Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 27

SECTION Newsjournal SCOREBOARD Orange Bowl Nebraska 24, Miami 17 Peach Bowl N. Carolina St. 28, Miss. St. 24 College Basketball Louisville 88, Kentucky 86 Hofstra 77, Maine 66 Colorado Coll.

61, Rose-Hulman 59 Women Virginia 76, Clemson 67 Duke 101, Manhattan 71 NC-Greensboro 86, Holy Cross 78 St. Bonaventure 88, La. St. 73 NFL Cleveland 20, New England 13 Chicago 35, Minnesota 18 PNJ SCORELINE Dial 469-8290 Press Code 3001 Final results of major national and local sporting events updated throughout the day starting at 4 p.m. Call every day, 24 hours a day.

Pensacola, Florida TO REPORT A SPORTS STORY (AFTER 4 P.M.): 435-8521 Monday, January 2, 1995 A eminoles, Gators ready to take field Mike Klocke Gannett News Service! -v atmJi WHO: Florida vs. Florida State WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today if WHERE: New Orleans 3 LINE: Florida by 1 they met Nov. 26 in Tallahassee, which resulted from an incredible 28-point rally in the fourth quarter by the Seminoles, has set the stage for a fifth quarter in the French Quarter. "It's always a war when we play," Florida State cornerback Corey Fuller said.

The fourth-ranked Gators (10-1-1) seek their first 11-win season in school history. "My freshman class came in with the intention of turning this thing around," Florida senior center David Swain said. "(Beating) Florida State is the one thing we haven't really accomplished. We haven't done as well against them as we would have liked." If not for the Seminoles, the Gators would be college football's dominant team of the '90's. Flor-See GATORS, 4D 2 Gators suspended4D ByBillVilona News Journal NEW ORLEANS They've walked together on the streets.

Done lunch. Renewed old ac- quaintances. Acknowleged each other's skills. But tonight, after a peaceful week of coexistance in this city, it's time for Florida and Florida State to remember the true meaning of being here. There's a football game to be played inside the Superdome, where the Sugar Bowl stages the most unusual confrontation in its 61-year history.

The Gators and Seminoles, a fervent rivalry from a blessed foot-' ball state, meet again to settle a month-old score. "It's a little more than just that," in Associated Press Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, left, and Florida coach Steve Spurrier part ways after a joint appearance Sunday in New Orleans. mLm iu 1 ifaMi a JJ Nebraska takes down Miami; Osborne likely to get 1 st title A 11 pJnlikely i-heroes lift Nebraska MIAMI The quarterback Splayed on pure guts and after jblood thinner had run through his veins, which helped to clear Ithe clot that had developed in The fullback was known for "blocking defenders and driving demolition derbies, but had -visited the end zone only six rtimes in the last three years. TWith a national championship on the line, he journeyed there twice in the final 7:38. And the coach had worked for his school for 33 years, the last 22 as head coach, winning 83 percent of his games and graduating his players.

Yet he still had to listen to critics say he couldn't win the big game. Put them together along with an inspired defensive effort and you have a I long-awaited, hard-eamed national championship for Nebraska. It all came true in the waning hours of the year's first day, and even spilled over into the -next morning, After being dominated for three quarters, Nebraska staged a Houdini-like rally for a 24-17 Orange Bowl win over Miami. A 13-0 record and the No. 1 Tranking secured, Nebraska has -no worries today as the rest of 2he bowl schedule is played.

Penn State? Who cares? H- For that, the Cornhuskers can Jthank quarterback Tommie Frazier, fullback Cory "HSchlesinger and, perhaps most of all, coach Tom Osborne. -Z The Orange Bowl was not I particularly well played. But can bet the red-and-white "clad Nebraskans don't care. I' Because they'll crawl back their Winnebagos and home to Lincoln as the lunation's best team. The long wait is over.

The Osborne legend had included J218 victories, an .829 winning percentage and a long-standing reputation for class. Bowl horrors It also had included losses in the last three Orange Bowls. Losses in the last seven bowl appearances, including six to either Miami or Florida State. Losses in bowls in 13 of Osborne's 21 previous years. I And no national titles.

That ended in a comeback packed with drama and courage. Schlesinger whose hobby is driving in demolition derbies ran up the gut of the Miami defense for the final two TDs. "It felt great, that's all there is -I to it," he said. Frazier made two key runs on the winning drive and earlier threw a crucial 2-point conversion pass. That he played at all was deemed a miracle by some, The junior had not seen action since Sept.

24 because of ra blood clot in his right knee vthat threatened his career. And the was pulled after a poor first quarter on Sunday. "I just tried to stay ready," CFrazier said. "Coach told Brook (Berringer) and me from the -start that either one of us could 'see action. I just wanted to be "ready if called on." The Cornhuskers won at Miami's home field, which had Ibeen their personal den of -horrors.

'Z Osborne, who has been Iroundly criticized for his -big-game coaching, made the decision of his career in the I fourth quarter. Back in went Frazier, the tstorybook quarterback who directed the storybook finish. The game had strange and -bizarre moments. But there's a national championship team back to Nebraska. Cornhuskers surely don't care ''about style points.

Mike Klocke writes for Gannett News "Service. Write to him at Box 1 0, Fort Myers, 33902. By Mike Lopresti Gannett News Service MIAMI For Tom Osborne, the long quest ended with a fullback dive. The unceasing questions of past restless Januarys are over. As of Sunday night, there is nothing left to answer.

