Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 21

Tallahassee Democrat Wednesday, January 3, 1996 worts Baseball: Reds give Larkin extention. 2C Pro football: Giants begin talks with Reeves about his future. 6C iBA Raptors at Magic, 7:30 p.m., Sunshine (cable 23) College basketball Florida State at Virginia, 8 p.m., Channel 6 (cable 9) Also Inside: Television, 7 Advice, 8 Comics, 9 tan ill .1 HUjo) 4 5 i' i iVo. 1 Nebraska routs No. 2 Florida 62-24 in the: Fiesta Bowl for its second straight national I championship.

By Grant J. Heston DEMOCRAT WRITER TEMPE, Ariz. In the 90-year history of football at the University of Florida, there had never been a more important, more scrutinized or more anticipated game than Tuesday night's Fiesta Bowl showdown against Nebraska Now, there has never been a bigger, more humiliating or more lopsided disappointment While the year was ushered in, it also was ushered over, through and past coach Steve Spurrier and the Gators, compliments of quarterback Tommie Frazier and top-ranked Nebraska. Frazier rushed for 199 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown run in which he broke at least six tackles, as the Cornhuskers (12-0) successfully defended their national title by destroying Florida 62-24 at Sun Devil Stadium. Nebraska became the first team to win unanimous back-to-back championships in 39 years.

Florida's loss put a sour ending on what had been the sweetest of seasons for the Gators (12-1). "Apparently, we. couldn't make a game of it," Spurrier said. "I'm embarrassed we couldn't match up with them. They were too good for us.

They are by far the best team I've played against in six years at Florida. We don't have any answers. They were just too good. "We've been on the good end of some of those scores. Now we're on the bad end." Down 10-6 entering the second quarter, Nebraska exploded for 29 points to build an insurmountable 35-10 halftime lead against the Please see FIESTA, 5C C- 1 i' 7 it It 1 v- til Run defense fails when Gators need it most 4C Florida's trend of second-quarter dominance comes to an abrupt end.

4C "Hopefully, (the game) won't be the most lasting memory I'll have," says Florida senior receiver Chris Doering. 4C The game in pictures. 5C Statistics. 50 JEFF ROBBINSThe Associated Press Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel is taken down by Nebraska linebacker Terrell Farley. TIGER SHARKS Florida State is ftilly loaded to come back shooting in 1996 they are capable of playing and with a lot of enthusiasm," assistant coach Jeff Bowden said.

"The last four games, they haven't played with enthusiasm. It was good to see that again. "I wanted to play our second set of receivers more and we had a rotation planned. They made some mistakes and it was just too much at stake." In the spring, redshirt freshman Randy Moss and Peter Warrick will join the mix. Bowden isn't sure where everybody will play in FSU's two, three and four-receiver sets.

"We may make some moves to get more productivity from our weakside. We may put Moss behind for more speed there and let them fight it out" Please see FSU, 6C The Seminoles' offense looks to be even more talented next season, but the defense has its work cut out for it. By Steve Ellis DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER MIAMI Forrest Conoly was soaking in the afterglow of his final victory at Florida State on Tuesday when 6-foot-8 sophomore offensive tackle Tra Thomas walked by. "Tra and Walter Jones are two walking millionaires," Conoly said of the two prospective starters for next season. "Tra Thomas has the ability to become the best offensive tackle in the nation and Walter Jones will be the best offensive lineman we've had here.

"If they can keep healthy, that first five will be good. They're going to have a great offense next year. It would be fun to be on it" Conoly, one of eight senior offensive linemen this season, could be correct about next season's group. Despite some sporadic play, FSU's offensive effort against Notre Dame gave coaches plenty of hope for another solid season. That was especially true at wide receiver where E.G.

Green made a clutch 22-yard catch on 4th-and-5 at Notre Dame's 25-yard line to keep FSU's winning drive alive. Andre Cooper had three touchdowns receptions including one he stole from Notre Dame receivers. "I'm excited that (E.G.) and Andre stepped up and played like MIKE EWENDemocrat Tallahassee's Greg Geldart, left, and Roanoke's Jeff Jablonski scramble for a loose puck during the Tigers Sharks' 4-3 victory at the Civic Center. For more, see 6C..