Statistics don’t lie; Huskers fad to stay with Washington
By Chuck Green
Senior Editor
Derek Brown sat in the South Sta
dium lounge Saturday night, ready to
answer questions from the nation’s
media.
His eyes were filled with tears.
Brown, Nebraska’s starting I-back,
had just led Comhusker rushers with
100 yards and two touchdowns on 21
carries during Nebraska’s 36-21 loss
to fourth-ranked Washington at
Memorial Stadium.
He remained unconvinced that the
better team had won the game.
“We should have won the game,”
Brown said. “We had them, and they
scored off of our mistakes. I thought
we were a better team than they were.
But the scoreboard didn’t show it.”
The statistics didn’t cither. They
were as convincing as the North Sta
dium scoreboard cutting through the
cool Lincoln night: Washington 36,
Nebraska 21.
Washington: 618 yards of total
offense; Nebraska: 308.
Washington: 335 yards rushing;
Nebraska: 135.
Washington: 30 second-half points;
Nebraska: 7.
Washington: A 2-0 record and intact
No. 4 ranking; Nebraska: 2-1 and on
its way out of The Associated Press
Top 10.
It went on and on.
“They have a very fine football
team,” Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne
said of the Huskies. “They just played
belter than we did. I don’t think we’re
out of Washington’s league, but we
just weren’t able to hold up tonight.
“There probably will be a lot of
pretty good teams this year that won’t
come as close to beating Washington
as we did tonight.”
Washington’s win broke, or came
closelobreaking, several long-stand
ing Memorial Stadium and Huskcr
records. Among them:
• wasnmgton s i i lirsi downs were
the most against Nebraska, breaking
the previous record of 29 set by Okla
homa in 1954.
• The 618 yards generated by the
Husky offense was the most since
Oklahoma rolled up 656 yards in 1956.
• Washington’s 36 points were
the most scored on Nebraska in
Memorial Stadium since Syracuse beat
the Huskers 38-0 in 1958.
• The loss ended Nebraska’s 20
game non-confercncc opponent win
streak, which dated back to 1988,
when the Huskers lost to UCLA 41
28 in Pasadena, Calif.
The loss was Nebraska’s sixth
stfaighl to a team ranked in the AP
Top 25 poll.
But a Nebraska loss to Washing
ton looked improbable during the first
half. The Huskers look charge early,
scoring on their second possession on
a 27-yard run by Brown.
Throughout the first quarter, Husker
running backs shredded Washington’s
defense, gaining 75 yards on the
ground.
Washington got on track in the
second quarter, driving 98 yards in 10
plays and scoring on a 9-yard run by
Husky quarterback Billy Joe Hobert.
Hobert finished the day with 283
yards and one touchdown passing,
completing 23 of 40 with two inter
ceptions.
The scoring drive came after Husker
punter Mike Sligge boomed a 68
yard punt to the Washington 2-yard
line.
The punt was the longest of Sligge’s
Nebraska career.
“I wasn’t expecting it to go that
long,” Sligge said. “B ut it look a good
bounce, and we look it.”
The Huskies missed their extra
point attempt after the touchdown,
aUowing Nebraska to hold on to its
titim 7-6 unlu Husker quarter
McC an t con nected with
ihc tone Wash
on Nebraska’* .usicr
the Huskers Ic&d to <uh^\( time
The second half, . was a
different story.
Washington took the opening drive
51 yards in eight plays and scored or
a 43-yard field goal by Travis Han
son. After fumbling a punt, Washing
ton allowed Brown’s second touch
down of the day, a 2-yard burst up the
middle, and trailed 21-9.
But that was to be Nebraska’s final
score of the game.
Washington answered with a 12
play, 76-yard drive capped by a 15
yard touchdown run by Husky tail
back Beno Bryant thalcul Nebraska’s
lead to 21-16 with 19 seconds left in
the third quarter.
The Huskies look the lead on their
next possession on an 8-yard pass
from Hobert to flanker Orlando McKay
that pul Washington ahead 22-21 with
11:20 remaining. They then scored
on their next two drives, a 3-yard run
by Hobert and an 81 -yard run by Jay
pul the game out of reach,
rushprs wilh 139
\ 14 for Attics, and Barry added
Osborne saltTw
^impressed
with Washington’s defense.
“They compare with some of the
very best defenses we’ve seen over
the years,’’ he said.
Osborne said he is anxious to see
how his players will rebound after the
loss.
“I think we can play belter than
this,” he said. “I hope so, anyway. If
not, it’ll be a pretty long season.
But a strong comeback is the only
acceptable direction to take, accord
ing to Brown.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of
us, and I know we’ll all work hard,”
he said. “We’ve just got to turn our
attention to Arizona State.”
How will the*players concentrate
on improving against the Sun Devils
after the disappointing loss?
“I don’t know,” Brown said, shak
ing his head. “You just do i t... just do
it.
His eyes again filled with tears.
. Shaun Sartin/DN
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
Nebraska l-back Derek Brown scores the Cornhuskers’ first
touchdown of the game on a 27-yard run. Brown finished with 100
yards on 21 carries.
Cornhusker middle guard David Noonan attempts to block the
pass of Washington quarterback Billy Joe Hobert.
Washington cornerback Dana Hall leaps to knock down a pass
intended for Husker wingback Nate Turner.
Nebraska defensive tackle John Parrella levels Husky tailback
Beno Bryant.
Shaun Sartln/DN
Lisa Pytllk/DN
FINAL SCORE: UW 36, NU 21
Scoring by quarter:
UW NU
0 7
6 7
10 7 r
20 0 h
Attendance: 76,304 |_,
NU - D. Brown 27 run (Bennett kick)
UW - Hobert 9 run (kick failed)
NU - Bostick 42 pass from McCant (Bennett kick)
UW - FG Hanson 43
NU - D. Brown 2 run (Bennett kick)
UW - Bryant 15 run (Hanson kick)
UW - McKay 8 pass from Hobert (pass failed)
UW - Hobert 3 run (Hanson kick)
UW - Barry 81 run (Hanson kick)
First downs 31 15
Rushes-yards 47-335 36-135
Passing yards 283 173
Total yards 618 308
Return yards 9 33
Passing 23-40-2 12-29-2
Punts 5-41.0 8-44.3
Fumbles-lost 3-1 1-1
Penaitiee-yards 8-91 4-29
Time of possession 35:38 24:22
Thirrirltxvn non version8 7*14 6*16
Ante DcFrairVDN
Micnelle Paulman/DN
Michelle Paulman/DN
