Idaho State Bengals vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Match Player Stats On Sep 22, 2012

No. 22 Nebraska 73, Idaho State 7: Rex Burkhead returned to the Nebraska lineup for the first time since the season opener and rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cornhuskers to an easy non-conference win.

Nebraska (3-1) raced to a 35-0 lead after the opening quarter and was never threatened against visiting Idaho State (1-2), an FCS member from the Big Sky Conference.

Burkhead, the senior I-back who was injured on his third carry of the season in the opener against Southern Miss, gave the Huskers an early lead with a career-long 61-yard touchdown run. Burkhead passed former Husker All-Americans I.M. Hipp and Lawrence Phillips to move into seventh on NU's all-time rushing list.

Quarterback Taylor Martinez, who also played only the first half, completed 9 of 13 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder to Kenny Bell on a shovel pass. Nebraska, which led 45-0 at half, rushed for 385 yards and scored its most points since tallying 73 in a win over Kansas State in 2007.

Ameer Abdullah, who filled in admirably during Burkhead's absence, also scored two touchdowns, running for a score in the first quarter before returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown early in the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: This marks the 31st consecutive season Nebraska has posted a winning non-conference record .. With his 165 yards passing, Martinez moved into fifth place on Nebraska's all-time passing yardage list, vaulting past former Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch ... Since beating Utah State in 2000, Idaho State has lost 18 straight games against FBS opponents.