The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 24, 1981, Page page 8, Image 8
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.