McCoy was 20 of 36 for 184 yards with three interceptions; he had only two over the previous six games. This victory was all about the defense, which had its best performance right after its worst, giving up 39 points to Texas A&M on Thanksgiving.

Nebraska managed just three first downs through three quarters, yet the Cornhuskers were always within a play of the lead because McCoy couldn’t shake the defense.

Lee was 6 of 19 — with three more passes completed to Longhorns — for 39 yards. The Cornhuskers (9-4) had only 106 total yards, their lowest total in 25 years. This was their third loss by two points or less.

McCoy threw interceptions on two of the first three series, but Lee only managed to get field goals. Up 6-0, Nebraska had another great chance to break things open when it blocked a punt and took over at the Texas 37. But Lee threw an interception on the next snap.

The Cornhuskers wouldn’t even get a first down the next seven times they had the ball. Yet McCoy was still struggling, too.

Texas didn’t crack midfield until its seventh possession and even then it was only because of a short punt by Henery. McCoy started at the 42 and capped it with a 2-yard plunge into the end zone that stood up to a video review. It put the Longhorns up 7-6, and it turned out to be the game’s only touchdown.

McCoy faced mostly poor field position in the first half, but in the third quarter he started three straight drives within 53 yards of the end zone and managed only one field goal out of it. Texas did so poorly that the first two series ended with pooch punts on fourth-and-long. On the first, McCoy took a sack that knocked the Longhorns out of field-goal range. They finally got points on the third one, with Lawrence making a 39-yarder.

Up 10-6, McCoy hit wide-open James Kirkendoll with a lob down the left sideline that looked likely to be a 75-yard touchdown because his defender was several yards away.

But Kirkendoll dropped it.

Henery made a 28-yard field goal on Nebraska’s next series to make it 10-9. Then Texas’ Marquise Goodwin slipped and fell at the 1 on the kickoff return.

McCoy was facing third-and-10 from his 1, and taking a shotgun snap several yards into the end zone, when he hit Shipley for a first down. Several big plays followed and McCoy seemed ready to put the game away. Only to have a pass intercepted by Dejon Gomes.

Lee followed with a 17-yard run, Nebraska’s longest play of the game, then hit a 16-yard pass to set up Henery’s go-ahead kick.

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