Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 14

SB ussss HUSKKR EXTRA Black Shirts male four big OT plays count i ii mi, BY KEN HAMBLETON Lincoln Journal Star ondary coach. "We weren't concerned with the run just get the sack or get enough pressure for a bad pass." Jones was in the shotgun formation about seven yards behind center. He took the snap, looked to his right, his left and was swarmed under by Nebraska rush ends Grant Wistrom and Mike Rucker. "I was under a pile in the middle and had a mouth full of dirt," said Peter. "I could hear the crowd and I saw Rucker running away with the balL "This was as big as not as big as the national championship games this ranks right up there.

"How fitting to have the two Missouri guys (Wistrom from Webb City, and Rucker from SL Joseph, Mo.) that is so great" Nebraska's defense seemed dazed and confused throughout the game as Jones gave Missouri the lead to open the game, the lead at halftime and the lead at the end of the third quarter. He was unfazed as he hit tight end Eddie Brooks on a 15-yard touchdown pass to put Missouri ahead 38-31 with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter. "We were fortunate," said Rucker, who had four tackles for losses and three quarterback sacks. "The last play, the boys from Missouri got there. I don't know how.

"I came on the outside and Grant came on the inside and the middle guys caved in the middle," he said. "It's like we got a new life. Like we were reborn in overtime. "Corby Jones had been scrambling loose all day and he wasn't going to get loose that time." Wistrom, who had three sacts and five tackles, said he took off for Jones at the snap of the ball i "I don't know who was in front pf me and I just kept my eyes on Jones and came in on a bullrush straight ahead," he said. "Missouri had a great game plan and stuck it to us all day.

"In overtime, we just couldn't let it happen anymore. I got there, and Mike Rucker got there, and the next thing I knew I was helping Corby off the ground and Mike was running around the field with the game ball-Nebraska rush ends Coach Nelson Barnes said the final play of the game was speciaL "We had a rush, we had coverage and we had two rush ends go in there and just finish it off," he said "Everybody was happy to see Mike and Grant end this." Nobody was happier than Grant's father Ron Wistrom, and Rucker's father Martin, who shook hand3 after the game. "This is great" said Martin Rucker. "A great game and a great ending. It's nice to see it and to be a part of it all" Ron Wistrom leaned over to whisper to Martin Rucker.

"Not too bad, I'd say," he said. -v. i L.IW.II --trvV 'T: 1 "COLUMBIA, Mo. Jason Peter screamed to be heard above the crowd noise maybe it was for em-' phasis. "Four plays.

All summer. All our work. All our dreams. Come on we can do it for four plays," he pleaded with teammates on the sideline after Nebraska went ahead 45-38 in overtime. Missouri had first down from the 25-yard line to get a first down, and to try and score in the overtime.

The Tigers chewed up Nebras-. ka's defense like no team had done siixje the 1991 seasoa Missouri quarterback Corby Jones found gaps in the pass defense for 233 yards and three touchdowns passing. He eluded a number of sacks and broke dozens of tackles all afternoon. "Mike Rucker was screaming for us to come together for one series, play like we hadn't played all I day," said Nebraska cornerback I Ralph Brown. "Jason Peter was tell-ing people we had worked so hard for just this moment "We weren't going to leave any- thing on the field." Jones was hurried and overthrew Ron Janes on the left sideline.

Then Jones ran to his right and Nebraska rush end Chad Kelsay jumped over a blocker and tripped him up for a three-yard gain. Jones tried to throw to tight end Frost gets 141 yards COLUMBIA, Mo. Quarterback Scott Frost rushed for more than 50 Members of the Nebraska defense, including Jason Peter (55) and Grant Wistrom (far rigMwartai the? bench as the Nebraska offense rallies to tie Missouri. Jake Stueve on the right sidelines. Fourth down and seven for the a sub-blitz from the press box," NU The ball came off Stueve's finger- first down and 22 for the touchdowa defensive coordinator Charlie "George Darlington called down McBride said of Darlington, the sec Davison tfaankfiil 1 or one last chance BY CURT McKEEVER Lincoln Journal Star yd FROST BROWN "We practice that a couple times a week, and in that case it worked fine." Davison said he had made a leaping touchdown catch during a high school playoff game when he was a freshman at Tecumseh High, "but it's been a few year ago and it was nothing like this.

