yards.
But before the game became a rerun
of so many Husker wins in the past,
Nebraska first had to end the
competition to see which team could
shoot itself in the foot the most.
Michigan State started the misfiring
by fumbling the opening kickoff,
which was recovered by NU's
After exchanging punts, Minter
intercepted Banks in Michigan State
territory. It took only four plays for
Phillips to score his second touchdown
— a 1 -yard run.
Brown added a 47-yard field goal to
give the Huskers a 20-7 advantage at
intermission.
In the first half, Michigan State
Octavious McFariin.
Phillips took the {
first carry 12 yards to
put the ball at the
Spartan 22-yard line,
but the Huskers
could not get much
further and settled
for a 22-yard Kris
Brown field goal and
a 3-0 lead.
Two personal foul
iC
I was really pleased
to win, especially winning
it relatively easy. I thought
the game would go to the
fourth quarter before it was
decided.
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne ^ |jj
fumbled five times
(losing two), had
nine penalties for 63
yards and an
interception.
Nebraska also lost
two fumbles and was
penalized four times
for 50 yards.
“I thought we
f made too many
mistakes to stay with
penalties on Nebraska helped the
Spartans move the ball to the Nebraska
32-yard line. The drive, however,
ended when Marc Renaud fumbled
and Jared Tomich recovered.
“We got two early, but then we
turned around and gave up a couple,”
Osborne said. “I think we were on the
verge of really getting the upper hand.
Certainly, when you can get a couple
turnovers that early, it really helps.”
Phillips scampered for 37 yards on
the first carry, and a facemasking
penalty moved the ball to the Spartan
16-yard line. Three plays later, Phillips
scored from 2 yards out for a 10-0
lead.
“The line was blocking really well,”
Phillips said. “There were a lot of
holes. They just did a great job and so
did (fullback) Jeff Makovicka. All I had
to do was run.”
Next, it was Nebraska’s turn to hand
out gifts.
After forcing the Spartans to punt,
Nebraska muffed the kick, and
Michigan State’s Brian Echols
recovered at the Nebraska 44-yard line.
Spartan quarterback Tony Banks,
who passed for 290 yards, connected
with Muhsin Muhammad for a 16-yard
pass for a touchdown with 6:28
remaining in the first quarter.
Minter said Banks posed a threat to
the Husker defense.
“He gave us a good challenge,”
Minter said. “The defense had him tied
up a couple times, and he got loose
and found a receiver. He gave us a
good test.”
Nebraska bounced back with a eight
play, 50-yard drive, but it ended when
Frazier fumbled on the Spartan 30-yard
line.
a good football team in the first halt ot
the game,” Michigan State coach Nick
Saban said.
Nebraska blew the game open in the
second half, scoring on its first four
possessions.
Brown started the scoring off with a
20-yard field goal, his third of the game.
Michigan State answered on its next
drive when Chris Gardner kicked a 24
yard field goal, but the 23-10 deficit
was the closest to Nebraska the
Spartans would come.
Phillips scored from a yard out on
Nebraska’s next possession, but he
wasn’t finished there.
On the Huskers’ next possession,
Phillips took a direct snap and burst
through the Spartan defense for a 50
yard touchdown, giving Nebraska a 36
10 lead.
“We fumble on that play about one
in every four tries in practice,” Osborne
said. “They blitzed us, and we hadn’t
anticipated that. But (center) Aaron
Graham just made a great block, arid it
went all the way.”
A 57-yard touchdown by freshman I
back Ahman Green and sophomore
James Sims’ 80-yard touchdown run
finished off the scoring in Nebraska’s
victory.
The 552 yards that the Huskers
racked up on the ground was the most
a Michigan State team has ever
allowed. Nebraska’s 666 total yards also
set a Spartan record for the most yards
given up in a game.
“I was really pleased to win,
especially winning it relatively easy, ”
Osborne said. “I thought the game
would go to the fourth quarter before it
was decided. We have a lot of respect
for Michigan State. ”
Nebraska 50
at Michigan St. 10
Passing Att-Comp. Int. Yds.
„ Berringer 6-11 0 106
Team Stats NU OU Frazier 1-2 0 8
RmhS’y™ S-552 3445 Receiving No. Yds.
Passing 114 290 Gilman 2 13
Return Yards 15 2 Holbein 2 10
Comp-Att-Int 7-14-0 21-35-1 „ ..
Punts-avg. 3-36 g.43 Rushing Att. Yds.
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 6-2 Phillips 22 206
Penalties-Yards 5-55 11-91 Childs 8 83
Time of Possession 28:40 31:20 Sims 1 80
Jeff Haller/DN
Nebraska kicker Kris Brown signs an autograph after kicking three field
goals against Michigan State. Brown took over the Huskers’ starting
placekicking role as a true freshman.
Brown wants to be
best NU kicker ever
1 ommie Frazier did it.
Will Shields did it.
And now Kris Brown has done it.
Not too many players have started
as true freshmen under Coach Tom
Osborne, but kicker
He said he knew he had a shot at
taking over the kicking duties, since
NU's kicker last year, Darin Erstad,
leaving the team after being taken by
the California Angels as the top pick
in the Major
Kns crown nas
accomplished the
feat.
Not only has
Brown earned a
starting spot, but he
already has
contributed greatly.
Brown missed his
first college kicking
attempt — an extra
point against
< ■ I
| figured the job was
wide open. I had full
expectations of coming in
and taking the job. I'm just
glad everything has
happened the way it has up
to this point.
Nebraska kicker Kris Brown ^ I
League Base Dali
draft.
“I knew with the
situation of Darin’s
that he probably
wouldn’t be back
this year,” Brown
said. “I figured the
job was wide
open. I had full
expectations of
coming in and
Ukianoma Mate.
Since then, he has been perfect.
“Right now, as a freshman, my
long-range goals are to make
everything from 40 yards in and all
die extra points,” Brown said. “If I
could do this from now on out, I
would be really happy with my career.
“You have to set two kinds of goals.
You have to set the real high goals
and then set the realistic goals. That
way, if you don’t reach the real high
goals but reach the realistic goals,
you’re not disappointed.”
Brown followed the missed extra
point with a 24-yard field goal and
seven extra points in the opener.
Against Michigan State, Brown
connected on all four extra points
and field goals of 22,47 and 20 yards.
“I wanted to make everything,” he
said. “I’m happy with the perfor
mance. I’m just feeling really
confident out there.”
Brown was recruited as a kicker out
of Carroll High School in Southlake,
Texas.
taking tne job. lm
just glad everything has happened the
way it has up to this point.”
At 6 feet and 190 pounds, Brown
played quarterback and led his high
school team to 3-A Texas state titles
in 1992 and 1993.
Osborne said Brown might be the
next quarterback behind third-stringer
Matt Turman if one of the top three
quarterbacks were injured.
For right now, however, Brown is
concentrating on his kicking duties.
Brown — who said he would like
to be considered as the best kicker in
Nebraska history after his four years
with the team — realizes he is
fortunate to be starting as a true
freshman.
“You can’t ask for a better situation, ”
he said. “I walked into a place that
didn’t have anyone with game
experience. I basically came in,
wanted the job and did my best to
earn it. Now, it’s up to me to do the
best I can to keep it. I plan to do that.”
- Derek Samson