Sept 29, 2001

Final Stats

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Eric Crouch scored on a 95-yard run, the longest in school history, and rushed for a school quarterback-record 191 yards as No. 4 Nebraska beat Missouri 36-3 Saturday.

Dahrann Diedrick scored two touchdowns for Nebraska (5-0), which has a 23-game winning streak against Missouri (1-2) since 1978, with an average score of 38-14.

The Cornhuskers, who have a seven-game overall winning streak, have won 13 straight in Columbia since 1973.

Their effort was not that dominant in the latest meeting, and was dotted with mistakes. Nebraska, playing its first road game of the season, had two turnovers and a blocked field-goal attempt in the first quarter, and later botched an extra-point kick.

But Crouch's run certainly stood out.

Fading to pass in the Nebraska end zone, Crouch was nearly tackled for a safety before tucking the ball away. He deked a pair of defenders around the Nebraska 20, then easily won a sprint to the end zone to put the Cornhuskers ahead 22-3 with 2:21 to go in the third quarter.

The run bettered the record of 94 yards set by Craig Johnson on Oct. 13, 1979. against Kansas, and matched by Roger Craig on Sept. 19, 1981, against Florida State. Crouch, who had 17 carries, eclipsed the quarterback mark of 174 yards set by Gerry Gdowski against Iowa State in 1989.

Crouch added a 15-yard touchdown run with 9:56 to go for a 29-3 lead, and finished with 311 yards in total offense. He was 8-for-14 for 120 yards and an interception.

Diedrick scored on runs of 4 and 1 yards in the second quarter as Nebraska recovered from a shaky start. He had 86 yards on 24 carries and has seven touchdowns on the year.

Jammal Lord added a 1-yard run with 4:18 remaining.

Missouri was unable to keep pace despite the return of junior quarterback Kirk Farmer, who tore a knee ligament in the second game of the season. Farmer was 15-for-39 for 128 yards for the Tigers, coming off a three-week layoff.

Missouri has totaled 16 points in its two games against Division I-A competition.

Nebraska, which had outscored opponents 65-14 in the first quarter, stumbled out of the gate this time. The Cornhuskers had two turnovers and a blocked field-goal attempt in the quarter, and trailed 3-0 on Brad Hammerich's 28-yard field goal.

Diedrick's touchdowns gave Nebraska a 13-3 lead. The second score came with 23 seconds to go and came one play after Wilson Thomas caught an underthrown pass from Crouch for a 37-yard gain.