"The first thing that came to my mind was 'Thank you. Lord, for this He was watching over me. I'm glad this happened for all the older players, all the guys I look up to, and to Coach Osborne." i "We work on our passing game just as much as our running game. There was maybe a little doubt in my mind, but shoot, until the time's run out we're going to play hard. That's what happened today and it worked out." Just like it did for Franco Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers 25 years ago.

"Franco Harris? Yeah, I've seep that play on ESPN a few times," Davison said. "That was an unbelievable play. This was just minor." A Anybody who saw Davison's catch Saturday, surely will beg to I-bajck Ahman Green said of Davison's grab. "It never ends with a tip. Usually, it's a clean catch, nothing exciting like that." In 55 seconds, and without the benefit of a timeout Nebraska's no-huddle offense moved 55 yards in nine plays to the Missouri 12.

That gave the Huskers seven seconds for a final attempt to get into the end zone. Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne called for "99 double slant," lining up split end Kenny Cheatham and the wingback Wiggins on the right side, and Davison and wingback Lance Brown on the left. "Lance looked over to me and he gave me the signal for '99 double slant' and I looked at him like, 'Our because they kept going to the other side," Davison said. "He gave me the signal and I was like, 'Whoa! Well, let's make something And then, boom, there it is." Frost, looking over the Missouri defense from a shotgun formation, first looked left, then glanced to his right before rifling a throw that Wiggins, with Missouri free safety Julian Jones applying tight coverage, couldn't keep in his grasp. But as Wiggins and Jones fell to the turf, Wiggins kicked the ball up.

"It was floating like a punt, kind of end-over-end, it just seemed like forever for the ball to get there, and I just tried to make something happen," Davison said. "I dove and I guess the Lord was watching over me. "I was just hoping they were going to call it a catch because it was close enough that the officials had to make a good call to see that I really caught it. There was no doubt in my mind, but I just wanted to see call before I got all excited because it was real close to the ground. "I guess everybody's probably dreamed about something like this happening to him." Some Missouri fans briefly surrounded the goal posts, until they realized the game was not over.

"I can never remember one quite like this," Osborne said. "I thought we were pretty well done for at one time We had one that bounced off our player and they intercepted it (in the fourth quarter), and then we got that one and it was kind of lucky. second half, which tied a season and team long. BPlacekicker Kris Brown tied the score at 31-all with his season-long 44-yard field goal with 10:50 left in regulation. On that kick, he broke the school record for consecutive field goals at 10, eclipsing the previous best of nine by Dale Klein.

Brown's six extra-point kicks made him 155-for-159 in his career and broke Kevin Seibel's school record of 151 kicks. COLUMBIA, Mo. Nebraska freshman split end Matt Davison now has a story that defies explanation to trade with NFL Hall of Fam-er Franco Harris. Harris' "Immaculate Reception" deflection grab in a 1972 divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders sent the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC championship game, which they lost to the Miami Dolphins. Saturday, with the ball inches off the turf in the north end zone of Fau-rot Field, Davison raced in to scoop in a pass that had been kicked into the air by teammate Shevin Wiggins to save Nebraska's hopes for an undefeated season and a national The miraculous 12-yard reception on the final play of regulation allowed the Cornhuskers to advance to overtime, where they scored again to pull out a wild 45-38 victory against rejuvenated Missouri.

