Saturday, September 11, 2021 03:30 PM (ET)

Adrian Martinez leads Nebraska past Buffalo

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

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