Bo Pelini is 1-0 as a head coach!

In Bo Pelini's one game as head coach he won. This was the Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan State on December 29, 2003. Now Pelini comes back to Nebraska to finish his business. See the stats from that game and the story after the game. Does it bring back memories? Nebraska had three interceptions that day. Story complementary of www.USAtoday.com.


Dec 29, 2003

1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH FINAL Michigan State 3 0 0 0 3 Nebraska 3 14 0 0 17

Scoring NEBRASKA D Dyches 29 YD MICHIGANST D Rayner 46 YD NEBRASKA C Ross 2 YD RUN (D Dyches KICK) NEBRASKA C Ross 6 YD RUN (D Dyches KICK)

Team Statistics Michigan State Nebraska First downs 13 20 Rushes-Yards 23 - 18 54 - 229 Passing yards 156 160 Sacked-Yards lost 5 - 37 0 - 0 Return yards 3 30 Passes 21 - 39 - 3 8 - 17 - 0 Punts-Average 8 - 46.4 7 - 42.9 Fumbles-Lost 0 - 0 1 - 0 Penalties-Yards 5 - 53 8 - 69 Time of Possession 29:31 30:29

Player Statistics Passing Michigan State Cmp Att Yds Int Smoker, Jeff 21 39 156 3 Nebraska Cmp Att Yds Int Lord, Jammal 8 17 160 0 Rushing Michigan State Att Yds Dortch, Tyrell 9 31 Hayes, Jaren 6 13 Smoker, Jeff 8 -26 Nebraska Att Yds Ross, Cory 37 138 Lord, Jammal 10 79 Kriewald, Steve 2 10 Davies, Judd 2 4 Fluellen, Isaiah 1 2 Team, - 2 -4 Receiving Michigan State Att Yds Alexander, Aaron 8 63 Brown, Kyle 4 41 Shabaj, Agim 4 31 Scott, Jerramy 1 18 Knott, Eric 1 10 Kavanaght, Ziehl 1 8 Hayes, Jaren 1 -6 Dortch, Tyrell 1 -9 Nebraska Att Yds Fluellen, Isaiah 4 84 Pilkington, Ross 3 70 Keiser, Dusty 1 6

Game Story

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Bo Pelini got Nebraska to play like
the "Blackshirts" of old.

The 21st-ranked Conhuskers shut down Michigan State's
high-powered offense and used two short second-quarter touchdown
runs by Cory Ross to defeat the Spartans, 17-3, in the Alamo
Bowl.

Ross rushed for a career-high 138 yards on 37 carries for
Nebraska (10-3), which was playing in its NCAA-record 35th
consecutive bowl game.

Named interim coach when Frank Solich was fired at the end of
the regular season, Pelini is not considered a serious candidate
for the job.  But as the Cornhuskers' defensive coordinator, he
devised a game plan that stifled Michigan State quarterback
Jeff Smoker.

"Our big key was to pressure Smoker with a four-man rush,"
Pelini explained.  "That allowed us to play back in coverage and
tackle well.  We pressured more than I would have thought."

After the teams traded field goals in the first quarter, Ross
scored on runs of two and six yards, giving Nebraska a 17-3
halftime lead.

"We pounded the ball on the ground," Ross said.  "Our offensive
line created holes."

Jamaal Lord rushed for 79 yards on 10 attempts for the
Cornhuskers, including a career-long 66-yard scamper that set up
Ross' second score.  Afterwards, he expressed support for
Solich.

"This 10-3 season was coach Solich all the way," Lord said.  "I
didn't care about my passing, 17-3 is all that matters."

The fiery Pelini gave Michigan State (8-5) an opening when he
was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with the
Spartans facing 4th-and inches in the fourth quarter.  Pelini
was upset the officials did not give the ball to Nebraska after
Smoker fumbled a snap.

The penalty gave Michigan State a first down at the Nebraska 34
with more than seven minutes left.  But two plays later,
cornerback Pat Ricketts sealed the win with the Cornhuskers'
school-record 31st interception, which also is tops in Division
I-A.

Nebraska recorded three interceptions and five sacks while
holding Michigan State to 18 rushing yards and 174 total, more
than 200 below its average.

"They're an awful good football team," Spartans coach John L.
Smith said.  "They're very big, strong and athletic. ... We were
an inch away on some of the big plays that could have made this
a great night for us."

Smoker completed 21-of-39 passes for 156 yards.  His final pass
for the Spartans was intercepted by cornerback Fabian Washington
with 1:08 remaining.

"Jeff has done a lot for us this year.  Without him, it would
have been a long year," Smith said.  "He gave us an opportunity
to win."

Safety Josh Bullocks' interception gave Nebraska a first down at
the Spartans 36 early in the second quarter and led to Ross'
first TD.

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