Pelini era starts in style as Nebraska rolls over Western Michigan

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Team Stat Comparison
1st Downs	19	24
Total Yards	350	483
Passing	342	345
Rushing	8	138
Penalties	5-45	6-60
3rd Down Conversions	6-17	5-13
4th Down Conversions	2-4	0-0
Turnovers	2	2
Possession	29:36	30:24

Air/Ground Leaders
Western Michigan Passing   C/ATT YDS TD INT Hiller 30/49 342 2 1	Nebraska Passing   C/ATT YDS TD INT Ganz 20/36 345 4 2
Western Michigan Rushing   CAR YDS TD LG West 12 29 1 7 Thompson 3 5 0 3	Nebraska Rushing   CAR YDS TD LG Helu Jr. 7 52 0 27 Lucky 12 43 1 14
Western Michigan Receiving   REC YDS TD LG Ledbetter 9 123 1 50 Julien 5 85 0 50	Nebraska Receiving   REC YDS TD LG Swift 5 121 2 61 Holt 5 59 0 25

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER				WMU	NEB
	TD	08:06	Marlon Lucky 14 Yd Run (Alex Henery Kick) Drive: 4 plays, 61 yds, 1:47	0	7
	TD	00:55	Mike Mcneill 3 Yd Pass From Joe Ganz (Alex Henery Kick) Drive: 8 plays, 62 yds, 4:24	0	14
SECOND QUARTER				WMU	NEB
	FG	14:50	Alex Henery 44 Yd Drive: 4 plays, 4 yds, :51	0	17
	TD	11:07	Branden Ledbetter 3 Yd Pass From Tim Hiller (John Potter Kick) Drive: 10 plays, 80 yds, 3:43	7	17
	TD	10:14	Nate Swift 61 Yd Pass From Joe Ganz (Alex Henery Kick) Drive: 4 plays, 73 yds, :47	7	24
	FG	04:27	Alex Henery 44 Yd Drive: 8 plays, 21 yds, 4:15	7	27
	FG	01:15	John Potter 19 Yd Drive: 8 plays, 42 yds, 3:02	10	27
	TD	00:32	Nate Swift 2 Yd Pass From Joe Ganz (Alex Henery Kick) Drive: 4 plays, 59 yds, :37	10	34
THIRD QUARTER				WMU	NEB
	FG	08:23	Alex Henery 44 Yd Drive: 8 plays, 38 yds, 3:21	10	37
	TD	06:11	Brandon West 1 Yd Run (John Potter Kick) Drive: 6 plays, 80 yds, 2:12	17	37
	TD	01:48	Marlon Lucky 19 Yd Pass From Joe Ganz (Alex Henery Kick) Drive: 2 plays, 74 yds, :37	17	44
FOURTH QUARTER				WMU	NEB
	TD	14:43	Juan Nunez 9 Yd Pass From Tim Hiller (John Potter Kick) Drive: 8 plays, 80 yds, 2:05	24	44
	FG	05:22	Alex Henery 44 Yd Drive: 5 plays, 31 yds, 1:46	24	47

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Joe Ganz threw four touchdown passes to help Bo Pelini win his first game as Nebraska's coach, 47-24 over Western Michigan on Saturday night.

Nebraska won its season opener for the 23rd straight year, the longest streak in the nation, but this victory marked a new beginning for a program in rebuilding mode after unraveling under Bill Callahan.

The Huskers led 34-10 at the half before Western Michigan dented them for two of three 80-yard scoring drives, unnerving a crowd that feared a reprise of one of the nation's worst defenses last year.

Ganz provided more than enough offense to beat the visitors from the Mid-American Conference. The fifth-year senior completed 20 of 36 passes for 345 yards. He threw two touchdown passes to Nate Swift, who had 121 yards in receptions, and one each to Mike McNeill and Marlon Lucky.

Ganz became the first Nebraska quarterback to have four 300-yard passing games.

Alex Henery kicked four career-long 44-yard field goals.

Ganz, who threw seven interceptions as the starter in the last three games in 2007, was turnover-free until getting picked off twice in two series in the fourth quarter as the Broncos were trying to come back. But Nebraska held each time.

Tim Hiller was 30-of-49 for 342 yards and two scores for Western Michigan. Tight end Branden Ledbetter caught nine balls for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Western Michigan, which was looking for a win over a BCS opponent for the third straight year, couldn't recapture the magic of last season's 28-19 road win over Iowa.

Nebraska's defense, fueled by the crowd of 84,485 on a sultry 87-degree night, held the Broncos to 8 yards on nine plays over three series.

The Huskers scored on three straight possessions to go up 17-0 early in the second quarter, with Lucky running in from 14 yards, McNeill catching a 3-yard TD pass and Henery kicking the first of his 44-yarders.

Helped by 30 yards in penalties against Nebraska cornerback Anthony West -- pass interference and a personal foul -- the Broncos moved 80 yards in 10 plays to pull to 17-7. Hiller finished the series with a 3-yard pass to Ledbetter.

The Huskers came right back, scoring less than a minute later when Ganz found Swift for a 61-yard touchdown pass.

WMU, held to 102 yards in the first half, dinged the Huskers for 194 yards in the third quarter and finished with 350. The Broncos rushed for just 8 yards.

Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. led all rushers with 52 yards.