1) got on the board with 9:17 left in the third quarter on a 45-yard field goal by Alex McNulty, tying his career high. McNulty was 1 for 4 on field goals, missing from 52, 50 and 42.
An interception by Nebraska linebacker Luke Reimer, who made a tackle on a fourth down play in the first half to thwart a Buffalo drive, set up Ervin's second TD on a 1-yard run with 14:47 left in the fourth.
Toure's second long scoring reception, with 5:53 left in the fourth, came one play after Buffalo opted for a field-goal attempt down 21-3.
Nebraska has given up only 10 points in two games since losing 30-22 at Illinois to open the season. The three points yielded against Buffalo are the fewest since a 24-3 win over Michigan State in 2011.
It was the 377th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium, which set a record for hottest temperature at kickoff at 95 degrees.
--Field Level Media