LINCOLN, Neb. -- Two weeks of subpar performances, one leading to a loss, have not rattled Nebraska, according to coach Frank Solich.

The Cornhuskers (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) learned from their loss at Texas two weeks ago and a slow start that left them trailing Kansas 9-0 at halftime last weekend, Solich said. He'll find out how much they learned on Saturday when Texas A&M visits Lincoln.

"In some ways we've probably moved forward in terms of where we are confidence-wise," Solich said.

What the Huskers (7-1 overall, 4-1 Big 12) are hoping is just a mini-slide started at Texas, where Nebraska couldn't hang on to a fourth-quarter lead and lost for the first time this season. It seemed to carry over last week at Kansas as the Jayhawks shut out the Huskers in the first half, something no team has done since Arizona State in 1996.

"Certainly how we started off in the (Kansas) game was of no help, and how we played the first two quarters was no help, but where we moved from there I thought probably added strength to our football team," Solich said.

Solich said the most important thing about the Kansas game was the fact that the Huskers came away with a win. Nebraska rallied in the second half and pulled out the game on a 49-yard pass play from Eric Crouch to Bobby Newcombe, but not before letting another fourth-quarter lead slip away. Solich said the Huskers will need a better performance against the No. 21 Aggies (6-2, 3-2).

"It's certainly a lesson learned by this football team that regardless of the reputation of a football team, regardless of a team's record, you'd better be able to play four quarters of good football," Solich said.

Texas A&M, the defending Big 12 champion, ended Nebraska's 19-game winning streak last year with a 28-21 upset in College Station. It was the first of four losses for Solich, in his first season after taking over the program from Tom Osborne.

Nebraska quarterback Bobby Newcombe passed for 204 yards and receiver Matt Davison set a school record with 10 catches, but only because the Aggies forced the Huskers to throw after jumping to a 28-7 lead.

"I think last year we were playing in a situation we didn't want to be in. Being down three touchdowns, that's not something we're accustomed to," Davison said. "We had to throw the ball a little bit more and that opened some opportunities up for me. Hopefully we can do some more of that this year without being behind three touchdowns."

A&M had lost its last five games against Nebraska, including the 1997 Big 12 championship game. Coach R.C. Slocumb said the Aggies know Nebraska, which trails Kansas State by a game in the Big 12 North Division, haven't forgotten last year's game.

"We have so much respect for Nebraska, that I felt after the game in '97 that we may have given them a little too much respect, but after analyzing it a little more, I realized that we just got beat by a really great football team," Slocumb said. "Last year we had more confidence going into the game, and I think we did a better job in preparation."