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It was tricky to characterize Rex Burkhead in 2010, as he did a little bit of everything for Nebraska: I-back, Wildcat quarterback, slot receiver.

His role is more defined this season. He's clearly the Huskers' lead back behind signal-caller Taylor Martinez.

But one label continues to follow Burkhead more than others. Even those who have never faced him in a game use it to describe the Huskers junior.

"Burkhead," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said, "is a throwback."

Does Burkhead agree?

"I hear it a lot from a bunch of media people, so in a way, I guess," he said. "I still have a few flashes of making moves, but I'm not really sure the exact definition. I don't know if it's hard-nosed, running downhill or whatever. I guess it's a compliment. I'll take it."

It's definitely a compliment and a testament to Burkhead's approach. His versatility stands out in a game that has become increasingly specialized. His consistency has been key for a Huskers offense that has endured ups and downs the past few seasons.

Playing behind Roy Helu Jr. last year, Burkhead rushed for 951 yards and seven touchdowns on 5.5 yards a carry and added 148 receiving yards. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior already has matched his 2010 touchdowns total in the first four games (7), and his yards-per-carry average is up to 6.7. While Nebraska has had some issues with its power run game, Burkhead has lost only three yards on 63 attempts.

"We're really happy with Rex," Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. "He's ran hard, he's done a lot of good things. He's a heck of a football player. We always felt he was a huge part of our offense, and it's continued this year."

Burkhead saw his workload increase toward the end of last season, in part because Martinez was banged up. After averaging just 9.1 carries through Nebraska's first eight games, Burkhead averaged 16.5 carries in the final six contests, recording no fewer than 12 carries in a game.

He has had 15 or more carries in three of Nebraska's first four games this fall, a trend that will continue as the competition level increases.

"Recovery is the No. 1 thing you have to focus on as the season goes on," he said. "Get in the cold tub after practice, make sure you're 100 percent from game to game, fully recovered so you can go out and play your best."

Although Nebraska boasts good depth at running back, Burkhead and Martinez have spurred the rushing attack. They boast virtually identical stat lines entering Saturday night's game at No. 7 Wisconsin.

Burkhead: 63 carries, 420 yards, 7 TDs, 6.7 ypc, 105 ypg (25th nationally)
Martinez: 63 carries, 421 yards, 7 TDs, 6.7 ypc, 105.2 ypg (24th nationally)

In 2010, the pair combined to rush for 1,916 yards. They ranked third among FBS returning QB-RB rushing tandems entering this season, behind Michigan's Denard Robinson and Vincent Smith and Oregon's Darron Thomas and LaMichael James.

Burkhead and Martinez have combined to eclipse 200 rush yards in each of Nebraska's first four contests.

"Whatever the play may be, the option or the zone read, we have that chemistry and timing down over the course of the past two seasons," Burkhead said. "We kind of know what to expect from each other."

Pelini knows what to expect from Burkhead every time Nebraska takes the field: versatility, consistency and hard work.

Is he a throwback?

"What Bret's talking about is he's tough, he's hard-nosed, he's a guy that brings his lunch pail every day and plays really hard," Pelini said. "He's a great guy to have on your football team in so many different ways."

The NFL scouting combine wrapped up Tuesday with the defensive backs going through drills.

Let's check out the Big Ten's top performers:

CORNERBACKS

• Ohio State's Chimdi Chekwa tied for third in the 40-yard dash at 4.4 seconds; Nebraska's Prince Amukamara tied for fifth at 4.43 seconds;
• Ohio State's Jermale Hines (listed as a cornerback for the combine) tied for 10th in bench-press reps with 19
• Amukamara tied for fifth in the vertical jump at 38 inches
• Amukamara tied for second in the broad jump at 10 feet, 8 inches; Chekwa tied for sixth at 10 feet, 6 inches
• Nebraska's Eric Hagg finished 10th in the 3-cone drill at 6.73 seconds

SAFETIES

• Iowa's Tyler Sash tied for fourth in the 40-yard dash at 4.62 seconds
• Sash tied for fifth in the vertical jump at 33 inches
• Sash tied for second in the 3-cone drill at 6.9 seconds

Now that the combine is finished, let's see which Big Ten players ranked in overall top performance.

BIG TEN TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCES (all positions)

• Chekwa tied for eighth in the 40-yard dash at 4.4 seconds; Nebraska running back Roy Helu Jr. finished 13th at 4.42 seconds; Amukamara finished 14th at 4.43 seconds
• Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt tied for fourth in bench-press reps with 34; Ohio State linebacker Ross Homan tied for 10th with 32; Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan tied for 12th with 31
• Indiana receiver Terrance Turner tied for fifth in vertical jump at 41 inches
• Amukamara and Turner tied for ninth in broad jump at 10 feet, 8 inches
• Ohio State receiver Dane Sanzenbacher finished third in the 3-cone drill at 6.46 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished sixth in the 20-yard shuttle at 3.97 seconds; Helu tied for 11th at 4.01 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished fourth in the 60-yard shuttle at 10.94 seconds; Helu tied for ninth at 11.07 seconds

All eyes were on Indianapolis this weekend as dozens of NFL prospects, including a large contingent from the Big Ten, went through the scouting combine.

