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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 1998)
|sas State 40y Nebraska 30 Photos by Matt Miller/DN FAR LEFT: KSU QUARTERBACK MICHAEL BISHOP runs for KSU’s first score of the game, a 2-yard run. Bishop had 140 yards on the ground and 306 through the air. LEFT: JEFF KELLY AND JARROD COOPER slam NU quarterback Eric Crouch to the ground on second and goal from the 3-yard line in the sec ond quarter. The Huskers had to set tle for a field goal. BELOW: NU SENIOR WINGBACK LANCE BROWN reaches for the ball after bobbing it as he was knocked down by KSU’s Travis Ochs. Brown made the catch for 3 yards — his only reception of the game. HI Photos by Matt MillkrDN |j LEFT: NU WINGBACK SHEVIN WIGGINS dives after being tripped up by KSU’s Jerametrius Butler in the second quarter. The 28-yard reception helped set up an 18-yard field goal for the Huskers. ABOVE: NU QUARTERBACK ERIC CROUCH is tackled by Lamar Chapman (No. 1) and Jarrod Cooper (No. 40) in the fourth quarter after rushing for a first down. Crouch rushed for 108 yards in the game. Kb U survives miscues, gains respect in victory over NU By Darren Ivy Staff writer MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State had a lot riding on Saturday's game against Nebraska. A No. 1 ranking. National title aspira tions. A Big 12 Championship bid. And most of all, 29 years of losses and frustra tion against the Comhuskers. The Wildcats had the national media spotlight on them. too. ABC and ESPN were there. The Chicago Tribune and Washington Post e\en popped in for a \ visit. "We knew if we lost, people would call us flukes,” defensive end Joe Bob Clements said. “We had to beat them to get the respect we deserve.” Mission accomplished. The Wildcats outlasted NU with a 40 30 come-from-behind win before a school-record 44,298 fans at KSU Stadium. It was the Wildcats' first win over the Huskers since 1968. "I can't think of (a win) that was big ger." KSU Coach Bill Snyder said. The win erased a painful past for Kansas State players, coaches and fans. "We wiped away 30 years of losses with one win,” senior tight end Justin Swift said. “1 think we are the new domi nant team in the Big 12. We are a team to be reckoned with." It appeared NU was going to continue its dominance of the Wildcats on the first drive. The Huskers went 80 yards on eight plays in three minutes and 31 seconds to go up 7-0. It was the first time K.SU had trailed all season. "They came out and ran some things we hadn't seen." Clements said. "We weren't expecting the one-back set. It’s hard to shut a team like that down." Snyder said NU’s early success didn't worry him or the other coaches. “When we entered the game, we had a feeling of confidence that we may have been the better team,” Snyder said. “We knew if we played well, we could win." What Snyder didn’t expect was so many mistakes. KSU had five turnovers and eight penalties for 83 yards. "In the previous games, we had cut down the penalties,” Snyder said. “We had cut down the turnovers. Then all of a sudden, they popped up on us” Nebraska coaches and players were pleading for one more flag, a face mask penalty against linebacker Travis Ochs, who grabbed onto quarterback Eric Crouch's helmet on fourth and eight with 2:53 seconds remaining. But they didn’t get it. And Kansas State took over and essentially ran out the clock before Crouch fumbled and KSU linebacker Jeff Kelly returned it for the game's final touchdown. “The ref was standing right tnere,” Ochs said of the face mask call. “I don't know if I grabbed his face mask or not. You can look at it on video. 1 was just try ing to get him down. I don't know how pretty it was. “Once the offense scored we knew it was up to us. We had four plays against their offense. I knew if we stopped them, it was our game.” The KSU defense was put in that spot after senior quarterback Michael Bishop found senior receiver Darnell McDonald wide open in the end zone to put the Wildcats ahead 34-30. McDonald, who finished with 12 catches for 183 yards, said the touchdown was a broken play. “It was designed to be a five-step Please see KSU on 14