LINCOLN, Neb., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Quarterback Eric Crouch caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from backup signal caller Mike Stuntz with 6:17 remaining Saturday to push the third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers past No. 2 Oklahoma, 20-10.
The defending national champion Sooners had a 20-game winning streak snapped.
"No matter what happened, I knew we were going to get the job done," Crouch said. "It wasn't finesse. It wasn't 500 or 600 yards, but we got the job done when we needed to. It's nice to show our critics that we can win big games."
Clinging to a 13-10 lead in a defensive struggle, Nebraska (9-0, 5-0 Big 12 North) drove 96 yards in six plays to snap the nation's longest Division I-A winning streak and strengthen its national championship aspirations.
Oklahoma suffered its first loss since a 27-25 defeat to Mississippi in the 1999 Independence Bowl. Miami's 16-game winning streak is now the longest in the nation.
The Sooners (7-1, 4-1 South) and Cornhuskers entered the contest ranked first and second in the Bowl Championship Series standings for the second year in a row and could meet again in the Big 12 championship game in December.
"Losing is a strange feeling in our locker room because we haven't experienced that in a while," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who had been 8-0 against top-10 teams. "We have got a lot to play for and to look forward to and we realize that. So our players are still strong in the locker room and upbeat and understand they will live to fight another day."
Crouch was held in check by the Sooners' imposing defense, but refused to be beaten.
Instead of attempting a 53-yard field goal, Oklahoma's Tim Duncan pinned Nebraska back at its five with a pooch punt. It was a similiar play that led to cornerback Justin Williams' game-clinching interception return against Texas earlier this month.
But Crouch, who rushed for just 21 yards on 13 carries and completed 10 of 18 passes for only 102 yards, got the Cornhuskers away from their goal line with a 19-yard run on second and nine.
Oklahoma appeared to have the Cornhuskers stopped as tackle Tommie Harris Heinecke got to Crouch behind the line for a seven-yard loss on third down. But defensive end Cory Heinecke was called for a crucial face-mask penalty that resulted in an automatic first down.
On the next play, Crouch handed off to Thunder Collins, who pitched to Stuntz, a freshman, on a reverse. The lefthander lofted a perfect spiral to a wide-open Crouch, who raced untouched to the end zone.
"This was one of those games where you want some excitement, so we thought we'd come out and try it, and it worked," Crouch said of the trick play.
"I think this was our most complete football game," Nebraska coach Franbk Solich added. "I think it was a real key for us to be able to neutralize their special teams play."
It was a rough day for the Sooners as both of their quarterbacks, Jason White and Nate Hybl, suffered injuries. Hybl overcame a sore shoulder to complete 17 of 36 passes for 184 yards and an interception.
"Did we not score in the second half?" Hybl said. "That can't happen. That's the bottom line. The defense, as always, hung in there and kept us in the ballgame. We just have to make it happen."
Nebraska stretched the nation's longest home winning streak to 20 games and avenged a 31-14 loss to the Sooners last year in Norman.
Hybl was victimized by bad luck on Oklahoma's first possession of the second half as his pass bounced off the face mask of receiver Antwone Savage into the arms of cornerback Erwin Swiney for an interception at the Cornhuskers' 36.
On the next play, Collins turned the corner for a 39-yard gain, setting up Josh Brown's 26-yard field goal that snapped a 10-10 tie 3:29 into the third quarter. It turned out to be all the points the Cornhuskers needed.
Hybl injured his left shoulder on Oklahoma's next possession when he was slammed to the turf by linebacker Chris Kelsay, but he returned after missing only two plays.
With neither team generating much offense, Hybl tried to rally the Sooners early in the fourth period, completing consective 15-yard passes to Josh Norman and Mark Clayton for a first down at the Nebraska 40. But Clayton was stopped for a four-yard gain on third and 10, forcing Oklahoma to give up the ball.
Early in the second quarter, White twisted his knee after releasing the ball and was helped off the field. He briefly returned in the third quarter when Hybl was attended to on the sidelines.
Hybl, who lost his starting job to White last week, gave Oklahoma a 7-0 lead with a four-yard pass to tight end Trent Smith, who made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone with 10:27 left in the first half.
After punting on its first six possessions, Nebraska's offense came alive and tied the contest on Dahrran Diedrick's two-yard run with 5:58 left in the half.
DeJuan Groce's 33-yard punt return set up Brown's 27-yard field goal that gave the Cornhuskers a 10-7 lead with 2:37 remaining in the second quarter.
Hybl engineered the two-minute offense to near perfection as completions of 32 yards to Savage and 18 yards to Norman gave the Sooners a first and goal at the two. But the Nebraska defense stiffened and Oklahoma had to settle for Duncan's tying 29-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the half.