My ESPN colleagues are all over the happenings in Naptown, so check out the combine blog and the latest Scouts Inc. combine notebook.

There's more testing and timing Monday with the defensive linemen and linebackers, but some results are in, so let's take a look. I'm breaking these down into top performers by position. I'll put together an overall top performers post once the combine is finished.

Wide receivers

• Nebraska's Niles Paul finished second in bench-press reps (225 pounds) with 24
• Paul tied for 14th in the 40-yard dash at 4.51 seconds
• Indiana's Terrance Turner tied for second in vertical jump at 41 inches
• Turner finished seventh in broad jump at 10 feet, 8 inches
• Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher finished second in 3-cone drill at 6.46 seconds; Turner tied for 14th at 6.77 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished third in the 20-yard shuttle at 3.97 seconds; Paul finished 12th at 4.14 seconds; Turner finished tied for 13th at 4.15 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished second in the 60-yard shuttle at 10.94 seconds; Turner tied for ninth at 11.21 seconds

Quarterbacks

• Iowa's Ricky Stanzi and Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien tied for 13th in the 40-yard dash at 4.93 seconds
• Stanzi finished ninth in the vertical jump at 32.5 inches; Tolzien tied for 12th at 29.5 inches
• Tolzien tied for seventh in the broad jump at 9 feet, 8 inches; Stanzi finished 12th at 9 feet, 2 inches
• Tolzien tied for third in the 3-cone drill at 6.84 seconds; Stanzi finished 12th at 6.95 seconds

Running backs

• Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. finished sixth in the 40-yard dash at 4.42 seconds; Ohio State's Brandon Saine finished seventh at 4.43 seconds;
• Illinois' Mikel Leshoure tied for third in the vertical jump at 38 inches; Helu tied for eighth at 36.5 inches
• Leshoure tied for fourth in the broad jump at 10 feet, 2 inches; Helu finished 10th at 9 feet, 11 inches
• Helu finished second in the 3-cone drill at 6.67 seconds; Leshoure finished sixth at 6.82 seconds
• Helu finished first in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.01 seconds; Penn State's Evan Royster tied for eighth at 4.18 seconds
• Helu finished first in the 60-yard shuttle at 11.07 seconds

Tight ends

• Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks finished eighth in the 40-yard dash at 4.75 seconds; Michigan State's Charlie Gantt finished 11th at 4.93 seconds; Iowa's Allen Reisner finished 12th at 4.95 seconds
• Gantt tied for first in bench-press reps with 27; Kendricks tied for third with 25
• Kendricks finished sixth in vertical jump at 34.5 inches; Gantt finished 13th at 30.5 inches
• Kendricks finished second in broad jump at 10 feet, 2 inches; Gantt finished ninth at 9 feet, 4 inches; Reisner tied for 12th at 9 feet
• Kendricks finished sixth in the 3-cone drill at 6.94 seconds; Gantt finished 11th at 7.15 seconds
• Kendricks tied for second in 20-yard shuttle at 4.15 seconds; Gantt tied for eighth at 4.4 seconds
• Kendricks tied for sixth in 60-yard shuttle at 11.9 seconds; Gantt and Reisner tied for 11th at 12.12 seconds

Defensive linemen

• Wisconsin's J.J. Watt tied for fourth in bench-press reps with 34; Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan tied for sixth with 31

Linebackers

• Ohio State linebacker Ross Homan finished first in bench-press reps with 32; Ohio State's Brian Rolle finished fourth with 28; Illinois' Martez Wilson tied for ninth with 23

Offensive linemen

• Iowa's Julian Vandervelde tied for 10th in the 40-yard dash at 5.21 seconds; Indiana's James Brewer and Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi tied for 14th at 5.27 seconds
• Michigan's Stephen Schilling and Penn State's Stefen Wisniewski tied for sixth in bench-press reps with 30; Carimi tied for ninth with 29; Ohio State's Justin Boren tied for 14th with 28
• Carimi finished fifth in vertical jump at 31.5 inches; Vandervelde tied for sixth at 31 inches; Wisconsin's John Moffitt tied for eighth at 30.5 inches
• Carimi finished fifth in broad jump at 9 feet, 1 inch; Vandervelde finished tied for 13th at 8 feet, 8 inches
• Vandervelde finished seventh in 3-cone drill at 7.46 seconds; Wisniewski finished eighth at 7.51 seconds; Boren finished 11th at 7.57 seconds
• Moffitt finished sixth in 20-yard shuttle at 4.53 seconds; Vandervelde tied for seventh at 4.59 seconds; Schilling tied for ninth at 4.62 seconds;

Each offense across the Big 12 starts 11 players on Saturday and plays 12-14 games. That's a whole lot of performances. Some are better than others.

These are the 10 best individual performances from the entire 2010 season.

If a player's team didn't win the game, he was ineligible, and this list omitted defensive performances. To add a little homogeny to this business, nonconference games were omitted as well.

1. Taylor Martinez vs. Oklahoma State. Nebraska's freshman quarterback went on the road and was unstoppable, bouncing back from one of his worst games of the year against Texas with his best. He threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing and ran for 112 yards on 19 carries. It earned the Huskers a much-needed 51-41 win in Stillwater.

