NCAA Football Preview (Ala Birmingham-Nebraska)
Posted: Tues September 1, 1998 at 4:01 p.m. EDT
Ala Birmingham (0-0) at Nebraska (1-0)Saturday, 1:30 pm EDT
Nebraska hosts another lightly regarded team,
Alabama-Birmingham, Saturday but this time will try to win
without letting the opposition put on an aerial display for the
ages.
Nebraska opened the era of new coach Frank Solich with a 56-27
victory over unheralded Louisiana Tech last weekend. But
Louisiana Tech wide receiver Troy Edwards stole the show by
racking up an NCAA-record 405 yards on 21 catches against what
is supposed to be one of the best defenses in the nation.
Despite the efforts of Edwards and Tim Rattay, who threw for 590
yards, Nebraska got ahead early and remained somewhat in
control. UAB does not pose nearly as much of an offensive
threat and should provide the Cornhuskers little more than a
speed bump on the way to another lopsided victory.
For Nebraska, quarterback Bobby Newcombe completed 9-of-10
passes for 168 yards but sustained a slight tear of the
posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He will not
require surgery and is questionable for this game.
If Newcombe, a sophomore, cannot play, then redshirt freshman
Eric Crouch will start. Crouch led Nebraska on a 60-yard
touchdown drive with two minutes left in the game.
Whichever quarterback plays will be pitching and handing off to
I-back Correll Buckhalter, who will start once again as DeAngelo
Evans recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. Evans will miss
at least one more game, though he is not assured of getting back
the starting role, since Buckhalter carried 19 times for 143
yards against Louisiana Tech in his first start.
UAB can hope to stay close based on its effort last season
against Louisiana Tech, a 32-29 loss to their fellow
independent. By the numbers, the Blazers ranked in the top 10
nationally in only one team category last season, passing
efficiency defense -- a statistic virtually meaningless against
Nebraska. They ranked no higher than 42nd nationally in any
other category.
Nebraska should extend the nation's longest home winning streak
to 44 games, fifth-best all-time.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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