T;
tuesday, november 24, 1981
page 8
daily nebraskan
mA
Huskers pulled together to get 9-2 record coach
. fi I iUa C
By Cindy Gardner
Although the Big Eight Championship
had already been won and the Orange Bowl
bid already sealed, Saturday's win against
Oklahoma meant a lot to Nebraska football
fans and Coach Tom Osborne knew it.
"There isn't much doubt in anybody's
mind that we actually beat Oklahoma and
we actually did win the championship,"
Osborne told an overflow crowd of 306 at
Monday's Extra Point Club luncheon. "I'm
gl3d that we won the game so we can keep
the (conference) trophy. We wont have to
send it back."
Saturday's 37-14 win against the Soon
ers capped a 9-2 season for Nebraska who
will face Clemson in the Orange Bowl Jan.
1, 1982. Osborne praised his coaching staff
and said much of the credit for the winning
record belongs to the players themselves.
"We have a talented football team this
year. I think the players have probably
pulled together and teamed up a little bet
ter than they ever have," Osborne said.
Osborne credited the Huskers with
avoiding panic against Oklahoma. Even
though the Oklahoma offense was able to
move the ball early, Osborne said no one
on the Nebraska sideline doubted the Hus
kers could win the game.
Fine offensive line
It was Oklahoma offense that Osborne
cited as the Sooners' strongest asset. Be
hind what he called a "very experienced,
very talented offensive line," OU had full
back Stanley Wilson who broke the 2,000
yard rushing mark Saturday.
"They had some good backs and one
great back in Stanley Wilson," Osborne
said. "I think he's the best fullback they've
ever had including Kenny King."
Nebraska's own offense squared off
against a team of talented but young de
fensive athletes, Osborne said.
"Oklahoma always has great athletes
and they had great athletes on defense.
Their experience level was not quite what
it has been in other years. Wj felt our off
ense was not going against the strongest
part of their football team," Osborne said.
Poised Mauer
Nebraska's offensive drives were engi
neered by quarterback Mark Mauer, who
was named Husker offensive player of the
game. Osborne said Mauer exhibited con
fidence and poise as he completed 10 of 15
passes for 116 yards. Saturday marked the
first time Mauer had played extensively
since the Oct. 3 Auburn game.
"For future reference I'd like to remind
the fans one more time that he (Mauer)
didn't play very well over at Iowa the first
quarter," Osborne said. "After that Mark
didn't play bad football. He just happened
to be in there when we weren't doing very
well as an offensive football team. Mark
probably took a little bit more of a bum
rap than he deserved."
Osborne said his praise of Mauer was
not intended to minimize the performance
of sophomore quarterback Turner Gill. GUI
missed Saturday's game after undergoing
minor surgery to relieve pressure from a
deep calf bruise. Osborne said no one
knows when Gill will be able to return. He
said Gill could be ready to go when the
team resumes practice Dec. 14 or it could
take another three or four months for his
leg to heal.
Junior center Dave Rimington was able
to play against Oklahoma although he's
been bothered by a knee injury. Rimington
injured a ligament in the Shrine Bowl four
years ago. Osborne said the injury will re
quire surgery after the Orange Bowl. Os
borne said the only other injured Husker,
tight end Jamie Williams, will be at full
speed for the game against Clemson.
Although Osborne said he didn't know a
lot about Clemson, he said he understands
the Tigers have a great defensive football
team. He also said they have great momen
tum going into the Orange Bowl.
"Of the two undefeated teams in the
country they probably have played the
toughest schedule ." Osborne said. "They
've beaten Georgia and North Carolina. It's
certainly not going to be an easy assignment."
spcsffte shorts
Photo by Dave Bentz
Nebraska I-back Roger Craig (21) tried to get by a gang of Oklahoma defenders in
Saturday's 37-14 win against the Sooners in Norman, Okla.
Winners in the men's intramural
Olympic weightlifting competition by
weight class were: 242 - Erik Korshot,
220 - Jon Post, 198 James Lockhart,
181 - Tom Wilson, 165 - Clint Pender
gast, 148 - Larry Benedict, and 132 -Ali
Bornanoghadan.
Women's winners were: 181 - Karen
Wood, 165 - Nora Judd, 148 - Chris
Wallace, 132 - Heidi Iratcabal, and 123
- Renee Anthone.