2. Landry Jones vs. Nebraska. Unimpressed by his numbers? (23-of-41, 342 yards, TD, INT). Consider this: They came in the Big 12 Championship against the No. 3 passing defense in the country, and the Sooners trailed 17-0 early, so the defense knew what was coming. Considering the graveyard of quarterbacks that Nebraska left in its wake, there's no question this was among the best performances of the year.

3. Justin Blackmon vs. Baylor. He just makes it look easy. Blackmon torched the Bears for 173 yards on 13 catches and a touchdown. And he dropped another easy score! He touched the ball once in the running game, too. Of course, he ran it in for a 69-yard touchdown.

4. Taylor Martinez vs. K-State. If anyone didn't know who Martinez was before this game, they did after. On a nationally televised Thursday night game, he injected himself into the Heisman race, albeit briefly, with 241 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just 15 carries. He also threw a 79-yard touchdown pass and finished with 128 yards on 5-of-7 passing to help the Huskers roll easily, 48-13.

5. Jay Finley vs. Kansas State. Finley was a workhorse, logging 26 carries for 250 yards, including an 82-yard score in the Bears' 47-42 win. He had a pair of rushing touchdowns, and any day that features nearly 10 yards a carry is impressive.

6. Roy Helu Jr. vs. Missouri. Helu wasn't exactly breaking loads of tackles, but no one else in the Big 12 came within 40 yards of his 307-yard, three-touchdown day that effectively won the Big 12 North for the Huskers. The holes were there, Helu hit them hard, and the Tigers couldn't get back in the game. In the fourth quarter, Helu clinched the game with plenty of tough yards.

7. Ryan Broyles vs. Iowa State. What made this most impressive is Broyles basically put his game together in just over a half of play. The Sooners beat the Cyclones 52-0, but Broyles caught 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown.

8. Robert Griffin III vs. Kansas. Griffin got help with a 94-yard catch and run by Josh Gordon, but the Bears gave a good indication of how good they could be in their conference opener by routing Kansas, 55-7. Considering the Bears won just one conference game a year ago, it was certainly a big deal. Griffin threw for 380 yards on 26-of-36 passing, three touchdowns and ran for 64 more yards and another score on eight carries.

9. Cyrus Gray vs. Texas. Gray notched his sixth consecutive game of at least 100 yards rushing in the 24-17 win, and pushed the Aggies over the edge with with a 48-yard score in the third quarter to put them up 24-14. He also opened the scoring for the Aggies with an 84-yard touchdown and finished with 223 yards, the most ever by an Aggie against hated rival, Texas.

10. Ryan Tannehill vs. Texas Tech. Only four players had higher totals in a single game than Tannehill's school-record 449 yards passing against the Red Raiders. He had four touchdowns on 36-of-50 passing, and most impressive? He did it in his first career start.

I'll spend the coming weeks familiarizing myself with Nebraska's full roster, but I have an idea about my favorite Huskers player to watch. Big Ten fans should like him, too.

What's not to like about Rex Burkhead? He ran the ball for 951 yards and seven touchdowns on 172 carries last season. He also served as Nebraska's quarterback out of the wildcat formation. All three of his completed passes went for touchdowns in 2010, as Burkhead boasted an Aaron Bates-like passer rating of 396. Burkhead is no stranger to the quarterback position, calling signals for Plano High School as a sophomore while playing running back his other three seasons.

I caught up with Burkhead earlier this week.

So you run the ball, pass the ball. Are you going to kick field goals this year without [Alex] Henery there?

Rex Burkhead: I don't know, I've never been the greatest kicker in the world. I punted in high school. That's about it.

How much fun is it to contribute in multiple ways? It seems like football is becoming more and more specialized.

RB: It's fun. Just to show your versatility and to act like you're the quarterback of the team every now and then, it makes the game a lot of fun. Stand back there and be the leader of the team every now and then throughout the game, just to give a spark to the offense, it's a good thing.

How much have you and your teammates talked about the move to the Big Ten since the Holiday Bowl? Have you spent much time on it?


RB: Oh, yeah. We're already watching film on the Big Ten games from last year. We're definitely looking forward to it, and a big thing is playing new teams. That's what a lot of people are looking forward to. We're not playing the same Big 12 teams every year, so now it's a whole new conference, a whole different style of games, so we're just looking forward to it.

What stood out to you when you watched tapes of those Big Ten games?

RB: Teams are very physical. That's a big thing. The offensive schemes are just lining up, pounding it at you and then throw the play-action pass. The defensive lines and offensive lines, they're very big and athletic, so that has really stood out to us.

Do you think you'll have to adjust your style at all for the Big Ten? Will there be a feeling-out process between you guys and your opponents?


RB: Yeah, I think we're going to have to feel it out and see what we're dealing with. But the coaches have confidence in our scheme and whatever they feel like they're comfortable with, we're going to go with it 100 percent.

I know you didn't end last season the way you wanted to. What has been the mood around the team as you go through your winter program?

RB: We've had a really good winter so far. The guys, we came back and started even a week early. The guys have been really motivated. Especially after that loss, you get a bad taste in your mouth, so the guys have been really determined. We're working hard out and coach [James] Dobson, our strength coach, he's getting us prepared.

