Lincoln, NE (SportsNetwork.com) - McNeese State nearly posted one of the potential upsets of the college football season on Saturday.
No. 19 Nebraska escaped a scare from the No. 7 team in the FCS, 31-24, at Memorial Stadium, but only after senior running back Ameer Abdullah scored on a 58-yard catch-and-run with 20 seconds left to play.
With the teams tied 24-24, Abdullah caught a screen pass from Tommy Armstrong Jr. at the Nebraska 45. He eluded five potential tackles and found running room in the middle of the field before gaining some key blocks en route to his winning score.
Aaron Sam had a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown and quarterback Tyler Bolfing and Derrick Milton also scored on TD runs for McNeese State (0-1).
Nebraska improved to 11-0 all-time against FCS opponents. McNeese, from the Southland Conference, had defeated FCS opponents in its first game the last two seasons - Middle Tennessee in 2012 and South Florida last year.
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The Sports Network FCS Top 25
Saturday, Sept. 6
All Times ET
No. 1 North Dakota State (1-0) at Weber State (0-1), 8 p.m.
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No. 2 Eastern Washington (1-1) at Washington (1-0), 3 p.m.
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Southern Utah (0-1) at No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana (1-0), 8 p.m.
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Central Washington (0-0) at No. 4-Montana (0-1), 5:30 p.m.
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No. 5 Coastal Carolina (1-0) at North Carolina A&T (1-0), 6 p.m.
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No. 6 New Hampshire (0-1), Idle
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No. 8 Northern Iowa (0-1), Idle
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No. 9 Jacksonville State (0-1) at No. 13 Chattanooga (0-1), 6 p.m.
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No. 11 Fordham (1-0) at No. 10 Villanova (0-1), 3:30 p.m.
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Cal Poly (0-1) at No. 12 South Dakota State (0-1), 7 p.m.
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No. 14 Tennessee State (1-0) at Alabama State (0-1), 6 p.m.
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No. 15 Sam Houston State (1-1) at LSU (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
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Southern Illinois (1-0) at No. 16 Eastern Illinois (0-1), 7 p.m.
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No. 17 Richmond (1-0) at Virginia (0-1), 3:30 p.m.
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No. 18 Bethune-Cookman (1-0), Idle
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No. 19 Furman (1-0) at Mercer (1-0), 6 p.m.
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Black Hills State (0-0) at No. 20 Montana State (0-1), 9 p.m.
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No. 21 William & Mary (0-1) at Hampton (0-1), 6 p.m.
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No. 22 Towson (0-1) at West Virginia (0-1), 3:30 p.m.
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Duquesne (0-1) at No. 23 Youngstown State (0-1), 4 p.m.
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No. 24 Maine (1-0), Idle
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No. 25 Northern Arizona (0-1) at Abilene Christian (0-1), 7 p.m.
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