Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz was sprawled out on the ground, trainers huddled around him, teammates, coaches and fans wondering whether he would be able to continue playing.

Ganz eventually made his way to the sideline, cleared his head, got back in the game and ended up hoisting the Gator Bowl's most valuable player trophy.

His comeback provided an appropriate ending for Nebraska's season. After all, the Cornhuskers enjoyed one of college football's best turnarounds.

Ganz shook off a horrible first half and a slight concussion, threw for two touchdowns and led Nebraska to a 26-21 victory against Clemson in the Gator Bowl, giving the storied program plenty of optimism following coach Bo Pelini's first season.

"I'm proud of this group," said Pelini, who replaced fired coach Bill Callahan after Nebraska finished 5-7 in 2007. "It's been a tough 12 months, but there's been a lot of hard work by a lot of people and it's paid off."