You're from Texas and so are some of your teammates. One big question a lot of people are asking is: Will Nebraska still have a presence in Texas for recruiting? Will that be a bigger challenge now that you're in the Big Ten?

RB: Yeah, I think it will be a little bit more of a challenge. I wanted to play in the Big 12 because there were games close to home, but at the same time, Nebraska's such a tremendous program that people are still going to want to come here from all over the country. We have a few guys that have connections down in Texas on our coaching staff, so I'm sure we'll be getting guys out of there every year.

The guys in this recruiting class from Texas, did they express any concerns about their families not being able to go to as many games or anything like that?

RB: Honestly, I haven't heard any of that. I think they're in the same boat as we are and just looking forward to playing the new teams. I'm sure they're a little upset, but at the same time, it's college football, so you've got to love it.

What are your goals individually going forward? You played a big role last year and you guys lose Roy [Helu Jr.]. Where do you see yourself fitting in?

RB: I want to especially lift up the leadership role. That's a big thing. The coaching staff kind of put that on my shoulders this offseason as well. That's my biggest goal, to step up and say things when things need to be said and hold other guys accountable and make sure they're holding me accountable as well.

No matter what happens with the offense, do you expect to be a team with a lot of guys carrying the ball, or could you be more of a featured back going forward?

RB: In college football now, you've got to have multiple backs. That's just how it is. It's a long season, especially how we run the ball. So you're going to have to have multiple backs. In the NFL, you see that every team has multiple backs. The system's kind of changed now, and I think it helps change up the pace of the game.

A lot of people are excited about the running back recruits you signed. What have you learned about those guys?

RB: I texted with Aaron [Green] throughout the process, just telling him what was going on here. Because his brother [Andrew] was on our team, I got to know him quite a bit and he's a great kid, great-looking kid. Saw his highlights, saw him play in the Army All-American Bowl. I love that he's coming here and I look forward to playing with him and getting to know how we works.

What are your thoughts on the schedule for 2011?

RB: It's going to be exciting. Some of the stadiums we're playing at are incredible, with a lot of tradition. We're just looking forward to it. There's going to be some great games, especially some home games that we have. Ohio State we have at home, so it should be fun.

What should Big Ten fans expect from Nebraska fans when you start playing in the league?

RB: Oh, man. They're great, they travel well, you can expect them to come to the away games. They're really nice and humble, that's the main thing. They love their Nebraska football, that's what it is here in the state. So they're fired up.

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

The class

Recruits: 20 (18 high school seniors, two junior college transfers, three players enrolled early)

Top prospects: The Huskers bring in the Big Ten's top-rated recruit in Aaron Green, ranked as the nation's No. 3 running back and No. 11 overall prospect by ESPN Recruiting. They also bolstered the offensive backfield with ESPNU 150 quarterbacks Jamal Turner and Bubba Starling, although Starling could bolt to play professional baseball. Both lines are addressed in this class with players like center Ryne Reeves and defensive tackles Todd Peat Jr. and Kevin Williams. The defensive backfield adds a key player in ESPNU 150 cornerback Charles Jackson.

Needs met: Nebraska needs a featured running back following Roy Helu Jr.'s departure, and the addition of both Green and Ameer Abdullah answers a need there. The Huskers also need to build depth at receiver and brought in two potential contributors in Taariq Allen and Daniel Davie. Life after star specialist Alex Henery begins this fall and Nebraska picked up kicker Mauro Bondi late in the recruiting process.

Analysis: If the 2011 class is any indication, Nebraska will be a formidable recruiting force in the Big Ten. The Huskers capitalized on their Texas connections with players like Green, Turner and Jackson and also did well closer to home with in-state products like Reeves. Although Nebraska didn't neglect its two lines, the overall athleticism in this class really stands out. Skill players like Green, Turner, Starling and Jackson should be able to contribute early in their careers.

ESPN Recruiting grade: B

National Signing Day is just about a week away, so let's take a look at the recruiting needs for each Big Ten team.

In compiling these lists, I tried to look at positions that have depth issues for 2011 and/or 2012.

Let's start off with the Legends division.

IOWA

Running back: Marcus Coker's breakout performance in the Insight Bowl got Iowa fans excited for the future, but there's still a significant depth issue here. If Adam Robinson can't get reinstated, the Hawkeyes will be looking for No. 2 and No. 3 options behind Coker. As we've seen the past two seasons, freshmen backs will see the field at Iowa.

Linebacker: Iowa felt the losses of Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds this season, and it must continue to rebuild the depth at the three linebacker spots. Multiyear starter Jeremiha Hunter departs along with players like Jeff Tarpinian and Troy Johnson. Iowa needs to build around rising star James Morris.

Wide receiver/tight end: Iowa loses Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Allen Reisner and Colin Sandeman this year. Also, receiver Marvin McNutt and tight end Brad Herman depart after the 2011 season. Although the Hawkeyes boast young talent at both positions, they need to build depth with this class.

MICHIGAN

Secondary: The Wolverines couldn't find many answers here in 2010, and though the return of players like cornerbacks Troy Woolfolk and J.T. Floyd will help, there are opportunities for freshmen to make an immediate impact. Michigan simply needs more options at both secondary spots in 2011.

