NCAA Football Recap (Nebraska-Missouri)
Posted: Sat November 8, 1997 at 10:00 p.m. EST
Nebraska barely remained unbeaten, escaping with a
miraculous 45-38 overtime victory over Missouri as freshman Matt
Davison caught a deflected touchdown pass on the final play of
regulation and Scott Frost ran 12 yards for a score in the extra
period.
The Cornhuskers appeared headed for their first regular-season
Big 12 Conference loss in nearly five years. But trailing 38-31,
Frost moved Nebraska 67 yards in 62 seconds to the tying
touchdown.
On third down at the Missouri 12 with seven seconds remaining,
Frost threw over the middle to Shevin Wiggins. The pass was
broken up, but a falling Wiggins kicked it back to Davison, who
made a diving catch. Kris Brown's extra point sent the game to
overtime and Frost capped the initial possession by running it
in from the 12 for his fourth touchdown of the game.
"I can't remember one like this one. Win or lose, there hasn't
been one like this for a long time," Nebraska coach Tom Osborne
said. "We were fortunate to win this game. Missouri is a great
team. We just couldn't stop their offense all day."
Missouri's bid for its first-ever win over a opponent
was snuffed when Corby Jones was sacked by Mike Rucker and Grant
Wistrom on 4th-and-7. Jones threw three touchdown passes and ran
for another score for the Tigers (7-3, 5-2 Big 12).
"As far as anyone who's watching, they know that this team is
for real," Jones said. "But it's just a tough one to lose."
Nebraska (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) extended a pair of long winning
streaks. The Cornhuskers have won 37 consecutive regular-season
conference games and have taken the last 19 meetings with
Missouri.
Frost, much-maligned for most of his career, rushed for 141
yards on 23 carries while completing 11-of-24 passes for 175
yards and two interceptions.
"This offense can't be stopped, by any defense," he said. "Right
now, we have all the confidence in the world. Sixty yards in 56
seconds, that was unbelievable. I told the huddle to dig down
deep and do it. If we would have lost this one, all our wins
were meaningless."
His one-yard TD run with just over three minutes to go in the
third quarter put Nebraska ahead, 28-24.
But Jones scored on a seven-yard keeper before the period ended
to put the Tigers on top, 31-28.
Brown's school-record 10th straight field goal, a 44-yarder
early in the fourth quarter, tied it before Jones put Missouri
in position to win. He rolled right and found a wide-open Eddie
Brooks in the front of the end zone for a 15-yard TD with 4:39
to play.
The teams traded punts, with Nebraska taking over at its own 33
for the final possession of the fourth quarter.
Missouri struck first on Brock Olivo's one-yard score, but Frost
ran for touchdowns of 16 and one yard before the end of the
first quarter to give the Cornhuskers a 14-7 edge.
Jones hit Torey Coleman for an 18-yard TD before Ahman Green
answered with a seven-yard touchdown carry that put Nebraska
back on top, 21-14. Overshadowed by Frost's heroics, Green kept
his faint Heisman Trophy hopes alive by rushing for 189 yards on
30 carries.
The Tigers were able to take the lead into halftime as Scott
Knickman kicked a 39-yard field goal and Jones and Olivo hooked
up on a 34-yard touchdown pass. It was Missouri's first halftime
lead over Nebraska since 1988.
"We came out and played exactly the way we wanted," Jones said.
"We gave it our all and (there were) just a few bad breaks at
the end of the game. We had this game, we just let it slip
away."
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