With Saturday’s 27-14 victory
over then-No. 2 Washington, the
Comhuskers are now 15-2 against
ranked opponents since 1993. The
game marked NU coach Tom
Osborne’s first-ever win against a
top-three foe on the road - not includ
ing neutral sites.
Osborne now owns a 245-49-3
record (58-37-1 against ranked oppo
nents) and is five games away from
his 250th victory. The win could
come as soon as Nov. 1 against
Oklahoma in Lincoln.
■
Nebraska, which has won 77
straight games when rushing for more
than 300 yards, totaled 384 yards on
the ground against Washington.
Previously the top-ranked defense in
the nation against the rush, the .
Huskies allowed minus-2.5 yards per
game rushing in their first two games.
Under Osborne, the Huskers are
155-5 when rushing for 300 or more
yards in a game.
I-back Ahman Green and full
back Joel Makovicka both rushed for
129 yards, while quarterback Scott
Frost ran for 97. Nebraska has only
had three 100-yard rushers in a game
once - against Arizona State in 1988.
NU place kicker Kris Brown
broke the Nebraska record for field
goals in a career when he drilled a 20- !
yard attempt with 12:45 remaining in
the game. The junior missed his first [
attempt from 41 yards, before knock
ing in two in the fourth quarter.
His last kick, a 31 -yarder, was the
29th of his career. Dale Klein had
made 27 from 1984 through 1986.
Brown’s boot upped his career point
total to 209, which ranks ninth on the
all-time list and second among kick
ers.
■
Quarterback Scott Frost did not !
throw an interception against the
Huskies, extending his school-record
streak to 148 attempts. Turner Gill
owned the previous record with 125
in 1982 and 1983. The last time Frost
threw an interception against
Oklahoma last season, eight games
ago.
The senior threw for 88 yards
against Washington, and moved to
13th on the Husker career-passing
charts with 1,715 yards.
■
With 129 yards rushing against
Washington, Green moved to 10th on
Nebraska’s career rushing list. The
junior, who has rushed for 2,344
yards, passed JefFKinney, who ran for
2,244 yards from 1969 through 1971.
“I had to run tougher,” Green said,
“because this was a tough defense.”
Despite leaving the game with
about 10 minutes left in the fourth
quarter with an injured left shoulder,
Green also tied his career high with
29 carries Saturday.
■
In a physical game, Nebraska sur
vived without sustaining any major
injuries. Green left the game in the
fourth quarter with a slightly injured
shoulder, and linebacker Octavious
McFarlin hurt an ankle. Both should
return to practice today.
Game day Notebook compiled
by senior reporters David Wilson
and Antone Oseka.
Game day: Washin
run of 43 yards set up the Huskers’ final score and iced the victory. Nebraska rushed for 384 yards against the Huskies, who had the second-ranked
rush defense in the nation entering the game.
Upset special: NU
trounces Huskies
By David Wilson $
Senior Reporter
SEATTLE — The game plan was smash-mouth
football.
It worked.
Backed by another strong outing from quarter
back Scott Frost, Nebraska powered its way to a 27-14
upset of Washington before 74,023 at Husky Stadium
Saturday.
The Comhuskers, who jumped four spots to No. 3
in The Associated Press Top 25, improved to 3-0,
pounding 384 yards on die ground against the top
ranked rushing defense in the nation. Washington fell
eight spots to No. 10.
“We wanted to run right at them, and be the most
physical team on the field,” Nebraska fullback Joel
Makovicka said, “and for that matter, be the most
physical team in the country.”
Ahead 24-14 with just under eight minutes
remaining in the game, Makovicka ran a trap play 43
yards from the Nebraska 3-yard line to near midfield.
The game-long run sparked a 12-play, 81-yard drive
for the Huskers that ended with a 31 -yard field goal by
Kris Brown to all but seal the victory.
“Coach showed a lot of confidence in giving it to
the fullback down deep,” Makovicka said, “and I think
it showed a lot of character on offense being back at
our 5-yard line with a hostile crowd, and we have to
move the ball to win the game .”
Makovicka scampered for 82 yards in the fourth
quarter, and finished with 129 for the game. Junior I
back Ahman Green also rushed for 129 yards.
Makovicka’s feat improved his career best, which
trds against Central Florida,
was really a big factor,” NU
coaofijfom Osborne said.
k "I'lebfasfca jumped to an early 14-0 lead with
touchdown nms by Frpst in each of the Huskers’ first
two series. Green^^ff^d the ball eight times for 44
yards in the
“We kind it down their throats the first
couple of drives "Rost said.
Frost first scored on a quarterback draw play that
the Husker$added to Jheirplaybook after seeing it run
successfully against them last week by Central
Florida. Aft|£&||Dg a handoff to Makovicka, Frost
shook a tackle,andran 34 yards for a touchdown. ^
The Huskers shut the Huskies down in fouF plays
on their second drive., setting up another drive that
ended in a 30-yard touchdown run by Frost.
“A lot of people Were calling for his head last
week,” NU rush end Grant Wistrom said. “He didn’t
pay any attention to that and showed them that he was
die best quarterback on the team. He is our leader.”
Frost ran for 97 yards on 12 carries, and complet
ed 8 of 15 passes for 88 yards.
“I think this is just a statement by the team,” Frost
said. “We’re not saying we’re home free by any
stretch. We have a lot of tough games to play. But peo
ple are going to have to watch out for us.”
Any speculation about the Nebraska attack raised
after last week’s 38-24 victory over Central Florida,
should be put to rest, Wistrom said.
“I think some people are going to have to eat their
words about our offense,” Wistrom said, “Especially
some of our fans who booed them last week at home.
They went out and played their hearts out today. I
think they showed they’re one of the best offenses in
the nation. They came out and put it to them, and just
stuffed it down their throats all day. That helped us out
on defense.”
The Husker defense, which held Washington to 43
yards on the ground, stopped die Huskies on their first
five possessions.
Washington’s first score came when true fresh
man quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo tossed a 12
yard pass to tight end Cameron Cleeland to put the
Huskies on the board with 1:38 left in the half.
f Tuiasosopo entered the game for Washington
early in die second quarter when starter Brock Huard
MSfr-with a sprained left ai^y^^^^^dmpleting a
;nD pass to tailback Ra^pB Pp||e^%uard was
bt&ight to the ground by Wfstrbifr. Huard finished die
series, but did not return.
Tuiasosopo filled in adequately, throwing for 270
yards and cutting die Huskers’ lead to 21-14 with 6:36
remaining in the third quarter. After that, die freshman
quarterback failed, finishing the game 3 of 8 for 54.
Despite allowing 299 yards through the air, the *
Huskers held Tuiasosopo to 27 yards on'the ground on
11 carries. Nebraska also recorded four sacks -
including three against Tuiasosopo.
Neither team recorded a turnover, but the game
was not error-free. Washington missed a field goal,
had a two-yard punt, and failed an onside kick
attempt; Nebraska missed a field goal, and failed on
a fake field-goal attempt. The Huskers also had two
penalties inside UW’s 20-yard line that cost NU two
possible touchdowns.
“You have to be happy with the win,” Makovicka
said. “But there’s a lot of things we can improve and a
lot of things we have to work on. I think it’s a stepping
stone for what we want to accomplish.”
