NCAA Football Recap (Nebraska-Washington)
Posted: Sat September 20, 1997 at 9:12 p.m. EDT
Quarterback Scott Frost scored on runs of 34 and 30 yards in the
first quarter as Nebraska knocked Brock Huard out
of the game and Washington virtually out of the
national championship picture with a 27-14 victory.
Ahman Green added a four-yard scoring run in the second quarter
as the Cornhuskers (3-0) scored the first 21 points of the game
and rebounded from a sluggish 38-24 home victory over Central
Florida last week.
Nebraska, with its option running attack, tore apart the vaunted
Washington run defense, rolling up 384 yards on the ground. The
Huskies held opponents to minus-five yards rushing in the first
two games, wins over Brigham Young and San Diego State.
"The changes they made in formations we charted are totally
different," admitted Huskies coach Jim Lambright. "They went
totally away from what they did in the past. They changed a
whole lot of their offensive tendencies completely.
But that aside, you still have to win the line of scrimmage, so
they surprised us with some things, but the line of scrimmage is
a war. If you can't win that, then you're not going to win
much."
Green finished with 129 yards on 29 carries while fullback Joel
Makovicka netted the same on just 12 rushes. Frost finished
with 97 yards on 18 carries.
Washington (2-1) lost Huard, its quarterback, to a sprained left
ankle on its second possession of the game. Freshman Marques
Tuiasosopo played well, completing 12-of-22 passes for 270 yards
and a pair of touchdowns without an interception.
"We changed our offense to compliment the talents of Marques
Tuiasosopo," said Lambright about the freshman, who is the son
of former UCLA standout and NFL veteran Manu Tuiasosopo. "We
moved to the edges and used his ability to run a little more."
"It certainly hurts to lose your starting quarterback. To have a
chance to come back in the game, you have to have all your tools,
and to lose your quarterback hurts. And in this case, he is so
talented that it hurts a lot."
The Huskies, who could not handle Nebraska the way Pac-10
Conference foe Arizona State did last year, likely will have to
run the table in the conference this year and make the Rose Bowl
just to have a chance at the national championship. The Big Ten
Conference champion would have to be unbeaten overall and ranked
first, since the Rose Bowl is not part of the bowl alliance this
year.
Nebraska drew first blood midway through the first quarter as
Frost ran a sprint draw up the middle and outraced the defense
for a touchdown, capping a six-play, 80-yard drive.
After the Huskers knocked Huard out of the game and got the ball
back, they marched 56 yards in 10 plays, and Frost again
finished it off, dashing 30 yards to extend the margin to 14-0
with 1:51 left.
The Cornhuskers continued to extend Washington's run defense
with the option, and it again paid off as Green scored from four
yards to make it 21-0 with 7:40 to play in the first half.
Washington finally answered late in the first half as Tuiasosopo
hooked up with tight end Cameron Cleeland on a 12-yard scoring
pass with 1:38 remaining.
As Nebraska sputtered on offense, the Huskies closed within
21-14 with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter. Tuiasosopo
rolled right and found tailback Mike Reed for a two-yard TD
pass, capping a seven-play, 76-yard drive.
After recovering an onsides kick, the Cornhuskers responded with
a 13-play, 45-yard drive that produced a 20-yard field goal by
Kris Brown that pushed the lead to 10 with 12:45 left.
"It was a chance to remain momentum," Lambright explained when
asked about the onsides kick. "We knew there was a real good
chance to get it. We had been waiting for the opportunity and
in this sort of game, you take a chance for an onsides kick. It
was worth it."
Washington was able to pin Nebraska at its own 3 after a punt
midway through the fourth quarter, but Makovicka responded with
a 44-yard run up the middle to key a 12-play, 81-yard drive that
culminated in a 31-yard field goal by Brown with 2:25 left.
Frost completed 8-of-15 passes for 88 yards as the Huskers ran
the ball 66 times.
Rashaan Sheehee, who ran for 243 yards and averaged 8.7 yards
per carry in his first two games, was held to 28 yards on 11
attempts for Washington. Jerome Pathon caught five passes for
195 yards, including a 54-yard reception.
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