Defensive line: It's crucial for coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison to begin building depth up front. Future NFL player Mike Martin departs after 2011 along with Ryan Van Bergen, so Michigan needs to solidify both line positions.

Kicker: Field goals were an adventure in 2010, and Michigan simply can't have so much uncertainty at kicker going forward. The Wolverines need a reliable leg here ASAP.

MICHIGAN STATE

Linebacker: I like some of the young linebackers the Spartans bring back in 2011, but you can't overlook the losses of multiyear starters Greg Jones and Eric Gordon, not to mention reserve Jon Misch. Michigan State should have a decent group of first-string 'backers, but wants to build depth in the defensive midsection.

Offensive line: Not only do the Spartans lose three starters from the 2010 line, but they're still not where they need to be depth-wise up front to become a consistent top-tier Big Ten program. Michigan State wants to become like Iowa and Wisconsin. The big step is to keep fortifying both lines, especially on the offensive side.

MINNESOTA

Pass rusher: Minnesota finished last in the Big Ten in sacks last season (9) and hasn't had an intimidating pass rusher since Willie VanDeSteeg in 2008. The recent departure of defensive tackle Jewhan Edwards, who led the team in both sacks and tackles for loss in 2009, underscores this need.

Offensive line: The Gophers lose three starters up front, and while they boast some promising young linemen like tackle Ed Olson, the depth just isn't there yet. Minnesota's best teams had powerful offensive lines, and new coach Jerry Kill must continue to create competition up front.

NEBRASKA

Running back: The Huskers lose standout Roy Helu Jr., and while Rex Burkhead quickly will become one of my favorite Big Ten players, he might not be an every-down back for Nebraska going forward. You always want options in the backfield, and Nebraska must continue to address its run game with the 2011 class.

Wide receiver: Nebraska loses Niles Paul and wants to identify playmakers to surround Taylor Martinez or whomever starts at quarterback. Brandon Kinnie departs after the 2011 season, and while Burkhead helps in the receiving department, Nebraska needs others to emerge.

NORTHWESTERN

Running back: Although Mike Trumpy and Adonis Smith emerged as possible answers late in the 2010 season, Northwestern needs to create real competition here. The Wildcats have lacked a dominant back during the Pat Fitzgerald era and need a dangerous rushing option to complement Dan Persa.

Defensive line: The Wildcats lose only one starter (Corbin Bryant) from the 2010 squad, but four more rotation players (Vince Browne, Jack DiNardo, Kevin Watt and Niko Mafuli) depart after 2011. Fortifying the pass rush is a major priority going forward.

It's a question I get asked pretty often: What was the best atmosphere of any game in the Big 12 this season?

Now, to be fair, I can't weigh in on games I didn't attend this year, so you can find the list of games I did attend this year at the bottom of this post.

But until then, here's my top 5:

1. Texas A&M vs. Nebraska: This game was in a league of its own in 2010. The white towel-waving 12th Man was out in deafening force, making life hard on Nebraska and spurring their team to a season-defining 9-6 win over Nebraska to validate the Aggies late-season charge. The postgame field-storming was a nice touch for the seniors' final game at Kyle Field, too. Wrecking Crew? Yes sir, they showed up in this one.

2. Missouri vs. Oklahoma: Missouri had never beaten a No. 1 team. Coach Gary Pinkel had never beaten Oklahoma or Texas. Pinkel, Blaine Gabbert and the Tigers did it on homecoming with a prime-time audience. A record-breaking 18,000 fans showed up to ESPN's pregame show, "College GameDay," that morning, and a sellout crowd was raucous from start to finish later that night. Gahn McGaffie's touchdown return on the opening kick sent Faurot Field over the top, and Missouri stayed undefeated with a 36-27 win over the Sooners and celebrated with a field-storming of their own and a chance to take the goal posts back to Harpo's in downtown Columbia to be sliced up with hacksaws and distributed to fans.

3. Nebraska vs. Missouri: Nebraska gets credit for one quarter, but that's all it took to KO Missouri in the de facto Big 12 North championship game. The crowd showed up early and was buzzing for the early afternoon kickoff, but the Huskers led 24-0 after one quarter and won 31-17 on the back of a 307-yard rushing day from Roy Helu Jr., who sent the traditional red balloons floating out of Memorial Stadium early with a 66-yard touchdown run on Nebraska's first offensive play.

4. Oklahoma vs. Florida State: The Sooner fans knew their team's home winning streak -- the nation's longest -- was in jeopardy with Florida State coming to town, and they did their part, being consistently loud and helping contribute to a rough day for Seminoles quarterback Christian Ponder, whose Heisman hopes came to a screeching halt. The Sooners did their part, too, sending the crowd further into a frenzy by scoring 37 consecutive points in the 47-17 win.

5. Texas vs. Oklahoma: There's no atmosphere like it anywhere else in the Big 12, and as usual, the Red River Rivalry delivered a great game and a great performance from the fans. There wasn't quite as much at stake this year as in past games at the State Fair of Texas, but the Sooners' 28-10 fourth-quarter lead was nearly erased. A late fumble from Landry Jones trickled out of bounds to let the half of the Cotton Bowl wearing red exhale in a 28-20 victory.

