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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 1973)
doiu 'Scrambler' leads KSU r - tt -: ',t "I hope it's not a tough game, but I'm afraid it viil v.," Nebraska Freshman Coach Jim Ross said about the Huskers' game Saturday with K:.r,:,j5 St;:te. hi, , traveled to Stillwater, Okla., last S-'t jr'.ivy' to scout Kansas State's 28-9 loss to Oklahoma State. The Wildcats' conference recoid is 1-4, and their overall record is 4-5. Kansas State has beaten Tulsa (21-0), T,:oipa (17 0), Memphis State (21-16) and Iowa State (21-19) and has lost to Florida (21-10), :., 1,0s (25-18), Oklahoma (56-14), Missouri (31-17) and Oklahoma State. "Against Oklahoma State they were down 14 0, and all of a sudden Kansas State made it 14-9' Ross said. "With a break or two they could have won that ball game..lt never looked like they were going to fold up or quit." Loading the Wildcat offense is junior quarterback Steve Grogan. Ross describes Cu qan as a "good passer and scrambler." After pine names, Grogan is the conference's third hading passer. He has completed 64 of 142 li.iv.os for 9G9 yards. He has thrown four touchdown passes, but has had 12 intercepted. Ross also cited Henry Childs (tight end) and Isaac Jackson (halfback) as being "fine offensive players." Childs is the conference's second leading receiver with 29 catches for 487 yaids. Ho has caught two touchdown passes. Jackson is the conference's third leading rusher with 940 yards in 179 carries. His 104.4 per game average is just below Joe Washington (110.9) and Waymon Clark (105.4) of Oklahoma. Big 8 offensive team statistics rank Kansas State sixth in rushing offense, third in passing offense, fifth in total offense and eighth in scoring offense. "Kansas State's two defensive ends, Lou Wegerer and Willie Cullars, had a good game against Oklahoma State," Ross said. "They stopped Oklahoma State pretty well and prevented (Brent) Blackman from obtaining the ball." Big 8 defensive team statistics rank Kansas State seventh in rushing defense, seventh in passing defense, sixth in total defense and seventh in scoring defense. Kansas State Head Coach Vince Gibson said the Wildcats badly need to close out the season with some momentum. "Nebraska apparently started off the season having some problems with its offense, but now that it has jelled, the Huskers are rolling again, really rolling good," he said. "We're going after them with everything we have." The Nebraska - Kansas State game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Manhattan will lie their 58th meeting. The Huskers beat Kansas State last year 59-7 and lead in the series 45-10-2. Big 8 tops Southeast schools in conference supremacy test Is the Big 8 Conference' still the nation's most feared league 01 has the Southeastern Conference (SEC) overtaken the Big 8 to Ix-come the nation's leading conference? An examination of interconference play, national rankings, bowl invitations and overall league depth should provide the answer to which is No. 1, f irst of all, the SEC currently is ranked in ihi, order; Alabama (GO), Louisiana State University (LSU) (4 0), Kentucky (3-2 1), Auburn, Mississippi and Mississippi State (2-3), 1 ennessee (1-2), Florida and Georgia (2-4) and Vandeibilt (1-4). Big 8 rankings currently are in this order; OHahoma (4-0), Nebraska and Kansas (3-1-1), Missouri (3 2), Oklahoma State (1-1-2), Ci.Ioi.kIo (2 3), Ctdie (0 b). Kansas State (14), and Iowa oennetl on the bench Earlier this year during non-conference games, teams from the Big 8 clashed with representatives from the SEC on four occasions. Unfortunately, the Big 8 came up on the short end of the stick by winning one game and losing three. Mi . ,'juri neat Mississippi (17-0), but Kansas Si.;!:; lo.t to Florida (21-10), Colorado lost to I'M U-6), and Kansas lost to Tennessee ? ', 77). Accoi iinn to the Associated Press' Top 20 cull'.-jo f 00 1 ball rankings, the Big 8 currently b.r; i-,r teams nationally ranked and the SEC ),) t!eee reams ranked. Jig 8 schools ranker! are Oklahoma (third), Fi- bei-k,) (tenth), Missouri ( 1 4 5 h ) , and Kansas (1 frith). SFC teams that are ranked are Alabama (second), LSU (seventh) and Tennessee (16th). Although bowl invitations cannot be extended until Saturday, which is a farce in :ts lf, it appears the Big 8 will send three teams to bowl games, arid the SEC will send four representatives. !e,n e; bum the Big 8 probably going to n,A games arc Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl a Dili is on New Year's Day pi dying the ' jiith..'est Cnnference champion (most likely Tt x.is), Kansas in the Libel ty Bowl at Memphis C'i 1 i( c 17 playing North Carolina State; and f.a,s..,mi in th" 1)111 )nv"l at F fisn on Dec, 29 playing SEC representative Auburn. SEC teams probably going to bowl