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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1971)
On tn oS1 y w nt 0 Hi O u Q - 3 After Ihc first three weeks of the football season, this column has picked the correct winner 22 times from 27 predictions. That's 82 per cent. The main villain has been Colorado with its upset wins over LSU and Ohio State. It's refreshing to have Nebraska's games to predict, that's always a sure one. NEBRASKA 44, Utah State 7...Watch the Cornhuskers' offense rebound from last week's show. SOUTHERN CAL 28, Oklahoma 2 1. ..The Sooners just don't have the defense to put it all together this year. MINNESOTA 24, Kansas l4...The Jayhawks proved just how far back they were last week. COLORADO 28, Kansas State l4...The Buffs won't choke this year...at least not yet. IOWA STATE 35, Kent State 2 1. ..The Cyclones enter Big Bight play undefeated again. MISSOURI 24, Army l4...Chuck Roper is starting to help the Tigers. Utah State no pushover When Utah State meets the Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium Saturday, it will be the largest crowd that any Utah State team has ever played in front of. The Aggies previous single game high was against Nebraska in 1966 when 63,543 fans jammed Memorial Stadium. Saturday's crowd will again be over 67,000. Although the Aggies aren't considered a dominant power in major college football, their record over the last 10 years is nothing to laugh at. During the past decade, 1960-69, Utah State football teams posted a 68-29-3 record. That won-loss performance (69 per cent) ranks the Aggies second among major NCAA independent football teams. Utah State led the independents throughout most of the sixties, but were overtaken by the recent success of Penn State which ranks at the top with a 73-26 record. Overall, Utah State ranks 17th in the top 20 of all major college football teams. Nebraska is 1 4th on the list during the past decade with a 72-27-1 record for 72.5 percent. Alabama is the national leader with an 85-1 2-3 record. Those statistics don't include the 1970 or 1971 seasons. The Utah State football tradition is also well known in professional football. Approximately 67 Utah State football players have signed contracts with professional football teams during the past 1 0 years. Nearly 40 former Utah State players reported to pre-season training camps this past year. Included in the list of former Utah State players is Los Angeles Ram tackle Merlin Olsen. Olsen, who was voted NFL Rookie Lineman of the year in 1962 and has been a member of the all pro team five times, was a consensus Ail-American at Utah State in 196!. Other former players at Utah State include MacArthur Lane, St. Louis; Cornell Green, Dallas; and Lionel Aldridge, Green Bay. Utah State has played in two bowl games similar to Nebraska. The Aggies played in the first Gotham Bowl in 1961 and lost a 24-9 decision to Baylor. The Aggies also played in the I960 Sun Bowl and lost to New Mexico State. 20-1 3. Utah State defensive coach Dewey Wade was an assistant football coach at Omaha South High School in 1959. SI not convinced Notre Dame is still the No. 1 college football team in the Midwest, according to Sports Illustrated. The national publication, which listed the Irish ahead of Ihc Cornhuskers in its pre-season poll, continued to place Notre Dame No. 1 in the Midwest despite a narrow 8-7 win over Purdue last Saturday. But there's a little consolation for Nebraska fans. The Cornhuskers arc at least No. 2 in the magazine. Thai's a big improvement over last year. Humm still waiting Nebraska coach Bob Devaney hasn't changed his mind about sophomore quarterback David Humm. Devaney said at the beginning of the season. "We're not going to put Humm in a fame if we h;ive a big lead just lo show him off, but then again we're not going to lose a ball game just lo save Dave's (.-legibility for an extra year." Humm hasn't seen any action yel. If appears thai if Jerry Tagge and Van Brownson sfay healthy, lluinni will be redshirled. A player can play at mosl one game of the first live games ami still be considered a redshirt unless a hardship case is pleaded laler in live season. Humm. however, will slill be on the (raveling squad as the third Icaiu quarterback. tZZZJ irti & .mt'j. rJk' Mr Sanger...has extra point attempt blocked. Hat patter boots into big time by Dave McBride At first glance, Rich Sanger might not seem to be the most likely person to be the place kicker for the nation's number one football team. Although he has .been kicking since he was old enough to walk, Sanger is superstitious about kicking, booted only two field goals during his high school career, and prefers punting to place-kicking because it doesn't make his knee swell. To top it off, he doesn't even want to be a kicking specialist. Despite all this, the Ovid, Colorado native has been successful on 13 of 14 extra points this year and has handled all of the Cornhusker's place -kicking chores. A sophomore majoring in business administration, Sanger explained that his interest in kicking began with the national Punt, Pass, and Kick Contest , and stemmed from a desire "just to see how hard I can kick." A four-time all-conference selection and three-time all-state choice during his prep career at Revere High School. Sanger played fullback and middle linebacker in addition to handling the kicking duties. "I only had two field goals in high school." he said. "but it was because we always scored a lot of touchdowns." Nevertheless Sanger was the holder of a 43.5 yard career punting average when he enrolled at Nebraska. The 6-0, 214 pounder spent most of his freshman season on defense, punting seven times for a 32.1 yard average. But after kicking specialist Paul Rogers graduated last spring. Sanger's work earned him the place-kicking job. Now he is challenging veteran Jeff Hughes for the punting duties with nearly a 40-yard average on four punts this year. In speaking of his kicking. Sanger did not hesitate lo mention llut lis is superstitious about his attempts. "I have to pat my hat twice before every kick." he explained. ""I-' very time 1 haven't done it. l w blown it." He also admit led that following Paul Rogers will be hard. "Fans llut want to see me do as well as Rogers shouldn't epecl lo see thai happen yet." Sanger said, "he was the finest kicker in the nation last year. It takes a lot of work." He is still looking for the first field goal of his Husker career after missing on his only attempt of the year against Texas A & M. "The first attempt is always the hardest, he said. "When I get that first one, I'll be able to relax a little more and just kick the ball. I can't miss another one. With the Nebraska fans the way they are, you can't go around screwing up." Now if he can just remember to pat his helmet... FIELD JACKET 1152 dirk "J MUSETTE BAG E WATCH CAP 100?i Wool Lincoln Army & Western Store Corner 11 Hi fir N St. Lincoln jlpS 'jasq jo jno ai hoa' 'zjipp jo jno anoA usiw FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1971 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN PAGE 7