"We practice that every day, but it never ends up like that" Nebraska yards for the ninth time this season, and had a career-best 141 yards and touchdowns in leading top-Tanked Nebraska to a 45-38 overtime victory against Missouri at He also completed 11 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown. four rushing touchdowns tied mark set by Gerry Gdow-ski (Vs. Iowa State in 1989) and Mickey Joseph (1990 against Missouri). i "We just ran the shotgun plays knew would work and the did a great job down the Istretch," Frost said. "I was just Jo get the plays off in time and I thopght if I could get a ball near a receiver he would catch it." This was just the second time this season a Husker opponent scored on its first drive and the second time this fall that NU trailed at the end of the first quarter and at halftime.

This was the first time since 1988 in Lincoln that Missouri led Nebraska at halftime. That year, the Tigers led 6-0 before losing 26-18. for his hug of Missouri quar-terBack Corby Jones at the end of Ihe'game: "That game was so emo-jtionally draining and we both thdught it was too exciting to take." HU notes HIIHII lyijmi A jf i f- j. i fa I II 4 I BOnly three other teams have scored more than 20 points against Nebraska this season: Central Florida (24), Kansas State (26) and Baylor (21). Missouri scored the most points against the Huskers since Texas scored 37 in last year's Big 12 championship game.

NU hadn't given up 38 points since losing 45-21 to Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 1991. Georgia Tech won a share of the national title that year. BNU secondary Coach George Darlington on the Huskers defensive performance: "It would be one thing if they came in and ran no-backs the whole game, even though we practiced that. That, as a coach, is the most disappointing thing.

We're pretty good, we think, at preparing our team to play and I just don't think I did a good job. the mixup that cost Nebraska a chance to score at the end of the half: "We spiked the ball and to the sideline and nobody noticed the play clock was running. We got in a hurry and lost the ball. It showed a whole lot of character for us to come back after that and the interception near the end of the first half as well. never quit and I don't know If Anybody could stop us but us." ONebraska achieved its 29th consecutive nine-win season and picked HP its 37th consecutive conference victory, as well as its I9th in a row against Missouri "j't Nebraska center Josh Heskew Said he had a good view of Nebraska's1 tying touchdown at the end of regulation.

saw the ball go and bounce around off of Shevin Wiggins and Matt (Davison) just dove in there and- got it. Boy. What a great play. a day. "Everybody was talking in the 'overtime and we knew we could do it.

We had faith that we'd score and we, had faith the defense would tome through for us at the end. I was huge. I remember all those games with Nebraska and Ok tuner. NUNebraska I rolls up 528 yards; Continued from Page 1 the game all day long." Frost led a Nebraska attack that totaled 528 yards, including 353 on the ground. The senior from Wood River completed 11 of 24 passes Mr 175 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions.

His 141 rushing yards gave him his third 100-plus day this seasoa His 316 yards of total offense were 3 short of the NU record set by Jerry Tagge at Missouri in 1971. It looked as if Frost's heroics might not be enough late in the fourth quarter. Frost's second interception a pass that popped out pf the hands of Nebraska tight end Sheldon Jackson and into the hands of free safety Harold Piersey came with 6:34 remaining in regulation. The Tigers went ahead 38-31 four plays later when Jones connected with a wide-open Eddie Brooks on a 15-yard TD pass with 4:39 remaining. It really looked bleak for Nebraska after the Huskers were forced to punt after four downs, giving Missouri first-and-10 at its 22 with 3:31 left.

Nebraska freshman cornerback Erwin Swiney tackled Jones for no gain on third-and-3, and after Nebraska called its final timeout, Missouri punted. Nebraska freshman Bobby New-combe returned the kick 17 yards to the Cornhuskers' 33. Only 1:02 showed on the clock. Frost was asked if he had any doubts at that point "Are you kidding?" he asked. "Down seven with (1:02) left, there's a lot of doubts." i But Frost kept Nebraska alive with sideline passes on a 10-play, 67-yard drive that ended with Davison's catch.

