The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 23

HUSKERS' JEFF KINNEY BREAKS FOR LONG GAINER Parkhouse (90) and other, Tide defenders give chase BEAR TELLS THE STORY is there for help Could be after devastating Orange Bowl 1C AmtirfOtt 0tar Sunday, January 2, 197J scores. After stopping an early Nebraska drive the Tide was forced to punt a second time It never got away. Gantt got a high snap from center and tried to run. It wasn't enough as Nebraska took over at its own 46. That kind of field position let Tagge drive his Huskers 54 yards, in.

five plays with the aid -of a 33-yard pass -interference call. And, seconds later; when Rodgers ripped off his 77-yarder tt was ill ovef except some more scoring. Kinney, for Nebraska, did the damage on the ground. Bill Olds, a fullback substitute, was next best with a mere 27 yards. But Tagge, big, strong, and having to be a pro prospect, riddled Jama's secondaryJor.

another 159 yards when he hit on 11 of 19, four of those going to Rodgers for 84 the 159 yards. Mussofto no one's surprise," was Alabama' best- of anything for the night the Italian Stallion, getting little In the way of blocking help, scrambled and dived and fought for; 79 yards. Junior quarterback Terry Davis was second best with 61 yards while sub quarterback Butch Hobson, scrambled for 59 after it was all, all over. Passing? Alabama had none. Davis hit on just three of nine, and had.one intercepted.

Hobson hit zip for three. Benny Rippetoe threw one, an interception, that set up a final score for the Huskers. The myth of that number two ranking wasn't long In exploding. Alabama's offense, in not great surprise, couldn't, get enough real estate for a first down after receiving an opening kickoff and here came Gantt to kick it away. There, too, came an early omen that this was not a Tide evening.

Gantt line-drived one to the deadly Rodgers, not the high, soft floated needed; but luck in the form of Steve Bisceglia got a one-handed slap on a foot after a mere 1 1-yard return. That gave the Huskers a first at their own 38, a distance of 62 yards to Bama's goal, and for a while it looked as if the Nebraskans would get there on a first possession. Kinney running and Tagge throwing accounted for three first downs into the Bama 21. But a couple of big licks by John Mitchell, another by Parkhouse, and a fourth-down pass staved the threat. Not tor lonR.

After Musso got 22 on a pitch Bama faltered and came up -with a third and five. Davis fumbled the snap for no Gantt, back to punt, got a high snap and tried to run. That gave Nebraska the football at the Husker 47 and 11-yards to Rodgers from Tagge got 11. A pass interference call on Steve Williams, covering Woddy Cox put it at the two and then Kinney slammed over. A missed PAT left it at 6-0 with 12:59 gone in the first period.

(See Nebraska, Page 3C) By GEORGE SMITH Star' Sports Editor MIAMI One sign, in this case, had to be worth a thousand words. Carried by a couple of husky lads from Nebraska, it said things best; Crimson tried, but they're still number 3. number Oklahoma number 2." And after a 38-6 rout by Nebraska of Alabama here Saturday night in the 1972 Orange Bowl, Bama fans ready to argue that claim are as hard to find as a tourist with money in Miami What.it was was the so-called national championship game, that college Super Bowl between the Crimson Tide of Alabama and the Cornhuskers of Nebraska was nothing more than a super bust. t7' Alabama, this morning, is just happy those two little ol sign makers were rwlIUhg itolconcede that jts Tide ranks, as high as number three. Playing without the poise of an 11-game winner, Alabama wasted little time letting 78, 151 stadium fans and a national TV audience know it was not a challenge to Nebraska's second straight national title.

Nebraska won it's first one here last year, whipping yet another SEC team (LSU), and held to a second here against Alabama with an ease that was unreal unbelievable, and shocking? Alabama, early, made enough mistakes to give Virginia Poly a shot at the Dallas Cowboys and some guys by the name of Jerry Tagge and johnny Rodgers and. Jeff Kinney and Rich Glover didn't exactly bite the hands that fed. In the span of nine minutes in the first half the Cornhus- kers, happily using Alabama mistakes rolled to a 28-0 Tide fans get a jump on the traffic if nothing more. Kinney. who ripped Alabama defenses for 99 yards on 20 trips, leaped overtrom two yards out td get Nebraska off to a 6-0 lead, Rodgers, on the last play of the first period, raced 77 yards witlj a Greg Gantt punt for a 14-0 edge, and then runs of one and two-yards by Tagge and Gary Dixon had Nebraska fans really enjoying the Orange Bowl's half time show.

