Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 9

i Journal Star WffiSSJ Sports ine. Sunday, September 21, 1997 rui LfU vis 1 I i i'' fSSK bhW" ssssasfi? sif- mm saumm I Nebraska offense trudges past Washington BY KEN HAMBLETON Lincoln Journal Star I 4 i 4 Mm 1 f-i 1'" a I -ft 17 TED KIRKUncoH Journal Star Cornhusker quarterback Scott Frost streaks into the end zone with the game's first touchdown, ending a 34-yard run in the first quarter. Frost becomes one of the guys SEATTLE Nebraska proved the establishment of college football wrong again Saturday in a spanking of No. 2 ranked Washington. The Cornhuskers established once again that: The running game in football is not the Rambler against a Ferrari of a passing game.

Nebraska's 384 yards rushing proved more valuable than Washington's 299 yards passing. BThat quarterback Scott Frost can manage with or without the support of the crowd. He scored two touchdowns and led the Huskers to 472 yards of total offense against the defense that led the country in rushing defense. That not all games against higher-ranked teams automatically mean a loss. The Huskers were 1-11 against higher-rated teams since 1981 and have won four straight against teams ranked in the top three.

BThat perceptions of performances against Akron and Central Florida were wrong. BThat the Big 12 Conference leadership is not dead and there can be a national championship game outside the Rose Bowl. Seventh-ranked Nebraska, now 3-0, upset a higher-ranked team for the second time in 10 tries in the last nine years. They also stopped a two-game losing streak to the Huskies stemming from losses in 1991 and '92. "There were doubters this year just like there were doubters last year," said Frost, who startled Washington with touchdown runs of 34 and 30 yards in the first quarter.

"We just played the physical game, the way we know best and won. "If we can run the ball down your throat, then we've got a good chance of winning." The Huskers put a season's worth of running the football into the Washington defensive throat in the first quarter. "It was a shotgun approach that threw us off and inside-outside attack running game that was very much a changeup," said Washington Coach Jim Lambright. "The changes they made in formations we charted are totally different. They totally went away from what they did in the past." Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne grinned and paused, and explained that preparations for the game were extensive.

"We held a lot of things back against the first two opponents," he said. "A week ago we weren't sure in the fourth quarter if we would be able to hold them. But there were a few things that we had worked on with Washington in mind that we hadn't had to show." For instance, Frost's first touchdown run was a fake to fullback Joel Makovicka. Frost took off on an angle to the left and scored from 34 yards out. The next time Nebraska had the ball, after eight running plays and a pass for three yards, Frost took off from the shotgun position, ducked one tackier and raced to the end zone on a 30-yard run.

"The first one (touchdown) we hadn't run yet," Frost said. "We were kind of saving it for today. I Curt McKeever i A i i I a i'- TED KIRKA inrnJn Star yfeshington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo (11) tries to break free from the grasp of Nebraska defensive tackle Jason Wiltz (99), but can't avoid a sack in the fourth quarter. SEATTLE As Scott Frost flung his wrist bands into the crowd of euphoric Nebraska fans in the west end zone of Husky Stadium following the Cornhuskers' unexpectedly easy 27-14 triumph against No. 2 Washington, this question crossed my mind: Would they get tossed back at him like a home run ball hit by a visitor to Wrigley Field? For consistency's sake, mind you.

No booing a guy one week and then acting like he's your best buddy the next. "Nice job, Scott, but we still don't like you," the voices might have said. "Couldn't you have struggled a little bit so we could see Frankie?" Sorry folks, London Bridge is closed probably until next season. "I don't see why there is any controversy at Nebraska on who is quarterback," said Washington All-America strongside linebacker Jason Chorak, the anchor of a wrecking ball defense that Frost and Co. dismantled Saturday afternoon.

"He is a tough kid, he runs the ball well, and actually, they all got after us." At the end, only a couple of kneel downs by Frost prevented Nebraska from going over 400 yards rushing. And remember, this was against a defense that had held its first two opponents to a net total of minus 5 yards on the ground. Frost-haters couldn't have asked for a better setup. Nebraska would go through a quarter of three-and-out possessions, the defense would play lights-out to keep the Cornhuskers in the game and then it would be Frankie time. Poor souls.

