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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1993)
Husker title lacks hooplah By Jeff Griesch Senior Reporter One by one, Nebraska players walked to their seats in front of the rows of reporters, microphones and cameras after their 49-17 win over Iowa Stale. The Cornhuskers had clinched their third straight Big Eight championship. The smiles and laughter most would expect after clinch ing a title weren’t present. Husker after Husker methodically answered questions and left the room quietly. No whooping it up. No high-fives. No respect. Despite being undefeated, Nebraska play ers felt slighted after being passed over bv Miami in the coalition poll a week ago. This week, Nebraska moved ahead of Mi ami in the coalition poll but remained 67 points behind No'. 2 Florida State, which lost to Notre ' Dame Saturday. Although Nebraska will have to move into second place in the poll in order for a national title shot, Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said he was only concerned with winning games. “The polls, to me, have become sort of a humorous thing,” Osborne said. “We just hope to play well and win one more time.” Osborne put to rest any thoughts of Nebras ka running up the score at the end of Satur day’s game in order to win a higher ranking. “I really didn’t want to do anything to of fend Jim Walden because they beat us last year and deserve the respect,” Osborne said. “If people vote on points you score against someone else, then that’s kind of sad.” Nebraska quarterback Tommie Fra/ier said the Huskcrs wanted to show people around the nation that Nebraska was a team to reckon with. “I feel like we still have something to prove to coaches, fans and the state of Nebraska and other people out there that we are a good team,” Fra/ier said. “We can’t control the way they vote, but if we go undefeated they can’t take that away from us.” Fra/ier helped the Huskers remain unde - ii Hopefully those guys will wake up and smell the coffee and realize there is a good team in the Big Eight and that’s Nebraska. —Ramaekers Nebraska defensive tackle - 99 - fcatcd on Saturday by having a hand m four of Nebraska's seven touchdowns. The sophomore from Bradenton, Fla., rushed 13 times for 125 yards and three touch downs. Fie also passed for 68 yards, including a touchdown to tight end Gerald Armstrong. Calvin Jones, who led all rushers with 208 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries, was the other big weapon in the Nebraska's 438 yard rushing day. Jones, who moved ahead of Ken Clark into second place on the Nebraska all-time rushing list with 3,071 career yards, kept his emotions under cover. “I'm just keeping everything in perspec tive,'' Jones said. “We can’t really control what the voters or anybody else does but the one thing we can control is our own destina tion. We want to have a chance and go down and play fora national championship.’’ Huskerdefensive lineman Kevin Ramaekers said he hoped Saturday’s win would help per suade voters to rank Nebraska high. “Hopefully those guys will wake up and smell the coffee and realize there is a good team in the Big Eight and that's Nebraska,” Ramaekers said “I don’t think it would really be fair for a team to go undefeated and not play lor a national championship.” Nebraska linebacker Tre\ Alberts, w ho w as Coalition Poll Rankings iin.i 1A USA Today/ Nov. 14 Ap CNN Standings (first-place (first-place Coalition votes) votes) Point total 1. Notre Dame 1(62) 1(60) 3,098 2. Florida State 2 3 2,900 3. Nebraska 3 2(2) 2,833 4. Miami 4 4 2,694 5. Ohio State 5 5 2,574 6. Tennessee 7 7 2,370 7. West Virginia 9 6 2,260 8. Florida 8 9 2,221 9. Texas A&M 10 8 2,129 10.Alabama 11 10 1,911 The bowl coalition will use the combined point totals of the Associated Press and the CNN/USA Today polls to rank the Top 25 teams. DN graphic presented the game ball by Ramackcrs, had another big day on defense with 10 total tack les and one quarterback sack. Ramackcrs said Alberts, a native of Cedar Falls. Iowa, deserved the game ball because he had lifted the Huskers by his play and vocal leadership. “Trev was freaking out, he was a spa/ out there,” Ramackcrs said. “John Reece and I were trying to calm him down. It was a big game for him." Despite Alberts’ emotion on the field, he was calm and reserved after the game. “We arc really happy with where we are at, but we have only accomplished one-third of our goals,” Alberts said. “We still want to go undefeated and win a national championship. Shaun Sarlin/DN Clockwise from above: Nebraska outside linebacker Donta Jones (left) chases down Iowa State’s Jeff Soucie during the Cornhuskers’ 49-17 win Saturday. The Cyclones Weylan Harding (right) breaks up a pass intended for Corey Dixon during the third quarter. Cornhusker cornerback Barron Miles, who blocked a punt Saturday, trips up Iowa State’s Calvin Branch. Nebraska’s Trev Alberts, who tallied 10 tackles Saturday, chases down Iowa State’s Bob Utter (right). Alberts recorded his only sack of the day on the play.