LINCOLN -- Nebraska runs its Hail Mary play every week in practice, and because it's run "on air," receiver Jacory Barney said, it works every time.
It worked Saturday afternoon, too, when Barney caught a 52-yard touchdown as time expired in the second quarter. Nebraska lost 30-27, but tied the game at 17 going into halftime.
"It was called and I was like 'I've just got to do my assignment and do what I've got to do,'" Barney said. "Dylan (Raiola) made a good throw, I made a good catch, I'm proud of it. It wasn't enough. We've got to make another play."
Michigan's unwillingness to call a basic timeout preventing the Hail Mary opened the door to it occurring.
The Huskers faced fourth down (and 11 yards) at midfield with 13 seconds left. As the clock ticked, UM did not call a timeout that would have forced Nebraska to give the ball back to Michigan if it didn't convert the fourth down. Wolverine interim coach Biff Poggi said afterward he didn't call timeout because he didn't think Nebraska would.
But coach Matt Rhule did. As some in the Memorial Stadium crowd booed NU's conservatism -- the Huskers ran the ball on third-and-16 instead of trying to get the first down -- Rhule chose to call his timeout with one second left.
"I anticipated them calling timeout and trying to make us punt," Rhule said. "Luckily for us, our punter's pretty good at getting outside the pocket, so I wasn't worried about the punt, but I anticipated them calling timeout."
Didn't happen. The Hail Mary did.
Raiola rolled right with token pressure, wound up, and threw to a swarm of Huskers and Wolverines near the north end zone. Barney was in front of the swarm. He caught the ball near the goal line and twisted in by a half yard.
"That was just a 'hey we're going to take our shot,' and it worked out," Rhule said. "Once all sadness dissipates on our end, there will be a lot of plays to build on, in terms of plays like that."
Photos: Nebraska football hosts Michigan