LINCOLN, Neb. – An air of "here we go again" hung over Memorial Stadium on Saturday when Rutgers' Kiy Hester intercepted Tanner Lee early in the second half and ran 33 yards to the end zone to give the Scarlet Knights a three-point lead.
A week earlier here, Northern Illinois had two pick-sixes against Lee in one of Nebraska's most humiliating losses in years.
When Lee trotted onto the field for the next series against the Scarlet Knights, he got booed, and the Cornhuskers went three-and-out.
But coach Mike Riley stuck with Lee for the possession after that, and the transfer from Tulane completed six of eight passes during a 97-yard drive that produced the go-ahead touchdown in a 27-17 win.
Lee, who has thrown a nation-high nine interceptions, didn't pretend to not hear the boos.
"That was tough," he said. "I made a dumb play there, that's for sure. I think the biggest thing was that we got the ball back inside our own 5 and we finished with a touchdown. That was the most important thing to us right there."
The Huskers (2-2, 1-0 Big Ten) pounded away at the Scarlet Knights and wore them down in the second half. Devine Ozigbo ran 24 times for 101 yards after having carried just twice in the first three games.
It was a much-needed victory for Riley two days after the firing of athletic director Shawn Eichorst was announced. With Eichorst out, the focus has shifted to Riley, who got a handshake from university President Hank Bounds as he walked off the field. He appeared worn out at the postgame news conference, speaking a bit softer than usual.