Cory Schlesinger's 14-yard touchdown run with 2:46 left, his second score in a fourth quarter of Nebraska redemption, carried the top-ranked Cornhuskers past Mi ami 24-17 and probably into the national championship. "I thought in the fourth quarter we'd be the best team, and we were," he said. "We were a little stronger physically." Down 17-7 in the second half in the loud hostility of the Orange Bowl, the 13-0 Cornhuskers clawed back to give Osborne the title he has come so close to in 22 years of coaching. Miami, losing for only the second time at home since 1985, was left with the awful frustration of a victory taken out of its hands. The Hurricanes had leads of 10-0 and 17-7, but ran out of steam and offense, and sank beneath the weight of their own mistakes.

The feeling was no better for unbeaten Penn State, which likely will take the field today in the Rose Bowl with no national championship left to win. Nebraska survived its test of fire by going to its age-old weapon in the fourth quarter, the ground game where it outrushed Miami 199-29. Schlesinger's 15-yard run with 7:58 left, combined with Tommie Frazier's two-point PAT pass to Eric Alford, tied the game at 17-17. The winning drive began at the Nebraska 40 with 6:28 left. The game was in the hands of Frazier, who was relieved by Brook Berrin-ger after the first two series of the game, and did not return until the fourth quarter when he led the Cornhuskers to victory.

"We knew we could beat them if we executed our offense," he said. said Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks of Pensacola. "There's something about your pride inside when you play Florida or Miami that separates all the other games you ever play. This game means a lot to both of us." Added Florida cornerback Larry Kennedy: "We aren't playing for a national championship, but if you can't do that, why not play against your rival. I can't think of a better way to end my (college) career than playing Florida State." The dramatic 31-31 tie when -toil i SUNDAY'S GAMES Cleveland 20, New England 13 Chicago 35, Minnesota 18 SATURDAY Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 11:30 a.m.

Chicago at San Francisco, 3 p.m. SUNDAY Green Bay at Dallas, 1 1:30 a.m. Miami at San Diego, 3 p.m. More NFU3D Walsh drilled guard Jay Leeuwen-berg in the back of the helmet with a pass that ricocheted into the arms of Minnesota's Anthony Parker, who returned the interception to Chicago's 39. Minnesota (10-7) began its next possession at i fit II UO Chicago's 33 after a 58-yard kick-off return by Robert Smith.

But Minnesota scored just three points on those three drives. "To see our defense play that hard and allow them to come away with only three points," offensive tackle James "Big Cat" Williams said, "was so much of a motivator to our offense. People will never know how much." From that point on, the Bears (10-7) dominated Minnesota. They ran on the NFL's best run defense in the last 30 minutes, gaining 94 yards on the ground against a team that allowed an average of 65. On what turned out to be a crucial fourth-and-one play, Chicago blew Minnesota's feared front line so far, Walsh gained three yards on a quarterback sneak.

Walsh passed for 221 yards, his highest total in any Bears victory. Chicago intercepted Warren Moon See BEARS, 3D IU Nebraska 24, air Miami $fa; More college fonthnllMn His '25-yard run off the option was the spark that sent Nebraska to its last march to the championship. Until then, the Cornhuskers had flirted with a replay of the frustrations of their recent past; seven bowl defeats in a row. Their cause appeared to truly dim early in the third period, when Frank Costa's 44-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Harris gave the Hurricanes a 17-7 lead. The play said a lot about Nebraska's problem much of the night the speed of the Miami receivers.

Harris took a short pass and turned it into a touchdown when he ran past four Nebraska defenders, as if they were Vs-mile posts on a race track. The lead was 10 again. Nebraska needed a lift. Time for a Miami yellow flag. Or two.

On the Hurricanes' next possession, they had two penalties on one play illegal block and a personal foul which pushed them back to their own 2. The next play, Costa was sacked by Dwayne Harris for a safety, cutting the score to 17-9. Nebraska appeared on the verge of a tie early in the fourth period, after a snap over the head of Miami punter Dane Prewitt gave Nebraska the ball at the Miami 4. It was the Hurricanes' eighth bad snap of the season. The Cornuskers had first down, good running backs and a prized offensive line to block for them.

Running play, right? Wrong. Osborne called a play action, Berringer overthrew, and Earl Little intercepted. It was the sort of decision that could haunt a man for a lifetime. the night turned out differently. 4 lln St i Associated Press Nebraska's Abdul Muhammad, top, and Cory Schlesinger celebrate Schlesinger's fourth-quarter touchdown Sunday.

Schlesinger scored later in the quarter to give Nebraska a 24-17 win over Miami. Bears shed slow start, trounce Vikings 35-18 Thrift Summary2D By Matt Trowbridge Gannett News Service MINNEAPOLIS The Chicago Bears needed to play a perfect game, said the critics. These talent-thin overachievers, without a Pro Bowler in their Christmas stocking, couldn't afford any turnovers. The Bears, never a fan of critics, blew that theory sky high. They stumbled and bumbled at the start like so many Stooges, yet recovered to blow out the NFC Central champion Minnesota Vikings 35-18 Sunday.

"This shows what a group of men who are committed with an unselfish attitude can accomplish," Bears coach Dave Wannstedt said. Lewis Tillman fumbled the ball away at Chicago's 7-yard line on the Bears' first possession. On their second, quarterback Steve Associated Press The Bears' Trace Armstrong gets horizontal to put a lick on Viking quarterback Warren Moon in the first quarter Sunday. i i.