The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 25

lies fllmncs Sunbatj sister Sl NDAV, No KMCKIi.j. Skctios King for a Day Cornell freshman Hen King rushes for a school-record 292 yards as the Rama beat Coe, 40-2S. Page 7D jl mgPeac I'AYTDWITKE, E.hCiTivi Siukts EiiItok. 515-2M-S1JU High School Football Previews Get a head start on Mondays round of the prep football playoff's with previews of all 20 games. Page 2D 0) State's neighbors pound Cyclones, Hawkeyes Hansen No.

1 Nebraska overwhelms Illinois defense keeps Iowa in tailspin, 26-7 ISU, 73-14 By RANDY PETERSON Wuhi.ii ,4 1 1 .4 I I 1 4 Pity the poor Gornhuskers incoln, Neb. Lawrence Phillips? The Nebraska football team needs Lawrence Phillips the way television needs another ratings-crazed talk show host. Judging by their 73-14 victory over humble Iowa State, the Cornhuskers want for very little. Especially in the running-back department. When a coach has Ahman Green lining up behind Tommie Frazier, what does he need with Phillips? Imagine Tom Osborne coming to work Saturday morning wearing suspenders and a belt.

One or the other is fine, but both? And if Green develops a case of iruli-gestion. here comes Clinton Childs. Or Damon Benning or James Sims, without much drop-off. The Huskers have started four different I-backs this How many of the folks who cheered Lawrence Phillips' return were appalled by the folks who cheered the O.J. Simpson verdict? i tJJ t.nvn A V.

1 Iowa City, la. Saturday's Iowa-Illinois game became so bad toward late afternoon, the students began to leave with 7 minutes left. By the time the Illini put the finishing touches on a 26-7 victory with a touchdown with 2 minutes remaining, all but a handful of students were someplace other than Kinnick Stadium. They conducted thenrselves well while they were ther e. The only unruliness was caused by the confusing Illinois defense that for the first time this season saw standouts Simeon Kice and Kevin I lardy lined up side-by-side at times.

The result was not pretty as far as Iowa's bowl hopes were concerned. The loss dropped its records to 2-3 in the Big Ten Conference and 5-3 overall. Next is a game at surprising Northwestern. Then it's at Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes end the season at home against Minnesota.

"We have a chance our next three games, but it will be Iowa Coach Hayden Fry said "We've still got a chance to go 8-3, but all the teams remaining on out schedule are fine football teams." Iowa lost its third straight game for a number of reasons, but primarily because of the Illinois defense. The Hawkeyes, averaging 212 rushing yards a game, man aged only 20. last time that happened was the Alamo Bow in 1993, when the Hawkeyes garnered only 20 rushing yards in 21 attempts against California. Since the rushing game vanished long before the students, Iowa w'as forced to pass. That didn't wofk, either.

Quarterback Matt Sherman had his worst performance, with five interceptions. Four were on the only four possessions of the fourth quarter. "It was the toughest day, definitely," said Sherman, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 22'i yards and a touchdown. "For the nrost part, they confused ns. Thpy stunted when we didn't think they'd stunt.

They played in the back end where we didn't think they'd play. It was something to iiii.i.NKim:i(;,i.iTiiKki.i,i.sii.i; I i.l I viwa quarter ujtn iridii onciiiidii iuuks up at ini- nun lkiuiiui). inn-nuan utn nvc iwtiuj nois' Kevin Hardy after throwing an incomple- tions as Iowa lost its third straight game, 2b-7. By RON MALY Wkiikk Lincoln, Neb. Dan McCarney knew there could be days like this.

But that didn't mean Iowa State's first-year football coach was any more prepared for what happened Saturday. "I've been in college football for 25 years, and that's as fine a team I've ever played or coached against," McCarney said after his Cyclones were crushed by Nebraska. 73-14. "I've coached against teams that were No. 1-ranked before, but Nebraska is a totally dominating football team that is outstanding in every way.

"It was the men against the boys today." So one-sided was the game that Nebraska didn't punt all day. The Cornhuskers' point total was the highest ever against Iowa State, and so were their rushing and offense figures. Nebraska, improving its records to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big Eight Conference, piled up 624 yards on the ground and had a whopping 77(5 yards of total offense. The most points Iowa State had allowed in a previous game was 72 against Nebraska in 1983. The previous record for rushing yardage against a Cyclone team was 604 by the Huskers in 1987.

Oklahoma owned the old total offense mark against Iowa State wit 679 in 1971. Iowa State tailback Troy Davis ran for 121 yards in 28 carries against the nation's second-leading rushing defense, but probably lost ground in the Ileisman Trophy race to Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier. Frazier completed 10 of 15 passes for 1 18 yards, including touchdown strikes of 6 yards to Ahman Green and 36 to Reggie Baul. and ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns. His scoring runs were for 4 yards in the first quarter and 1 yard in the third quarter.

"Davis is a Ileisman long shot at best because of our lack of national recognition." McCarney said. "He doesn't have the supporting cast the other candidates have. But. over 1 1 games, Troy is truly one of the outstanding players in college football." Davis called Frazier one of the top candidates for the Ileisman and the leading quarterback in the field. But.

as he said earlier in the week. Davis said he'd still choose himself for he Ileisman if he had a vole. Davis came into the game as the leader in NCAA Division 1-A rushing and all-purpose yardage. All-purpose yardage includes rushing, pass receiving and kick returns. He now has 1,647 yards rushing a 183 average and 1.978 all-purpose yards a 2 19.8 average.