Ali Bornanoghadan was the best lift
er in the men's division while Heidi
Iratcabal won the women's title'. The
men's team champion was Beta Theta Pi
and the women's champion was Kappa
Alpha Theta
The men's basketball team will open
it's home season Monday against
Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 7:30 p.m. in
the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
The Husker wrestling team will com
pete in the Oklahoma Open Tourna
ment Friday and Saturday in Norman,
Okla.
The Big Eight Conference will have
five representatives in post-season foot
ball bowls this year. Besides the Nebra-ska-Clemson
matchup in the Orange
Bowl, Kansas will play Mississippi State
in the Hall of Fame Bowl, Oklahoma
will meet Houston in the Sun Bowl,
Oklahoma State will play Texas A&M in
the Independence Bowl and Missouri
will play Southern Mississippi in the
Tangerine Bowl.
Nebraska leads the nation in pass de
fense, according to the NCAA statistics
released Monday. The Huskers have
given up 100.1 yards per game in the
air.
A welcome mistake and crow for Thanksgiving
OK, first to the important things. Does anyone out
there have a good recipe for crow. I don't even know if
you're supposed to bake it, broil it or what. Help me!
In case you're wondering why I'll be eating crow this
Thanksgiving instead of turkey, check out my prediction
of the Oklahoma game last week. Of course, I've never
been so glad to miss a game as I was this one. If you don't
believe me I can supply references. Besides, it's better to
eat crow than the tacos Barry Switzer will be munching
on. ...
MS
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State. What can you say about
a team that fair catches not one, but two kickoffs in the
same game? They are wimps and puds. Pardon me while I
sneer. Of course, the Sooners didn't fumble on those fair
catches so it was useful in that respect.
Oklahoma still has a better team than the Cowboys but
that doesnt seem to be the issue here. No matter how
good you are, if you don't want to win you won't. Okla
homa seems to be just waiting out the season. Oklahoma
State, on the other. hand, could cap a very successful
season Dy Deating the booners.
Oklahoma State has beaten the Sooners only three
times in the last 35 years, but that's about the same
record as Missouri has against them too, and we all know
who won that game. The Sooners drop another one:
Oklahoma State 24, Oklahoma 20.
Penn State at Pittsburgh. By now you've already work
ed out all those possibilities for Nebraska to win the nat
ional championship. And Pitt is one of those teams that
has to lose.
The Lions aren't going to roll over and go belly up in
aa1!...: ms game but iVs a ,ot harder PlavinS Notre Dame the
OOCy LiIll week before a biS Same than it is Temple. And Temple
W hasn't been any good since Bill Cosby played for them.
It would be nice if Penn State could snrine th nnt
and it's certainly possible, but Pitt's been getting ready for
this game all month. Well, maybe the Panthers will fall in
the Sugar Bowl: Pittsburgh, 23, Penn State 21 .
Notre Dame at Miami, Fla. In South Bend they're al
ready starting to think about basketball season. (Which
might not be any brighter than football season.)
The Hurricanes would probably be going to a bowl if
they weren't on probation, so this is sort of a bowl game
for them.
The Irish, on the other hand, are 5-5 and not limping
into a bowl game. At least they have some self-respect.
They need this one to finish with a winning record. That
should be incentive enough for the Irish to pull a mild up
set: Notre Dame 24, Miami 14.
Alabama vs. Auburn. Bear Bryant needs this win to be
come the winningest coach in the history of college foot
ball. It's fitting that he must go against old rival Auburn
to do it.
That should give the Tigers (or War Eagles, or Plains
men, choose one of the above) added incentive to whip
the Tide, but Alabama will have plenty of incentive of
their own. The Crimson Tide heads for a Cotton Bowl
confrontation with Texas: Alabama 30, Auburn 17.
Army vs. Navy. This is always a fun game for Navy be
cause they know they'll end their season with a win. At
least that was true before they started going to bowl
games again.
The midshipmen tune up for Ohio State in the Liberty
Bowl by shelling the Army: Navy 34, Army 10
8mes: Texas 24 Texas A&M 7; Boston College
29 Holy Cross 14; Tennessee 35, Vanderbilt 13; Florida
?i '-oF1?.ida 21 ; Geor8ia 33, Georgia Tech 20;
Houston 39 Rice 6; LSU 27, Tulane 24; Arizona State
34, Arizona 21.
Last week: 15.9. 62.5 percent; season 233-89, 72.3
percent.