'v- Atreakdowirin AlabamrticfckmgmevathinfiheTide- does take some pride in, led directly to Nebraska's first twa lUW- liww.il jiii mJiipwa jmmmm mM mm. mtm. "if MUdren is MVP -n oohcf ers9 iiiacliiinie For Sooner fans, declaring "We're No. 1" as a pelting rain began to shoot down right after the final gun, the midwest journey to this land of bourbon and jazz was a worthy one. Sooners must deeply believe they are among America's football elite.

Enter Mr. Joe Wylie. The speedy Sooner scored Oklahoma '9 19th point by hauling David Beverly's punt for a 71-yard touchdown. The first quarter soon ended, and already Oklahoma had 142 total yards all on the ground and Auburn had but 16. THKYARqSTICK fey feW jW4kji 1 4 ff OkWnou II Ml Ihiwns r.issiiHI 1 AllrlltDttll '(anph'lf il 1-irM VanK Y.inK 8 IA ail am i 3) It Inl IH Hmlilc Wit I Willi! Y.inN hiMliatt one for four; and offensive total of 160 yards.

On the other hand, Sullivan, operating under tremendous pressure from a big, strong Okie line led by Raymond Hamilton, Steve Aycock and Mark Driscoll, threw 44 times, completed 20, and accounted for 250 offensive yards. Mildren had some friends, loo. The vicious kind like defensive crunchers Lucious Selmon, Aycock, Driscoll, Steve O'Shaughnesy Geoffrey Nordgren. And some fast ones like Joe Wylie and Greg Pruitt. who some feel can't lose the Heisman Trophy in 1972" when he runs his senior season for Chuck Fairbanks, rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries.

On the ground, Auburn's best effort was Unger's who had 38 yards on six tries and two touchdowns. The Okies established an early pattern. They took the opening kickoff 77 yards, used 13 snaps, with rough fullback Leon Crosswhite busting four yards for the TD. The PAT failed. It was 6-0 six minutes after the kickoff.

With still 3:05 to play in the first quarter capped a 41-yard, eight-play march set up when Hamilton smothered an AU fumble. Mildren got his first of. three TDs on a five-yard sweep. He waltzed the five yards with ease. John Carroll added the conversion for a 13-0 By WAVNE HESTER Star Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS -Somebody call a wrecker.

Have it dispatched to Sugar Bowl Stadium, New Orleans. Auburn's football machine has 'been demolished. Notify the police, too. Begin immediate search for Mildren, Jack; Caucasian; male; age 21; blonde' hair; 6-0, 199-pounds; last seen clearly displayed, front and back. Book him for ruthless behavior.

Warning: Mildren is dangerous. He is smart, crafty and stern. When found, please turn him over to the Sugar Bowl committee. They say they have an award for him. The award is the Sugar Bowl's Most Valuable Player Trophy.

It' belongs to Oklahoma's Jack Mildren', No. 11, the man who made Auburn dizzy here Saturday. 's running, his play-making on the first day of 1972, closed the 1971 chapter of Auburn football. The final score was 40-22. Statistically, it was worse.

For the record, Oklahoma was sooner than its name, even expectedly striking for a 19-0 lead after the first 15 minutes. At the half it was 31-0. After three quarters, 34-7. Auburn's remaining points were scored against second team. HESTER Nordgren picked off a Sullivajn pass with 6:24 to play in the second quarter to get the Okies started again.

Seven plays and 35 yards later Mildren was going four yards for another TD. It was 25-0 at 3:28. Another interception, this one by Driscoll, set up Oklahoma's fifth The drive was 41. yardseven plays, and it gave the Sooners a 31-0 halftime lead. Already Oklahoma had 242 yards total offense.

Auburn had 95. Carroll booted a record 53-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Sooners a 34-0 edge, and finally, with 7:54 to play in the third quarter Sullivan called on Harry Unger for a one-yard Snug Jordan, Auburn's coach, will give support. "They werd easily the best team we have faced all yejir." Pat Sullivan, Auburn's Heisman Trophy quarterback, echoes his coach. "I've never played against a finer -Oklahoma dominated much the way Alabama dominated against the Tigers in late November, Alabama had the ball 41 minutes, 18 seconds, Saturday, Mildren and his mates played with it for 41 minutes, 52 seconds. AndJo that time all Mildren did was score three touchdowns, rush for 149 yards on 30 carries, pass for 11 yards TERRY HENLEY (23) FINDS GOING A LITTLE ROUGH Aycock (43) and Selmon (98) there for stop (See Tigers, Page 6C) 1 i HJiffloB mk ijmwm CMiim Mom IBmkoooooi.