Davis is the first Iowa State player to have eight games of 1 00 yards or more iir a season. Davis said Nebraska's defense wasn't the best he has played against this season. lie called Oklahoma, hich limited him to 89 yards, the best. "Nebraska came out swarming the ball." Davis said. "Every time I looked up.

there were six or seven people around me." Green, a freshman, ran for ISU 'rw turn to 60 IOWA I'lease turn to Paye 4D season they used eight against Iowa State and none has let Osborne down. Against the Cyclones, in his first appearance in almost two months, Phillips gained 68 yards in 12 carries. Not bad for the team's third-leading rusher on the day, but only a drop in the ocean of Nebraska's rushing yards. Green, the truly talented true freshman, led the pack with 176 yards in 12 carries, rendering Phillips little more than repetitious. "Well." Osborne said afterward.

"Lawrence played OK. He looked like a guy who hadn't played for five or six weeks. 1 don't think he earned the job back from what I saw. I don't think lie's any better than second team. He might be third." A scary thought.

Not that Phillips wouldn't come in handy at the Fiesta Bowl against Florida or some other king-of-the-rankings candidate. Before he was suspended after the second game. Phillips ran for 359 yards in 34 carries, scored seven touchdowns and was on his way to New York with the rest of the Ileisman Trophy finalists. When healthy and in shape, he is no ordinary player. "He was a great back." Osborne said.

"Probably as good as we've ever had here, but you just can't take that much time off and not have it affect you." 1 lad the great back kept his distance from Kate McKwen, the football world would be debating which Cornhusker. Phillips or quarterback Frazier. really deserved the Ileisman. In September, the great back was suspended after assaulting McEwen. a former girlfriend.

The police report said Phillips threw his victim to the floor and dragged her down three flights of stairs. Phillips was kicked off the team almost immediately. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and awaits sentencing next mom h. A few days ago he was given a second chance. So now the debate centers not on the Ileisman but whether Phillips deserved a reprieve.

Or was this yet anot her case of an athlete getting special treatment? Osborne met with Phillips, weighed the evidence and decided that kicking him off the team for the season was the wrong answer. Phillips needed structure in his life. HANSEN Vmsr turn to I'wje 6D Iowa lost five consecutive football gjmes in the 1993 and 1994 seasons Saturday's 26-7 loss to Illinois left the H.iwkeyes with a skid this with three g.mes remaining. 1993" Kl.i.lMIH Iowa State's Jason Brown can't prevent Nebras- in his first game back alter a suspension. The ka's Lawrence Phillips from scoring Saturday No.

1 Cornhuskers beat the Cyclones, 73-14. Suikdav'sTopGvmiis Date Opponent Score Sept. 18 PennS.rte"" jT Oct2 at" Michigan 7-24 Oct. 9 at Injuria Oct. 1 6 Illinois" Oct.

23 10-24 1994 7 Date Opponent Score Sept 17 atPenn State 21 bl Sept. 24 at Oregon UJ40 Oct. 1 at Micrngan )4i5 Oct 8 Indiana Oct. lb at Illinois 7 47 1995 Date Opponent Score Oct 21 PennltaTe 2T-4 6(t28 at Onto State Nov 4 Illinois 7 20 Nov 1 1 at Northwestern 1 0jj Nov. lb at Wisconsin I 0b Nov 25 Minnesota 1 KANSAS STATE 49 OKLAHOMA 10 The ninth-ranked Wildcats handed the No.

25Sooners their worst loss since 1945. First-year Oklahoma coach Howard Schnel-lenberger called Saturday's defeat "one of the most embarrassing things I've ever been associated with." Page 80 ILLINOIS STATE 31 NORTHERN 29 Illinois StJte found its offensive consistency and the Redbirds won for the first time in six tries against Northern Iowa. Redbirds Coach Jim Heacock became the first Gateway Conference coach to manage two victories against Northern Iowa Page 5D MICHIGAN 28 MICHIGAN 25 Michigan State upset No. 7 Michigan when Nigea Carter caught a 25-yard'touchdown pass with 1:24 left. "This is the game of all games for us," the Spartans' Scott Greene said, can always say we beat Michigan in my senior Page 8D 21 PENN STATE 10 Sixth-ranked Northwestern matched its highest victory total since 1 948 by defeating No.

12PennState Darnell Autry gamed 100 yards for a 10th consecutive game, set a school season rushing record and scored three touchdowns. Page8D Baltimore officials to Browns: Prove you want to bring NFL here Splashing to Victory Heidi Landherr, a freshman from Linn-Mar of Marion, powers to victory in the 100-yard butterfly in the state girls' swimming meet Saturday at Fort Dodge. Two-time defending champion Cedar Falls won the team title with 374 points, breaking its record set last year by nine points. STORY: Page 2D. more with Gov.

Barns Glendening and Mayor Kurt Schmoke. City officials were tight-lipped. "I'm not going to speculate, There's no need to take this community on this roller-coaster ride." said Clint Coleman, a spokesman for the mayor. Baltimore often has been used as bait for other NFL teams that either located elsewhere or were looking to get better deals from their cities. St allioiis owner Speros said he would move his CFL team out of Baltimore after this season if the NFL comes to town.

Baltimore, Md. (AP) Burned before on promises to bring the NFL back to their city, some Baltimore officials took a prove-it-to-me attitude Saturday to reports that the Browns would nrove there from Cleveland. Browns owner Art Modell confirmed Friday nttfht that he was seriously negotiating with Baltimore but wouldn't confirm that a deal was reached. Maryland Stadium Authority Chairman Moag declined to discuss the situation Saturday, despite reports that Modell would appear at a news confererut' Mondav in Balti nwini'iTiKsi iSTiii.Kii.isrnt.