games are Alabama in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans on Dec. 31 playing Notre Dame; LSU in the Orange Bowl at Miami on New Year's Day playing Penn State; Tennessee in the Gater Bowl at Jacksonville, F la. , playing Texas Tech; and Auburn playing Missouri. Another bowl game, the Peach Bowl at Atlanta on Dec. 29, could conceivably choose a team from either the Big 8 or SEC. Although comparisons of conference depth is hard to examine, one method of doing it is by comparing the scores from both leagues when the first place team played the last place team, On Nov. 3, Iowa State played Oklahoma in Norman, Ok'a., and pressed the Sooncrs for three-fourths of the game before losing 34-17. But on Sept. 29 in an SFC game, Alabama was pressed in holding down the score against Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide beat the Commodores 44 0. Because of the Big 8's overall depth, I think the SL C still is ranked second behind the Big 8 for national conference supremacy. Even though both conferences are close when talking about !nter!e;)f'.io play, national rankings and bowl invitations, I think Colorado, Kansas State or Iowa State could beat Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State and Mississippi any day of the week. When the Cornhuskers take on the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan Saturday, Nebraska will be trying to cinch a Cotton Bowl bid and gain momentum for their Nov. 23 clash with Oklahoma. Nebraska isn't going to let the Wildcats stand in the way of their fortunes. I predict Nebraska will beat Kansas State 38-0. My predictions on other Big 8 games: Oklahoma 31, Kansas 17, at Norman, Okla.-Let's hope for Nebraska's sake that Kansas makes a good showing against the tough Sooners. Remember, the Cornhuskers only boat Kansas by one point, 10 9. Oklahoma State 24, Colorado 14, at Boulder, Colo. -The Cowboys still are clinging to slim hopes for a bowl bid, and Colorado's defense can't stop Oklahoma State's offense. Missouri 21, Iowa State 7, at Ames, Iowa - Missouri will ! out to cinch a Sun Bowl Ix.rth and irnpiove on their 3 2 conference record. I'm sure they won't let themselves or their fans down, daily ncbraskan RonTaylor, 6 ft. 10 in. freshman, is a probable starter when Nebraska's basketball team faces the Yugoslavian national team Tuesday at 7:35 p.m. Yugoslavians face cagers Tuesday By Bob Hill While previous Huskei basketball seasons have begun wilh the traditional red white iiiuosn,uad game, this year Nebraska begins Tuesday with probably their strongest opponent in a talented and experienced Yugoslavian national team. At least two of the team's players were a part of the 1 903 Yugoslavian team thai captured the silver medal at the Olympics. In addition, ot least half of the Yugoslavian team members helped win the 1973 European Basketball Championship held in Barcelona, Spain. "They've (jot more talent than anyona in our conference," Husker Head Coach Joe Cipriano said. "They played over 20 games in September alone, and they played 45 games last year," One of tin.' lalented players for the Yugoslavs is their center Kresimir Cosic, who played college basketball at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Cosic reaped All American honors last year at BYU, The Yugoslavian team, which an ived in the United States Wednesday, ''ill play each of the Big 8 schools before departing for Belrjiaile, Yugoslavia, Nov. 30. They play Iowa Start; tonight rind Missouri, winneis of trie Biq 8 preseason tournament the past twu years, Monday before facing Nebraska 1 uesday. Cipriano, in his 11th year as Husker mentor, said his learn still requires considerable work Seven of the 15 Huskers who first bt gan practices Oct 15 are freshmen "There is no way our team is going to ! ready ((01 the Yugoslavian game)," Cprianu said. He explainer! that si nee there are many young people on this season's team, they still are in the Injuring piocess of knowing what to iu and where to go. He declined to name a Matting lineup; however, he named nine playeis who would seem to Ix; logical candidates for trie live starting UmiIis, Returning lettermen Jerry Fort and Ricky Marsh "appear to be the strongest at guards", and for wauls should be selected from among freshmen Ron Taylor, Bob Siuiiel, Rick Seidel and Mark Enriyht, junior college transfer Fred Cocker, junior Steve trwm mti senior Btendy Lee He sau! he pi ninthly will wait until after next Sunday's practice to decide his stalling lineup. Tip'df mi the V ui'os' j.'ia ii'i'ker clash will be- 7 V.. p.m. at the Coliseum. Net, task i' next game will bt; the r'd white intrasquad game Nw. 21. I he Huskers' tegular season opener r, ,1 hem,; leanest aga.ns! Wyoming, 0b h'i vi Itas OVf.T Nebr a a la t yeal .j! I. aianiie J ',hn' 10 frid.iy, novcipU1' 1 0, 1 973 1 t