LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - A week after seeing its national championship hopes dashed in a loss to Texas, No. 8 Nebraska faced the prospect of an even more embarrassing loss to a team that hadn't beaten the Cornhuskers since 1968. But after trailing 9-0 at halftime Saturday night, Nebraska made a succession of clutch plays in the second half and pulled out a 24-17 victory over Kansas.

"We came into the locker room at halftime a little down," said wingback Bobby Newcombe, who caught the game-winning, 49-yard touchdown pass from Eric Crouch with 3:24 left. "We were disappointed with our play. But we went back out there with a lot of enthusiasm. There was a lot of drive and fire."

But before Nebraska could go those last 49 yards to victory, the Cornhuskers first had to move just 6 inches. Crouch came up just short on third-and-1 at midfield, but converted on another keeper on fourth down. His game-winning pass came on the next play.

"I think the team showed a lot of character for us to come back and win," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "They really responded when they had to."

Crouch also ran for one score and Newcombe returned a punt 86 yards for another for Nebraska (7-1, 4-1 Big 12).

Kansas (3-6, 1-4) saw its hopes for a winning season end just a week after a 21-0 victory over archrival Missouri.

"I think we're getting better every week. I think the people who follow us know that," coach Terry Allen said. "But in order to beat a team like Nebraska you have to believe you can beat a team like Nebraska. So you don't compliment yourself when you lose with a good effort, even against a good team."

Correll Buckhalter ran for 116 yards on 22 carries for Nebraska, which won despite a lost fumble at Kansas' 1-yard line and two missed field goals by Josh Brown.

The Cornhuskers, who managed only 64 of their 366 yards in the first half, went up 10-9 on Newcombe's third-quarter punt return and led 17-9 after Crouch's 8-yard keeper with 12:09 left in the fourth.

But Kansas tied it one play after Crouch's score, on Dylen Smith's second touchdown pass of the game. Smith found Michael Chandler at the Nebraska 45, and Chandler sprinted down the right sideline to complete a 77-yard scoring play. Smith then threw to Chandler for a 2-point conversion.

"The whole team was pumped up out there," Smith said. "We didn't just think we could stay in there. We knew we could win, but we just didn't get it done."

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(8) Nebraska 24, KANSAS 17
(Recap)

                   1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH  FINAL
                   --- --- --- ---  -----
Nebraska            0   0  10  14    24
Kansas              2   7   0   8    17


First Quarter
     Kan-Safety, punt blocked out of end zone, 5:02
Second Quarter
     Kan-Hurst 22 pass from Smith (Garcia kick), 9:12
Third Quarter
     Neb-FG Brown 31, 10:23
     Neb-Newcombe 86 punt return (Brown kick), 2:14
Fourth Quarter
     Neb-Crouch 8 run (Brown kick), 12:09
     Kan-Chandler 77 pass from Smith (Chandler pass from Smith),
     11:44
     Neb-Newcombe 49 pass from Crouch (Brown kick), 3:24
 	

                       Neb      Kan
                       ---      ---
First downs             15       17
Rushes-yards        42-173   39-116
Passing                193      217
Comp-Att-Int       11-20-0  16-31-1
Return Yards           199       16
Punts-Avg.            8-36    11-42
Fumbles-Lost           1-1      1-0
Penalties-Yards       6-59     4-35
Time of Possession   28:18    31:42


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Nebraska, Buckhalter 22-116, Diedrick 3-27, Alexander
3-20, Crouch 13-14, Newcombe 1-(minus 4). Kansas, Norris 17-80,
Winbush 5-20, Bowles 5-13, Smith 11-4, team 1-(minus 1). 	

PASSING-Nebraska, Crouch 11-20-0-193. Kansas, Smith 16-30-0-217,
Childs 0-1-1-0.

RECEIVING-Nebraska, Davison 6-108, Newcombe 4-89, Buckhalter
1-(minus 4). Kansas, Chandler 4-106, Hill 3-23, Hurst 2-31,
Winbush 2-7, Childs 1-18, Gulley 1-17, Paige 1-10, Norris 1-7,
Bowles 1-(minus 2).

A-45,100.