LINCOLN, NEB. ? Nebraska goes to Kansas University this week off losses in three of its last four games and with no explanation for its maddening slow starts.

The Cornhuskers have been outscored a combined 42-13 in the first quarters of their last four games.

In Saturday’s 31-24 loss to Oklahoma, the Huskers went three plays and out on their first five offensive series and fell behind 24-3 before making a comeback bid.

“We have to find the reason why we’re not starting faster,” offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. “We’ll put our heads together and see if we can come up with a solution.”

Players and coaches say there is nothing in the pregame routine that they would change, and they say the team is emotionally ready to play when it comes out of the tunnel.

Norvell said opposing defenses seem to throw in a new wrinkle each week.

The Huskers’ first 15 plays are run according to a script written the week of the game.

“People play different against us than they show on film,” Norvell said. “We don’t see the same defenses we see on film. That might be a part of it.”

The same holds true on the other side of the ball, linebacker Corey McKeon said.

“Teams are throwing stuff at us that they don’t even run that much, stuff that’s going to make us get out of our game plan so they can actually move the ball on us,” McKeon said. “Once we get adjusted to it, we start coming out and beating on them.”

By then, though, it has been too late.

Oklahoma generated only 97 of its 337 yards in the second half but was able to hold off Nebraska’s rally.

The Huskers (5-3, 2-3) have shown they can come back from a big deficit.

They trailed Missouri 21-3 in the first quarter before tying it 24-24 at halftime. But the Tigers outscored them 17-0 in the second half to win 41-24 on Oct. 22

They fell behind 21-0 and 27-14 to Texas Tech before rallying to lead 31-27 late in the fourth quarter on Oct. 8. But the Red Raiders scored with 12 seconds left to beat the Huskers 34-31.

“We know football is a four-quarter game, and if we get behind early we’re not real worried about it,” fullback Dane Todd said.

Still, Todd said he realizes the slow starts have become a disturbing trend.

“We understand and notice that and we’re working on addressing it,” he said. “We have to want to play, come out and do it. We feel we come out with enough energy.”

McKeon said the Huskers are capable of beating anybody if they play a complete game.

“We’ve been playing two-and-a-half quarters, one-and-a-half quarters, three quarters… that’s not going to get it done,” McKeon said. “We have to be a four-quarter team. We haven’t put that together yet.”