Honorable mention: Texas A&M vs. LSU, Oklahoma vs. Nebraska

Here are games I attended that were up for consideration:

• Week 1: SMU at Texas Tech
• Week 2: Florida State at Oklahoma
• Week 3: Texas at Texas Tech
• Week 4: UCLA at Texas
• Week 5: Oklahoma vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
• Week 6: Nebraska at Kansas State; Texas A&M vs. Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
• Week 7: Missouri at Texas A&M
• Week 8: Oklahoma at Missouri
• Week 9: Missouri at Nebraska
• Week 10: Baylor at Oklahoma State
• Week 11: Nebraska at Texas A&M
• Week 12: Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
• Championship Week: Oklahoma vs. Nebraska at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
• Bowls: Oklahoma vs. Connecticut (Fiesta Bowl); Texas A&M vs. LSU (Cotton Bowl)

1. Make life easy for Taylor Martinez. Martinez has completed just 58 percent of his passes in 2010 and struggled to complete passes and get comfortable in the pocket, especially against Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. If the Huskers can get him some easy completions early on three-step-drop slants to a sure-handed guy such as the underutilized Mike McNeill or on screens to running backs Rex Burkhead and Roy Helu Jr., they can help get Martinez comfortable. The loss to Oklahoma made it clear that Nebraska will struggle if the passing game consists of Martinez dropping back deep and relying on receivers such as Brandon Kinnie to get open and make big plays down the field. If the Huskers can manage an early lead and be afforded the luxury of passing only when they want to -- see the early season Huskers -- this gets a lot simpler.

2. Inflict déjà vu on Jake Locker. Hit him early with a variety of blitzes. Force him into mistakes. I'd be shocked if Locker has another unthinkable 4-for-20 day like he did in September, but the only quarterback who had what could be considered legitimate success against Nebraska's secondary was Oklahoma's Landry Jones. Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden and Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill all had below-average outings at best, and all three should be among the Big 12's best passers in 2011.

3. Stuff the run, especially early. Washington actually ran the ball pretty effectively against Nebraska, especially early in that game, and if Nebraska's front seven can slow that down and make the Huskies a one-dimensional offense, forcing Locker into a bad day will be quite a bit easier. The game got lopsided quickly in the second half and prevented Washington from sticking to the running game. Washington still managed 175 yards on 39 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per carry, and the Huskies will try to recreate what worked against a tough defense that has, at times, been susceptible to the run. If Washington does that, the Huskies could make a game of it. If not, expect another Nebraska blowout.

No, Washington isn't joining the Big Ten or Big 12. It just seems a bit like it to the Huskers. Nebraska will play its second of three meetings with the Huskies in a 12-month span on Wednesday night. The Huskers made the trek to Seattle in September and beat the Huskies 56-21 behind a 383-yard rushing day that saw Roy Helu Jr., Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead all top 100 yards. Good luck finding a team who loses with those kind of numbers. Nebraska didn't come close. So what about this time?

WHO TO WATCH: Washington quarterback Jake Locker. Locker's descent down the 2011 draft board began with nothing less than a nightmare outing against Nebraska's secondary, which finished the season as one of the nation's most fearsome. Cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Alfonzo Dennard are both certified lockdown defenders, and Locker managed to complete just 4-of-20 passes against the Huskers. After 13 games, they're one of just three defenses in the country who prevented opposing quarterbacks from completing more than 50 percent of their passes. Along the way, they ruined an impressive number of impressive passers' days. So what happens this time? There isn't a lot of reason to believe a banged-up Locker will do much better, but you never know. If he has a day like he did back in Seattle in September, this one will be over early. If he learns from those experiences and looks like the prototype NFL quarterback most pegged him to be, it might be closer than the two-touchdown line set on the rematch.

WHAT TO WATCH: Martinez's mobility. The freshman quarterback began the season as one of college football's most electric talents, but since a career-high 241-yard, four-touchdown rushing night in a lopsided road win against Kansas State on Oct. 7, Martinez hasn't reached the end zone and has run for more than 100 yards just once. He suffered an ankle injury against Missouri and never looked as fast or elusive as he did during nonconference play or against Kansas State. He should, in theory, be near 100 percent when the Huskers take the field, but there's no guarantee. His play against Washington will establish plenty of momentum -- good or bad -- heading into 2011.

WHY WATCH: The snide comments are a little too easy with this one. "We've already seen this episode. Late December is when reruns air, right? etc, etc." September's rout aside, these are two different teams than the ones that met back in Seattle. Martinez didn't quite make the progress as a passer as coaches hoped he would, but he could have another special performance in store with a month to prepare. The same goes for Locker, who'll get his second swing at the Blackshirts. Nebraska played pretty average football down the stretch after playing the part of national title contender early in the year. The Huskers lost two of their three final games and struggled on offense against Texas A&M and Oklahoma, both losses and Martinez's last two starts. After being blown out by three ranked teams in the middle of the season, the Huskies closed with three wins, including two on the road in conference play.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 34, Washington 13. Locker does well with an early set of scripted plays via coach and playcaller Steve Sarkisian, but the Blackshirts take over once the game hits a more natural flow.

There are all kinds of reasons for Nebraska to be unhappy with its bowl placement. It already beat Washington 56-21 in Seattle earlier this year. It beat Arizona 33-0 in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl last season, and plenty of fans made the trek to San Diego this time last year.

