Nebraska senior tailback Ameer Abdullah set a school record for single-game all-purpose yardage Saturday -- and burnished his Heisman credentials in the process -- in leading the Huskers to a 42-24 victory over Rutgers.
Abdullah rolled up 341 all-purpose yards -- 225 yards (and three touchdowns) on the ground, 26 receiving yards and 90 yards in kickoff returns. In addition, Saturday's outing was his fourth 200-yard game of the season, which ties Mike Rozier's single-season school record set in 1983. Rozier won the Heisman that season, when he rushed for 2,148 yards.
Abdullah had been third in the nation in rushing at 146.3 yards per game.
Abdullah has rushed for 1,249 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, and Saturday's game was his fifth in a row with at least two rushing touchdowns.
Abdullah did his damage on just 19 carries, meaning he averaged 11.8 yards per carry. In his previous three 200-yard games this season, he had averaged 26 carries, and the 19 attempts Saturday tied for his second-fewest of the season. Abdullah's three TD runs covered 53, 48 and 23 yards.
NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks wrote late last month that "Abdullah's consistent production and outstanding skills are quickly making him one of the fastest risers in the 2015 draft class."
Senior wide receiver Kenny Bell had six receptions for 63 yards, and he now has a school-record 167 career receptions. Nate Swift, who played for the Huskers from 2005-08, had held the record of 166. Bell is four yards shy of breaking Johnny Rodgers' school record for career receiving yards (2,479).
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
