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Not about revenge Despite three straight losses, Huskers avoid Texas issue
Posted: Friday December 03, 1999 09:24 PM
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Wanting another chance at Texas, the only team to beat Nebraska this season, does not mean the Cornhuskers are getting wrapped up in seeking revenge on the Longhorns. Just winning would be fine. The No. 3 Huskers get their second shot at No. 12 Texas on Saturday in the Big 12 championship game in San Antonio, Texas. The Longhorns have won three straight over Nebraska, including a 24-20 win in October that ultimately knocked the Huskers from national title contention. "Revenge or retaliation or anything like that, I've never even thought about those type of words," quarterback Eric Crouch said. "It's just another opportunity for us to go out and prove how much improved we are from the last time we played these guys." The No. 3 Huskers (10-1 overall, 7-1 Big 12) admit they're happy to have another crack at the Longhorns (9-3, 6-2), but want to leave it at that. Nebraska is taking a more subdued approach to the pregame talk this time. The word "hate" hasn't come up like it did before the October game. Nebraska talked about avenging last season's 20-16 loss to the Longhorns, which snapped the Huskers' 47-game home winning streak. Instead, Nebraska walked off the field watching the victorious Longhorns and their fans singing 'The Eyes of Texas' for a third straight time. "Remembering the feeling of walking off that Texas field and hearing that song and seeing those players so happy and seeing the guys on my team and the way they were in the locker room, it fuels the fire a little bit to not let that happen this week," defensive lineman Steve Warren said. Saturday's winner will clinch a spot in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2. The loser goes to the Cotton Bowl. The game is a rematch of the first Big 12 championship, which Texas won 37-27. It's the Huskers third time in the title game and the second time for the Longhorns. The winner will become the first team with two championships in the league, which formed when the Big Eight merged with teams from the Southwest Conference. "We are not trying to utilize the last three games [against Texas] as any type of a motivational factor," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "You don't need to use those kind of angles in this kind of a game." Neither team can claim to be on a roll. The Longhorns lost to No. 18 Texas A&M 20-16 on Friday. Nebraska let a 24-point lead slip away against Colorado and nearly lost on a last-second field-goal attempt before winning 33-30 in overtime. "This is something that we've worked hard for. It's finally here and now we can just focus in and forget about everything that's happened during this season and really play for something meaningful," defensive back Mike Brown said. "We are really excited to play in this game because of the Big 12 championship."
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