"I'm very proud of the players' Osborne said. "I thought we showed great poise. We had some bad breaks and some good breaks our good breaks came at the end of the game. "It was just kind of one of those days where someone was going to win at the end, and we're just fortunate it was us." NU Coach Tom Osborne (in glasses) and receivers coach Ron Brown check out the quarterback Scott Frost (7) in second quarter Saturday. NU puts passing woes in the past that came around," NU Coach Tom Osborne said.

"What hannened is BY CURT McKEEVER Lincoln Journal Star "We were overreacting in our scheme to try to make sure to handle the option. We were concerned about some of the routes that they really ripped Colorado with and we made a couple of adjustments in coverage to compensate. I would say I outsmarted myself. I asked the kids to do something that we just hadn't had enough repetition on to be able to execute like we've been executing base stuff." It "was just unfortunate," said Frost, who completed five of 10 passes, which included two intentional spike, to help force overtime on the Cornhuskers' last possession in regulation. "Sheldon was my first look.

I went to him, then I went to (fullback Joel) Makovicka as my second look. He had about three guys on him, so I went back to Sheldon, threw it a little behind him. It wasn't quite a good enough throw, it was quite a good enough catch." Nebraska also missed a scoring opportunity at the end of the first half when Frost was snowed under at the Missouri 25 while running down a bad snap from the shotgun formation. The Cornhuskers were out of timeouts, and the clock expired. "It happened last year, actually, where the center is supposed to wait for me to lift my foot to snap the ball," Frost said.

"I don't know if I was moving my feet or if he just got impatient, but it was a quick snap and it cost us three points." COLUMBIA, Mo. It's ironic that passing helped save the day for top-ranked Nebraska against Missouri here Saturday because two aerial miscues against the Tigers had disastrous and momentum-switching affects. The Cornhuskers, moving the ball almost at will on the ground in the first half, had scored on their first three possessions to take a 21-14 lead. After a Missouri field goal cut the lead to four points, NU began a drive at its 24. After four running plays, the Cornhuskers had a first-and-10 at the Tigers' 36.

Quarterback Scott Frost then dropped back and tried to connect with wingback Bobby New-combe, but Missouri defensive back Shad Criss intercepted the pass with 3:38 left in the half. The Tigers, who faced going down by 11 points, then drove for a touchdown to take a 24-21 lead into the locker room. "It looked like we were starting to get control of the thing and then No one will forget Nebraska's final drive of regulation. "It was unbelievable to have 50 seconds left and go that far (67 yards)," Frost said. "It says something about the heart of this team.

I'm proud of everybody. missed a line call, so our center didn't block the right guy and the guy came right up the middle in Scott's face and he just threw the ball, and I don't think he could see. As a result, they intercepted it." Osborne said he had called the play after observing how the Tigers were lining up defensively. "We had a guy open on that, but a guy that wasn't even blocked came right up the middle in Scott's face. I think if had had a chance to see what was going on he'd have made a good pass." Added Frost, "I should've set my feet and fired it or thrown it away, or tried to avoid him.

Instead, I kind of threw it off my back foot and it sailed a little on me, kind of went right in the lumberyard." With the game tied 31-31 midway through the fourth quarter, Frost threw a second interception when his pass bounced off tight end Sheldon Jackson to free safety Harold Piersey. Missouri turned that turnover into seven points to knock the Cornhuskers on the ropes. I lahoma and that 'Sooner Magic'. Maybe this was 'Nebraska Magic' today. You know we have some coming after all those years and all those close losses back in the 1980s." Mike Rucker on the learning experience: "We believe in one at a time.

Our fans now might believe in fe'ne at a time. No looking past anybody. No counting on the game being oyef until it's over." "We're down seven points with 50 seconds left, there's a lot of doubt But when you have that kind of character, and the character is instilled by the coaches, I think that character showed today." Cornerback Joe Walker had seven kickoff returns for 185 yards, including a 51-yarder to start the I 'ftWfriflBfcRft'(lfr- jrifr.