Only 7,500 of the school's allotment of 11,000 have been sold, and I don't blame Huskers fans for being a little underwhelmed with the bowl destination.

But they're here. The game's going to be played.

And who has to step up for the Huskers to win? It's pretty simple.

Quarterback Taylor Martinez. There's plenty of talk about Martinez's ankle, which never looked like it fully healed after originally getting injured against Missouri. That said, defenses got a read on how to slow down Martinez before he got hurt. Texas did it. Missouri -- Roy Helu Jr.'s 307 rushing yards aside -- didn't let Martinez do anything or go anywhere without being hounded by defenders.

The point is, after somehow throwing for over 300 yards and five touchdowns against Oklahoma State -- he didn't throw for more than 170 yards or more than one touchdown pass in any other game in 2010 -- Martinez was mostly ineffective. Part of it was the ankle. Part of it was defenses making him complete difficult passes, which, more often than not, fell incomplete.

Despite his threat to run that forced defenses to keep an eye on him as much as Nebraska's receivers, Martinez completed only 58 percent of his passes. Only Kansas' Jordan Webb and Colorado's Cody Hawkins competed a lower percentage of throws. He didn't run for another touchdown after his transcendent 241-yard, four-touchdown performance against Kansas State, and only topped 21 yards twice, despite logging double-digit carries in his final six starts. The Big 12's rushing leader after the road win against the Wildcats, Martinez slid all the way down to ninth by the end of the season.

Martinez should be healthy by kickoff on Dec. 30. He'll be playing a defense that has already seen him once. If the redshirt freshman can bounce back, recover the passing mechanics that suffered with the injury and have a good game with his legs and arm, he'll inspire a lot of confidence from Nebraska fans about the position moving forward into 2011.

Huskers fans may yawn when they see that score back in September, but you're kidding yourself if you think Washington had any idea how fast and elusive Martinez really could be. The Huskies looked entirely unprepared defensively. Smart money says that won't happen again.

If Martinez struggles like he did late in the year, it'll be a tight, low-scoring game, and one or two bad bounces could mean an embarrassing loss for the Huskers. If Martinez plays well, one or two big runs or big completions early could mean another blowout.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Both defenses are playing well, but they've both given up a long touchdown, and the offenses have turned it over, which has given us a little more scoring than I expected tonight. We'll see if either offense can exploit the defenses in the second half, too. I doubt it, but those types of breakdowns are impossible to predict.

The big story has been Oklahoma capturing the momentum after falling behind 17-0 and looking flat early on.

Turning point: There were plenty of plays that could be in contention for this one, but Oklahoma's 49-yard deep ball down the middle to Kenny Stills injected some life into the Sooners, and keyed a run of 17 consecutive points to tie the game. Taylor Martinez's inexcusable interception in the back of the end zone, and Roy Helu Jr.'s fumble in Nebraska territory that set up Oklahoma's game-tying touchdown are in the running as well.

Stat of the half: Oklahoma penalties: Three for 30 yards. Nebraska's: Two for 10. Hopefully this is the last time we have to talk about this.

Best player in the half: Kenny Stills, Oklahoma. His two catches were two of Oklahoma's biggest plays of the half. The first was his 49-yard score, and the second was a nifty double move on one of the conference's best corners, Alfonzo Dennard, for a 30-yard gain down to the goal line.

Best player in the half II: Alex Henery, Nebraska. He's proving just how valuable special teams are in close games. His 54-yard field goal in the first quarter put the Huskers up 10-0 and would have been good from well beyond 60 yards. His 42-yarder helped the Huskers take back some momentum heading into halftime.

Best call: Nebraska called for a play-action pass on 4th-and-1, and Martinez hit Mike McNeill for a 36-yard gain down to the 9-yard line. Unfortunately for the Huskers, Martinez threw a preventable interception in the back of the end zone three plays later.

Best call II: Oklahoma must have been paying attention. The Sooners went with a naked bootleg on a 4th-and-1 of their own, and Landry Jones was all by himself down the left sideline for a 15-yard gain into the red zone. The Sooners finished that drive with a field goal.

What Oklahoma needs to do: Keep the pace up. Nebraska did well early, but the Sooners' no-huddle got to them late. Oklahoma has outgained Nebraska 280-209, but it was even more lopsided before Nebraska went 56 yards on its last drive of the half to set up the go-ahead field goal.

What Nebraska needs to do: Seems pretty simple. Quit turning it over. Nebraska cost itself points with Martinez's interception, and Helu's fumble set up the Sooners game-tying touchdown. Both the defense and offense are playing well enough to win the game.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nebraska fans had to feel a little uneasy when they saw running back Roy Helu Jr. limp off the field on the Huskers first possession. He wasn't down long, but it gave cause for concern.

Or not.

After stopping Oklahoma on a fourth down try, Helu took the first play of the Huskers' next drive 66 yards for a touchdown to put them ahead 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

It was reminiscent of the opening play against Missouri earlier this year, when Helu finished with 307 yards rushing and had three long touchdown runs. He won't hit 300 yards today, but that run was as important as any this year, establishing the early momentum in favor of the Huskers.

