LINCOLN, Neb. — Adrian Martinez passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns to Samori Toure, and Nebraska held Buffalo to its fewest points in five years in a 28-3 win at sweltering Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Martinez hooked up with Toure for a pair of 68-yard TDs and also ran nine times for 112 yards.
The victory gives the Huskers (2-1) momentum heading into their game at No. 4 Oklahoma next week. The Bulls (1-1) of the Mid-American Conference dropped to 1-10 all-time against Big Ten opponents.
Martinez was at his best making something out of nothing when plays broke down during an afternoon when the temperature reached the mid 90s.
Martinez looked as if he would get sacked on a third down from his 25, but he ducked and sidestepped the blitz and went 71 yards to set up Gabe Ervin’s first short touchdown run.
In the second half, Martinez was flushed from the pocket and about to get tackled when he desperately shoveled the ball to Chris Hickman, who turned the play into a 27-yard gain.
Martinez’s first touchdown pass came on a short toss to Toure, who turned it into a 68-yard catch-and-run. The second was a perfect strike Toure caught in stride running a post pattern.
Buffalo was the first Nebraska opponent held without a touchdown since the Huskers’ 44-8 win over Northern Illinois on Sept. 14, 2019. The Bulls’ point total was their lowest since a 38-0 loss to Western Michigan on Nov. 19, 2016.
Luke Reimer, an inside linebacker who arrived at Nebraska as a walk-on two years ago, made a career-high 16 tackles.
With the Huskers up seven points, he made a shoestring tackle on Ron Cook in the first half to snuff out a fourth-and-3. Reimer later tipped the ball to himself for his first career interception and ran it back 22 yards to set up Ervin’s second short touchdown run.
Kyle Vantrease completed 27 of 50 passes for 224 yards for the Bulls, and Kevin Marks Jr. ran 21 times for 85 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Buffalo: The Bulls are a work in progress under first-year coach Maurice Linguist. Their aggressive downhill defense allowed the Huskers to break some big plays, and they were undisciplined with two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and two facemasks.
Nebraska: The margin of victory doesn’t cover up the Huskers’ flaws. Connor Culp missed three field goals, a Buffalo punt touched a Nebraska player and allowed the Bulls to keep possession, and penalties erased two touchdowns.
UP NEXT
Buffalo hosts No. 17 Coastal Carolina on Sept. 18.
Nebraska visits No. 4 Oklahoma on Sept. 18.
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