On the final play of the game, Arkansas State quarterback Justice Hansen overthrew Kendrick Edwards in the end zone, preserving a 43-36 win for the Huskers in their season opener.
The Huskers survived a late rally from the Red Wolves, who scored with less than a minute to play, recovered an onside kick with 47 seconds to go and marched down to the Nebraska 11.
The Huskers took a 27-26 lead into the half and wouldn't trail the rest of the night. Tre Bryant, who finished the game with 192 yards on 31 carries, scored on a 1-yard plunge to make it 34-26 early in the third quarter.
After the rest of the quarter was scoreless, Tanner Lee connected with De'Mornay Pierson-El on an eight-yard slant with 12:25 to play in the game to put NU up 15.
Lee finished the game 19-for-32 with 238 yards and two touchdowns.
However, it was the Red Wolves who scored the first touchdown of the evening, Blaise Taylor gave Arkansas State a 7-3 lead midway through the first quarter with a 63-yard punt return, but Nebraska answered with a return of their own when JD Spielman took the ensuing kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown to make it 10-7.
It didn't take Tanner Lee long to throw his first touchdown pass in a Nebraska uniform, firing a 44-yard strike to Stanley Morgan to put NU up 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Lee's counterpart Justice Hansen was 46-for-68 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
