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daily nebraskan
Wednesday, december 9, 1981
Huskers need repeat of events for championship
jty .... a
By Tad Slrykcr
They called it "The One-Day Season." Friday, Jan. I,
1971, was a landmark day for college football in general
and the Nebraska Cornhuskcrs in particular. That day,
every lluskcr fans' wildest dreams came true in a chain
reaction of shocking bowl games. Top-ranked Texas, rid
ing a 30-game winning streak, was toppled in the Cotton
Bowl by Notre Dame. No. 2 Ohio State was upset by
Stanford in the Rose Howl. Suddenly, the chance for a
first-ever national championship was dumped right into
the Huskers' lap.
Dick Rupert, a starting offensive lineman for the third
ranked Huskers, recalled what it was like for the team
before the now -historic clash with LSU.
"Actually, we had only a very remote chance (at the
national championship) beforehand. We didn't know until
right before the game that we had a chance to win it all."
What had seemed like a distant dream before was within
Nebraska's grasp.
The Huskers of 1970 had the luxury of slipping into
striking position almost unnoticed. Despite their 10-0-1
record and high ranking, they attracted little national
attention during the weeks before the bowl games. Their
matchup with LSI) was not heralded by Sports Illustrated "s
Dan Jenkins.
"Unlike the big games earlier in the day, the Orange
Howl will not be endowed with major personalities,"
wrote Jenkins in his bowl preview article. "The coaches,
Nebraska's Hob Dcvancy and LSD's Charlie McClcndon,
fall short of the colorful images of the Royals, Hayeses
and Parscghians, and the players lack the stature of the
Ilunkctts, Tlicismanns, Worstcrs and Tatums."
The Husker "no-names" were content to let public
opinion ride on the Cotton and Rose bowls, quietly pre
paring for LSU, which was known for its tough defense,
led by all-Amcrican defensive back Tommy Casanova. All
the while, Devancy and his team could only hope for the
best; that Notre Dame and Stanford would give them a
hand.
"To be number one vou have to be good, but you've
got to be lucky, too," Rupert said. "At the end of the
year, we were playing well. We were confident. Wc
thought wc could beat anyone. We wanted to play Texas,
but it didn't turn out that way." In the end, it was up to
Notre Dame to knock off the Longhorns.
"Notre Dame helped us out a lot," Rupert said. "Wc
should have sent them a letter or something."
If the Irish had merited a letter, then at least a card
would have been in order for the Indians of Stanford, and
perhaps a special word or two to the quarterbacks, Joe
Theismann of Notre Dame and Jim Plunkctt of Stanford,
who engineered the upsets.
Those two made it possible for the Huskers to take
center stage for the dramatic third act.
"We'd been rooting for the triple miracle since the
bowl matchups were announced," Devancy said in his
recently-published autobiography.
Hut whatever rooting was being done, was being done
quietly, according to Jeff Kinney, who shared the l-back
spot with Joe Orduna.
"Our preparation for the game was anything but
normal, especially because LSU had a great defense. They
had only allowed one rushing touchdown all year,"
Kinney said. Hut, as for the possible national champion
ship, "it wasn't talked about that much."
"The reality didn't set in until right before the game,"
Kinney said.
"They (NBC-TV) delayed our game 15 minutes
because of the Rose Bowl," Rupert said. "Wc got to
watch the whole thing in the locker room. Wc knew that
if wc beat LSU, we'd be the national champions, without
any doubt. It really got us psyched up and that helped
us."
The Huskers' early momentum carried them to a quick
10-0 lead, on a 25-yard field goal by Paul Rogers and a 3
yard touchdown run by Orduna. Then the Bayou Bengals'
defense took over the game's midsection. After kicking a
pair of field goals, LSU took a 12-10 lead on the last play
of the third quarter, a 31 -yard touchdown pass.
As it turned out, though, the stage was merely set for
one of the Huskers' most famous drives, a 67-yardcr,
capped by Jerry Tagge's 1-yard touchdown run with 6:10
left. A late interception by linebacker Bob Terrio saved
the game and the No. I ranking for Nebraska.
"Wc really didn't play all that well, but wcgot the job
done," Rupert said.
A similar task faces the 1981 Nebraska Cornhuskcrs,
but they, too, will need a fortunate chain of events to
occur if they are to become national champions. Penn
State kept alive the Huskers' chances when they
demolished No. 1 Pittsburgh on Nov. 28. But Georgia
must lose to Pitt in the Sugar Bowl and Alabama must fall
to Texas in the Cotton Bowl to give Nebraska a chance to
repeat history. Yet, even if that should happen, it's still
not a sure thing, Rupert said.
"The situation then is similar to the one now," he said,
"but you've got to look at the records. We were 10-0-1,
and when wc won the Orange Bowl, there was no
question. But this year, with (Nebraska's) two losses, they
might vote somebody else in even if everything went right
for us."
Rupert said that because this year's Sugar Bowl game is
scheduled to begin at approximately the same time as the
Huskers meet Clcmson, the chances for prcgamc dramatics
will be nil.
"Wc knew the situation before our game," he said. "We
had our work cut out for us. This year, they won't know
beforehand. It's going to be different for them."
Huskers ready tight defense to corral Buffaloes
By VVardW.Triplett 111
The Huskers will have to rely on consistent perfor
mances and tight defense in order to defeat the Colorado
Buffaloes Thursday night in Boulder, Colo., Nebraska
women's basketball Coach Colleen Matsuhara said.
