Ameer Abdullah Saves Nebraska from Disaster, Further Boosts Heisman Stock

It could have ended badly for Nebraska, but dynamic running back Ameer Abdullah and his legs had other plans in mind.

With 20 seconds left in the game, Nebraska was tied 24-24 with McNeese State. Overtime seemed likely until quarterback Tommy Armstrong connected with Abdullah and the rest became history.

Abdullah managed to break five tackles on his 58-yard touchdown sprint, securing a victory for the Huskers when it mattered most.

"He is a big-time player," McNeese State head coach Matt Viator said. "You don’t come back as a leading rusher in the nation unless you can make plays. Give him credit, he made a great play."

In that moment, Abdullah not only made his case as a Heisman candidate even stronger, but he also saved Nebraska from a major disaster.

"Ameer put the team on his back and won the game," head coach Bo Pelini said. "I mean, with the kickoff return, too. Thank God for Ameer today."

While it's only the second week of college football, Abdullah is well on his way to breaking records. His 54 rushing yards against McNeese State increased his career rushing total to 3,263 yards, which is only 66 yards from landing him in the top five on Nebraska's career-rushing list.

It's beyond just his performance, though. Abdullah is proving week after week that he's the leader of this Cornhuskers team.

"First thing he did was address the team in the locker room," Pelini said. "He knows. He's been around long enough and he gets it. That's why he's a tremendous leader. Not just a tremendous player, but a tremendous leader."

Eric Francis/Getty Images

It's that attitude that truly carries onto the field. When asked what was going through his head when he got the ball on that touchdown play, Abdullah had a simple answer: "I wanted to score."

And that's exactly what he did. Teammate Josh Mitchell understands. "There's a reason why he is one of the best players in the nation," he said. "It's just Ameer being Ameer."

Yet, Abdullah is still climbing his way up the list of other running backs across the country. Those who often get mentioned before him as potential Heisman candidates include Alabama's T.J. Yeldon, Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon and Georgia's Todd Gurley.

Abdullah's current odds of winning the Heisman are 33-1, per OddsShark.com. Gil Brandt, a senior analyst for NFL.com, believes Abdullah's winning touchdown will be hard to push from memory:

Armstrong credits Abdullah as a playmaker. Pelini wishes he could put the ball in his hands every time if he could. As for Abdullah, his goal is simple and that is to win.

In the process of winning, he managed to save Nebraska's 2014 season from disaster, while also making his Heisman stock rise.

As Mitchell said, that's just Ameer being Ameer.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.