Dallas ? Even though only Auburn managed to beat two teams playing in the BCS, Tommy Tuberville never thought he had a great team this season.

Imagine how good the No. 10 Tigers might be if they can find some consistent big playmakers.

Auburn took advantage of Nebraska mistakes, got two short touchdowns from Carl Stewart on his only touches of the game and beat the No. 22 Cornhuskers, 17-14, in the Cotton Bowl on Monday despite only 178 total yards.

“That was typical Auburn, win and win ugly,” Tuberville said. “That’s how this team has done it all year. They scrap and claw.”

Even without any superstar players, Auburn (11-2) made its seventh straight bowl game – and third in a row in January. Its 33-5 record the past three seasons is bettered only by Southern California and Texas, the last two national champions.

“These guys have overcome a lot of things. It’s hard to imagine what we’ve done,” said Tuberville, 71-29 after coaching his 100th Auburn game.

The Tigers even can wonder what might have been had they not lost to Georgia and Arkansas, the latter which instead won the SEC West. Auburn beat LSU and No. 2 Florida, which plays Ohio State next week in the Bowl Championship Series title game. The Gators’ only loss was at Auburn in mid-October.

Auburn running back Carl Stewart crosses the goal line as he's hit by Nebraska linebacker Lance Brandenburgh (40).

“We’re grungy. Whatever it takes to win, that’s what we do,” defensive end Quentin Groves said. “The main thing people are going to say is they’re a grungy bunch, but they still have 11 wins.”

John Vaughn’s 42-yard field goal midway through the third quarter accounted for the only points after halftime. And it was enough to make Auburn to fourth straight Southeastern Conference team to win the Cotton Bowl.

Nebraska (9-5), trying to return to national prominence under coach Bill Callahan, opened with a dominating 15-play, 80-yard drive capped by Zac Taylor’s 13-yard TD pass to Nate Swift. But the Cornhuskers couldn’t do much else right in their first January game in five years.

“It hurts,” Taylor said. “But I don’t think it sets our program back at all. I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Auburn players celebrate their 17-14 victory over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. Auburn ground out the victory Monday in Dallas.

Nebraska still had a chance for a 10-win season with 5:24 left when Stewart Bradley sacked Brandon Cox, stripped the ball and recovered at the Auburn 42.

The Cornhuskers got to the 30, after converting a third down for the first time since their opening drive. But Taylor was under heavy pressure on fourth down when he threw the ball over the head of his intended receiver and out of bounds.

Callahan said the Cornhuskers went for the first down because they were out of Jordan Congdon’s range.