Frost spoiled their party on NU's first possession, capping an 80-yard drive by faking a dive play to fullback Joel Makovicka and then sprinting virtually untouched for a 34-yard touchdown. When Nebraska got the ball back, Frost marched his unit 56 yards to paydirt, this time scoring on a 30-yard draw out of the shotgun formation after shaking off Washington nose tackle Sekou Wiggs in the backfield. On the Cornhuskers' fourth possession, Frost hit a split end Matt Davison for a 14-yard gain on third-and-6. Four plays later, I-back Ahman Green took a quick pitch from Frost and strolled in for a 4-yard TD that made it 21-0. "I knew Scott was going to come out and play well," said Nebraska free safety Eric Warfield.

Huh? Is this the same Eric Warfield who on Jim Rome's nationally syndicated radio show Wednesday said that Frost had been a little too cocky for his More on NU, Page 2B Nebraska 14 7 0 6 27; Washington 0 7 7 0 14- NU Scott Frost 34 run (Kris Brown 1 kick) NU Frost 30 run (K. Brown kick) NU Ahman Green 4 run (K. Brown kick) Wash Cam Cleeland 12 pass from Marques Tuiasosopo (Randy Jones' kick) Wash Mike Reed 2 pass from Tuiasosopo (R. Jones kick) NU FG K. Brown 20 NU FG K.

Brown 31 A 74,023 NU Wash First downs 23 14- Rushes-yards 66-384 28-43 Passing yards 88 299 Total yards 472 342 Passing 8-15-0 16-30-0! Return yards 0 10- Punts-average Fumbles-lost 2-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 9-60 6-47 Time of possession 34:31 25:29 Third-down conv 8-18 2-11; Fourth-down con v. 2-3 0-1 liking last season. "Expecting to fill Tommie Frazier's shoes is a big thing for anybody.and I didn't think he was going to do it," Warfield said Saturday. "I think that's what got a lot of people on his bad side, thinking he was going to come in and really carry the team." So forget about any dissention among the ranks. Frost who claims he's no different than last season, and that some teammates now view him not as cocky but confident because they are more comfortable with his abilities is now officially one of the boys.

A certified leader. "As of now he is," Warfield said, "and as the year goes on he'll be more respected, by the team and hopefully by the fans." Not that some of the latter matter much to Frost. "I'm happy for the team, I'm happy for the families of the players, I'm happy for the coaches and I'm happy for the fans that have supported us every game," Frost said. "Those are the true fans and they deserve this win as much as we do." But what about all those new friends waiting to welcome you back to Memorial Stadium? "I don't care," Frost said. "The friends I want and the friends I have, have been my friends through everything." Huskies lose battle of line 'BY JEFF KORBELIK Lincoln Journal Star SEATTLE Washington's defense xpected Nebraska to run the option play.

It expected to see a fullback trap and off-tackle tuns. But the Husky defense also expected to stop Chose plays, and that didn't happen. Like a knife through butter, No. 7 Nebraska rolled up 384 rushing yards and 472 total yards in a 27-14 upset Saturday against the No. 2 Huskies at Husky Stadium.

(M0 s'; .4 "-V i NORTH DIVISION Conf Alt game The CornhusKerrusning total was tne second-most allowed by Washington since 1978. Notre Dame racked up 397 yards last year in a 64-20 win. 4 "We didn't take care of our jobs at times," Husky senior free Tony Parnsh said. This is the result That came as a shock to the Husky Kansas 1-0 3-1 Kansas State 0-0 2-0 Nebraska 0-0 3-0 Colorado 0-0 1-1 Missouri 0-1 2-1 Iowa State 0-1 0-4 SOUTH DIVISION Oklahoma State 1-0 3-0 Texas ASM 0-0 2-0 Oklahoma 0-0 1-2 Texas 0-0 1-1 Texas Tech 0-0 1-1 Baylor 0-0 0-2 Saturday' game Nebraska 27, Washington 14 Michigan 38, Baylor 3 Iowa 66, Iowa State 20 Texas ASM 66, SVV Louisiana 0 Missouri 42, Tulsa 21 Cincinnati 34, Kansas 7 California 40, Oklahoma 36 North Texas 30, Texas Tech 27 defenders. After all, Washington opponents had rushed for a combined 387 yards over the last pine games.

In the first two games of this season, Brigham Young ana ian uiego Mate totaled a minus 5 yards. And in 51 rushing attempts, the longest gain by an opponent was 13 yards. Nebraska freshman Correll Buckhalter touched the ball just five times, but one of those More on OPTION, Page 1 5B IAN DOREMUSUncon Journal Star Washington Coach Jim Lambright can't keep from being bowled over by Nebraska l-back Ahman Green (30) in the second half. Green ran for 129 yards as the Muskers piled up 384 yards rushing. i.