Helu is as important as any third of the Huskers' running attack, but he might have had the fewest headlines heading into today's game. Quarterback Taylor Martinez's injury has been of particular concern, and Rex Burkhead's performance last week with 101 yards, a rushing touchdown and two passing touchdowns earned plenty of attention.

Win or lose for the Huskers, that won't be the case after this one.

Nebraska's game Saturday will begin the same way its season did: with everyone in attendance waiting to see who trots out to quarterback the offense on the opening series.

Taylor Martinez broke a 46-yard run in that game on his first career carry, and ran his way into the midseason Heisman conversation before being slowed by injuries and better defenses. A gimpy right ankle and nagging turf toe on his left foot kept him out of last week's North-clinching win over Colorado, and could slow him on Saturday.

Martinez was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, but left the field with his left foot in a protective boot.

Zac Lee and, most recently, Cody Green, have filled in for Martinez. Green has yet to top 100 yards passing in a game this year, but made his best start of the season with plenty on the line against the Buffaloes, completing 10 of 13 passes for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Martinez torched Oklahoma State for 323 yards in a 51-41 win earlier this year, but since then he Martinez topped out at 167 yards passing against Kansas -- one of just two teams in the Big 12 giving up over six yards per play on defense.

In short, as conference play has progressed, the Huskers quarterbacks have been uninspiring through the air. Nebraska's offensive line and the Huskers third "quarterback" might make that deficiency irrelevant.

"He has an impact on the game in a lot of different ways," said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini of running back/part-time quarterback Rex Burkhead.

Burkhead saw plenty of snaps out of Nebraska's Wildcat package against Colorado, and finished with 101 yards rushing and a touchdown. Defenses are forced to respect the high school quarterback's arm, too.

Burkhead threw his first two passes of the season against the Buffaloes. Both went for touchdowns, including a 26-yard rainbow down the right sideline to Brandon Kinnie.

"Nothing he does surprises me," Pelini said. "He does so many things to make a football team better."

Most of the time, that's playing a role as a traditional running back alongside Roy Helu Jr.

"Everyone focuses on the Wildcat, but he runs the ball hard, he's efficient, he can run inside or outside," Pelini said. "He's just a tremendous football player who's continuing to develop and get better."

Running the ball got Nebraska into the Big 12 title game; with 178 yards, Burkhead could become the Huskers third 1,000-yard rusher this season. If it beats Oklahoma for the Big 12 title game, it'll probably be because of that run game.

But if Burkhead has to take snaps in lieu of ineffectiveness from Green or Martinez, it should make running the ball significantly easier.

"They’re physical. It’s going to be a real physical game. They like to run the ball," Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal said, "and we’ll have to stop the run to win the game."

Nebraska can get it done on offense even without Taylor Martinez. Lost in all the discussion about trophies and e-mails was a really good performance from Nebraska’s offense. There wasn’t much finesse to it, but Nebraska racked up 407 yards of offense and converted 11 of 17 third downs. Cody Green did what he had to, completing 10 of 13 passes for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead got it done on the ground. That’s a good sign for the Huskers, who will have to score a decent amount of points to win the Big 12 title next week. It may have only come against Colorado, but those 45 points are 14 more than the Huskers have scored in five games, and they did it without Martinez. That’s nothing but encouraging.

The Big 12 might get two BCS bids after all. Thanks to Boise State’s loss, a second BCS bid is definitely in play. Missouri, at 10-2, might sneak into the Orange Bowl, but we'll see how the rest of the country shakes out in the weeks to come. That will decide plenty. Getting two teams in looked like a long shot for the past few weeks, but sometimes we forget how drastically things can shift with one loss to a team at the top of the polls.

Turnover on Texas’ staff is a near certainty. Mack Brown has been forthcoming about his displeasure with his coaching staff all season, and he’ll begin his evaluation period on Monday. This was a historically bad season for the Longhorns for a handful of reasons, and when Brown figures out which of those reasons can be fixed with new coaches, expect him to make a move.

Oklahoma really can win on the road. That was the same Oklahoma offense that’s been patrolling Norman the past two years, but the Sooners were finally able to unleash it on the road when they needed it. After getting some practice at Baylor last week, the Sooners shut plenty of folks up in the process — myself included. “To silence all the doubters, ooooh, I’m gonna have to enjoy this one for a day and a half, maybe. That’s the longest I’ll ever enjoy a victory,” said linebacker Travis Lewis. “It’s sweet to silence the doubters, play like we’re capable of playing … Their fans are some of the biggest mess-talkers I know, and I’m one of the biggest mess-talkers I know. And they outdid me by 10. Coming into this environment and getting a win, it’s huge.”

It’s time to get ready for a Big 12 title game unlike any other. As much as Nebraska wanted to beat Texas this year, it wants to win the Big 12 title even more. The Huskers and their fans will be dreaming of watching commissioner Dan Beebe hand over the Big 12 Championship trophy, and they’ll no doubt show up to Dallas in force, hoping to do anything they can on Saturday to help. Cowboys Stadium is going to get loud. With a few exceptions, perhaps, Oklahoma will probably have most of the remaining Big 12 fan bases behind them, but this should be a memorable game and atmosphere, preceded by plenty of nostalgia.