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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1999)
i Title shot may happen By Samuel McKewon Senior editor About 20 seconds after Nebraska hid beat them 41-J5, the Wildcats of Kansas State ambled, very slowly, out to midfield to greet the Huskers. The Comhuskers responded in kind, save Julius Jackson’s dance rou tine, which spanned about 50 yards of the field. Nobody else was quite as jubilant. Nearly ever player clad in red had been here before. Yfes, itwas busines&as usual in die NU-KSU series. Just like Nebraska cornerback Ralph Brown said, Kansas State’s reign over Nebraska was a one-year deal. =- /: At least, for another year So the Huskers, now 9-1 overall mid 6-1 in the Big 12 Conference, took the postgame press conference as an opportunity not to dwell on just how badly the Wildcats played or, for that matter, just how ugly of a game it was. Instead, they talked about the seniors, who were so key in the victo ry. And Nebraska talked about mak ing a move for the national champi onship, which suddenly seems a pos sibility with Tennessee’s 28-24 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. “We need to have some things fall into place,” said quarterback Eric Crouch, who had an NU position record 27 rushing attempts and 158 yards in the win. “But we know what we’re capable of doing if we just focus on die things we can control.” Outside of the fumbling on the first play of the game for the second straight week, Nebraska controlled Kansas State in all facets. After NU I back Dan Alexander fumbled at his own 28-yard line, die Husker defense again came up strong and again 66-—--—— We got it going on the ground, and we were able to mix in some throws.” Frank Souch Husker head coach ^ A-' blocked a field goal attempt “Like I said like last week, that’s the biggest play of the game,” Nebraska rover Mike Brown said. A Memorial Stadiimf croyrdl of 77,744 watched NU’s 0|$hse, gppif ically Crouch, take the effort from there in the first half NU had three touchdown drives of more than 40 yards against the nation’s No.,2 defense en route to a 24-9 halftime lead. Crouch rushed for two touch downs. NU kept KSU’s defense off balance with throws to tight end Tracey Wistrom. < ' “We got it going on the ground,” Please see HUSMkS on 11 Erratic By Darren Ivy Senior staff writer It would be safe to say No. 9 Kansas State missed Michael Bishop ok Saturday in its 41-15 loss to No. If Nebraska. Until now, quarterbacks Jonathan Beqsley and Adam Helm had directed the Kansas State offense well enough to make KSU fans not miss Bishop as much, if not forget him. But Saturday all those preseaso% fears resurfaced as quarterbacks; Beasley and Helm were more erratic throwing the football than the Weiner Schlinger guy was with the hot dogs, completing a combined 7 of 31 pass attempts. “It was pretty obvious that we weren’t setting the world on fire with the play out of our quarterbacks,” Coach Bill Snyder said. In last year’s 40-30 win, Bishop was on fire, throwing for 306 yards and rushing for another 140 yards. More importantly, he made the plays when they needed to be made. The inability of the quarterbacks to make plays this year and the special teams’ inability to block Nebraska players on punts and field goals led to Saturday’s 41-15 loss. The offense’s ineffectiveness started on the first drive of the game. After the previously No. 2-ranked defense in the nation recovered a Dan Alexander fum ble at the NU 28-yard line, KSU failed to make a first down, and Jamie Rheem had to attempt a 35-yard field goal. It got blocked by Kyle Vanden Bosch, and the Midcat defense headed back onto the field. All-Big 12 defensive end Darren Howard expressed his frustration about the offense after the game. “Wt get the offense good field posi . and they don’t do anything with it,” 1 said. “Itb happened all year” ; back David Allen, who R • $ ’ttake advantage of our Allen said. “We had ities to do things with Xkedefense did a good job t us foe ball in good field posi and we didn’t do our job; The se dkhft dp anything today. * “(Beasley) didn’t get the job done^ throwing the ball, and the running backs didn’t get the job done runmng foe ball.9 Nobody on offense had a good game today.” When asked if the NU gmie was the first time all year the Wildcats had missed Bishop, Allen responded, “I don’t know. “Beasley has done a great job all year. He’s had some great games at times and helped us win. Unfortunately like today, he didn’t'have a good game. He’s been hurting all week. I don’t think the offense gave him a shot. We didn’t do too much to help him out.” Beasley and Helm did not talk right after the game. The offense was held 160 yards below its average and 24 points under its average points per game. It didn’t help that KSU fell behind 16-0 in the first quarter. Unlike the Iowa State and Oklahoma State games, the offense wasn’t able to mount a comeback. “This is Nebraska,” said Quincy Morgan, a wide receiver for KSU. “You can’t get behind like that here. We are a good team. We thought we could come back. Nebraska isn’t going to let up and make it easy for you. Once they get you down, they are going to keep kicking you to keep you down That is what they did today.” •------—*---1 ScoriHg Summary fsssr*" „, . 17 Tr Kansas State 0 9 0 6 15 Team Qtr Scoring play Plays - yards Score NU 1 Team safety __ ,9 0 KS 2 Beasley, J. 1 yd run (Beasly, J. pass failed) 7-53 16 6 KS 2 Rheem.J.35 ydi field goal_ 9-62 24 9 NU 4 Diedrick, D. 46 yd run (Brown, J. kick) 1-46 34 9 NU 4 Johnson, E. 15 yd fumble recovery (Brown, J. kick) 41 15