"I don't believe they've lost on their home floor in 23
games," Matsuhara said.
The 7-1 Buffaloes won the Califomia-Berkely Invitat
ional tournament last weekend, while the Huskers left
their own invitational with a 4-1 record.
Colorado will be the second Big Eight foe the Huskers
have faced this season after beating Iowa State 76-64 in
November. The Buffaloes were one of the Big Eight's pre
season selections to win the conference and received
honorable mention to the women's preseason top twenty.
The Buffaloes arc led by 64 center Lisa Van Goor,
who came to Colorado as a Prep all-Amcrican and was a
second team all-freshman standout last year. Van Goor is
averaging 16 points per game and II rebounds. Sandi
Bean, a 5-9 guard directs the Buffaloes attack and is aver
aging 13.9 points per game.
"Van Goor is a smooth, finesse center," Matsuhara
said. "In order to stop her, we've got to front her and
hope the weak side defense is there to help in case she gets
the ball low," she said.
"We've also got to keep pressure on the guards, so they
won't be able to see Van Goor underneath very easily,"
All-arounders to compete in Houston
Four UNL gymnasts will travel to Houston Baptist Uni
versity Friday to compete in the Husky Classic.
Since the meet consists only of all-around competition,
UNL will send Jim Hartung, Phil Cahoy, Jim Mikus and
Mike Bowers to compete against seven other schools,
according to Coach Francis Allen.
All-arounder Scott Johnson just returned Wednesday
night from competition in Toyko,so he will not make the
trip to Houston. Allen said he would rather let Johnson
rest to prepare for the Japanese All-Stars meet in Lincoln
Dec. 18.
UNL won the Husky Classic last year and should have
little trouble winning it again this year, Allen said.
"If things go well, we should win," he said, "but that's
the trouble with sending only four guys and having all
scores count."
There is a possibility that only three scores will count,
he said, but he had not been notified of the final decision
yet.
Allen said Arizona State or Oklahoma may pose a
possible threat, but that "it probably won't even be
close."
Although there are several strictly all-around meets
throughout the year, Allen said more may be added in the
future.
"If the exectuvie committee says there will be less all
around competition in regular meets throughout the year,
then we'll go to more like this one," he said.
"It's a little bit different style of meet," he said, "but
it's a pretty good one. It gives you a better look at your
all-arounders."
she said.
The Buffaloes will be taller, but Matsuhara said the
Huskers should have the edge in speed.
"One thing wc have in common is that we've both lost
to Wayland (Baptist)," Matsuhara said. "But Colorado is
very much improved from that game and seem to have got
into playing their type of game," she said.
The Buffaloes play highly regarded Tennessee in
Boulder tonight, so they will be coming off what should
be a tough game before the Husker contest.
Although Matsuhara said she was disappointed with the
lack of intensity in this week's practices, she praised
senior Janet Smith's and freshman Cathy Owen's play
against South Dakota State Saturday.
"Hopefully, Janet Smith can have another game like
that against Colorado," Matsuhara said. The 6-2 Smith
had 20 points and 17 rebounds in the game.
"We need that out of her in every game we play. I
thought Cathy did an excellent job for us too. It was her
first starting role for us, and I thought she played very
1,
WCll.
The Huskers will travel to Ft. Collins, Colo, after the
Colorado matchup to battle Colorado State Friday night.
The teams should be even in height, Matsuhara said, but
Nebraska will have to concentrate on stopping the 4-3
Rams' guard Kathy Lightfoot. The 5-8 Lightfoot is aver
aging 20.7 points per game so far this year.
S
shorts
2
g f
Phcto by Kent Morgan Olsen
Husker gymnast Jim Mikus performs on the horizontal bar at the Big Eight Invitational earlier this y ear at the Bob
Devaney Sports Center.
The Smith 7 team took
the opening tip, scored and
never trailed as it won the
women's all-University
basketball championship
28-15 against the A.A.'s.
Defense dominated the first
half as the intermission
score was 11-7.
The A.A.'s staged a brief
rally in the second half,
cutting Smith 7's lead to
four points, but were forced
to foul as time ran out and
Smith 7 made numerous
free throws to provide the
final victory margin.
Ann Schroeder and
Denise Day led Smith 7 in
scoring with 10 and nine
points, respectively.
Members of the Smith 7
team are: Schroeder, Day,
Ellen Ramsey, Lisa Knolten
berg, Cheryl Weber, Mary
Bartels. Jodi Bartak. Laurie
Bolte, Nancy Fiala, Lucinda
Limb, Annette Madigan and
Nancy Janerek.
First Mid-America beat
Beta Theta Pi No. 2 57-39
to win the championship of
the men's intramural basket
ball marathon. First Mid
America went through the
double elimination tourna
ment undefeated.
Men's basketball entries
are due in the Recreation
Office at 5 pan. Friday.
Two UNL boxing club
members participated in a
meet Saturday in Pershing
Auditorium. UNL's John
Bakalas, a 166-pounder,
lost a three-round decision
to 167-pound Mallory Piggie
of the Sweet 9 Boxing Club.
Marc Grimminger, a 178
pound UNL student, TKOd
Brad Meslander of Beatrice
at 1:10 of the second
round. Grimminger has
TKOd his last three oppon
ents and is now 5-0.