The Nebraska Cornhuskers stood up to their first test of the season in a 56-21 rout of the Washington Huskies in Seattle.

The game was billed as a contest featuring a star quarterback and a big-play defense. What prognosticators failed to see is that both would be wearing Nebraska jerseys on Saturday.

Washington’s Jake Locker was supposed to be the game’s standout quarterback, but the Heisman hopeful struggled against the Huskers defense. The Blackshirts intercepted Locker twice, returning one for a game-sealing touchdown in the third quarter.

Instead the day belonged to Taylor Martinez, who continued his coming-out party for the Huskers. The redshirt freshman quarterback accounted for 287 total yards and four touchdowns on the day.

The game started with Husker defensive back Eric Hagg picking off Locker on the fourth play from scrimmage. Nebraska scored two plays later on an 24-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to Mike McNeil. The Huskers tacked on another touchdown two minutes later, putting Washington in a 14-0 hole.

Locker and Martinez exchanged touchdown blows in the second quarter, and the teams entered the half with the Huskers leading 28-14.

Nebraska put the game away in the second half. The Huskers tacked on 21 third quarter points, and punished the Huskies with a steady dose of running backs Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead in the second half. Both backs topped 100 yards on the day as Nebraska racked up 383 yards on the ground.

Things won’t get much easier for the Huskies next week, as they must travel to Southern Cal. Nebraska will face the North Dakota State Jackrabbits, before starting their final Big 12 season against Kansas State on October 7th.