Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 9

4 Journal Star -uwjiW'-j-m Sunday, October 5, 1997 II1V sD DO i Hi i A Si VJ .1 10 sr Cornhuskers pass yet another test mm -mmm Nebraska 56, Kansas St. 26 Kansas State 6 0 6 14 26 Nebraska 10 10 21 15 56 NU Ahman Green 25 run (Kris Brown kick) KSU Eric Hickson 1 run PAT failed, bad snap) NU FG Kris Brown 31 NU FG Kris Brown 32 NU Scott Frost 4 run (K. Brown kick) NU Green 7 run (K. Brown kick) NU Green 59 run (K. Brown kick) NU Green 50 run (K.

Brown kick) KSU Hickson 1 3 run (pass failed) NU Jay Sims 5 run (K. Brown kick) KSU Michael Bishop 4 run (Bishop 'run) NU Joe Walker 71 interception return (run failed) NU Safety, KSU recovers fumble in end zone KSU Darnell McDonald 21 pass from Bishop (run failed) A 75,856 KSU NU First downs 16 21 Rushes-yards 40-98 60-379 Passing yards 162 94 Total yards 260 473 Passing 8-24-2 6-14-1 Return yards 10 150 Punts-average Fumbtes-tost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-yards 8-56 4-35 Time of possession 26:43 33:1 7 Third-dcwn conv 4-15 6-15 Fourth-down conv 1-1 1-2 "4 BY KEN HAMBLETON Uhcdn Journal Star The only question left for the Nebraska football team is "What's left?" The third-ranked Cornhuskers destroyed their second straight ranked opponent. This time, NU handled No. 17 and previously unbeaten Kansas State 56-26 Saturday night under the lights at Memorial Stadium. Before the crowd of 75,856 drifted into the night, Nebraska soared behind the four touchdowns of Ahman Green, who rushed for 193 yards, and a stifling defense that held Kansas State to just 11 yards of total offense between early in the first quarter and late in the third quarter.

Nebraska crushed Washington at Seattle two weeks ago and declared Kansas State as the biggest challenge left on the schedule. That was before Nebraska's offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage for 473 yards total offense and the Husker defense smothered the Wildcat offense through most of the game. It's a proven formula. "We think we can run the ball against most people and we don't think many people can run on us," Coach Tom Osborne said. "So far this year, that has been the case and we hope it stays that way." It is possible that nobody left on Nebraska's regular-season schedule mn endings NORTH DIVISION Conf Alt games ill! St -4 A i i fi -v.

'r 4. Kansas 2-0 4-1 Nebraska 1-0 4-0 Missouri 1-1 3-2 Kansas State 0-1 3-1 Colorado 0-1 2-2 Iowa State 0-2 0-5 SOUTH DIVISION Oklahoma State 2-0 5-0 Texas 1-0 4-0 Texas Tech 1-0 2-2 Texas 0-1 2-2 Oklahoma 0-1 2-3 Baylor 0-1 1-3 Ahman Green high steps into the win be ranked in the Top 25 since Colorado lost Saturday and only un-ranked Kansas has less than two losses through five games this year. "We'll pay attention to everybody," said safety Eric Warfield. "We're not going to let down. Hopefully, we'll make it to Miami." Miami is the site of the Orange Bowl and the national championship game in January.

Osborne wasn't ready to leap on the plane for the beaches yet. "It's still kind of early," he said. "I feel better about it than I feel worse, obviously. They are a good team and we beat them fairly soundly. For almost nine minutes, the promised shootout to open the Big 12 Conference schedule for the two teams lived up to its billing.

Nebraska traded touchdowns with Kansas State but scored six of the next seven times it had the ball and limited K-State to 11 yards of offense during the scoring explosion to lead 41-6 with 5:30 left in the third quarter. It wasn't all that new. Nebraska, winner of 51 of its last 54 games and 38 home games dating back to 1991, dumped Kansas State for the 29th year in a row. More on NU, Page 2B 4 77 if end zone on his first quarter touchdown Saturday night. The junior l-back IAN DOREMUSLincdn Journal SUr rushed for four touchdowns.

Saturday's results Nebraska 56, Kansas St. 26 Kansas 20, Oklahoma 17 Missouri 45, Iowa St. 21 Texas 16, Colorado 10 Oklahoma St. 42, Texas 16 Texas Tech 35, Baylor 1 4 -1. of their No.

3 Huskers in a league Steve -Sipple i 1 x'j own Bowl. He says it's a matter of keeping the wins in perspective. "It seems like around here, (fans) get enthusiastic awfully quickly," he said. You can't blame Big Red lovers for their present euphoria. Nebraska does what teams like Colorado only dream of doing.

The Huskers pound it down your throat on the ground. And defensively, they shut down the run. The Black Shirts suffocate running attacks. And then the Huskers of tensive line shoves people around. Indeed, a dangerous -combination.

Just ask Steve-Spurrier. Or Bill Snyder. Leading KSU 41-6, Nebraska had 313 rushing yards and Kansas State' had none. The Wildcats, who had averaged 268 yards rushing against three Mid-American Conference opponents, had laid a golden egg on the Memorial Stadium turf. They had gone nowhere to get the same -old result another loss to Nebraska.

At least Kansas State can brag about ripping up the MAC. Nebraska remains out of KSlTs league. In that regard, the Wildcats are no different than anybody else In the Big 12. You were watching Nebraska maul Kansas State. I was dreaming of Miami.

In late December about the time the Cornhuskers will be arriving for the Orange Bowl and a shot at another national football championship it feels like another planet down there, what with the sandy beaches and warm sun and Cuban toast and silk shirts and aU that other stuff hayseeds like myself hardly ever encounter. Somebody wake me when it is time to board the plane bound for paradise. I have a feeling Nebraska's run through the Big 12 Conference schedule is going to be a snoozer. Tom Osborne is a footban coach. So yes, I think he is actually paranoid enough to believe his Big Red machine could suffer an untimely breakdown somewhere along the line and somehow lose the chance to play for aU the marbles.

He Is (under) paid to make sure the Huskers remain focused. And he seems to do a decent job of it Oh sure, it is conceivable Nebraska could lose during the regular season andor in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6 at San Antonio. There is also a chance aU Injuries can derail any fast-moving train, and Nebraska is a little thin depth-wise in the offensive line. A rash of Husker injuries in key spots might be the only hope the rest of the North Division has of reaching the Big 12 title game.

Otherwise, the race in the North offers all the intrigue of a Gilligan's Island rerun. Remember, Osborne said earlier this week that Kansas State "is probably the most dangerous team we have left on the schedule." Of course, he prefaced his remark with, "At this point" And he further qualified his assertion with, "That may change as time goes on." Well, at this point, I think the coach's assessment needs no qualifiers, especially after watching Colorado flop around the field against Texas Saturday. If beating a team 56-26 is as tough as it gets for NU until the Orange Bowl, Osborne's biggest challenge wiU be keeping his guys interested. In other words, the rest of Nebraska's season has essentially been reduced to a big mind game. Osborne said he already has addressed the Miami issue with his players.

You know, the one that has Nebraska penciled into the Orange my hair will grow back and 111 look like Rod Stewart by Jan. 1. Osborne has assembled a machine that has too much pride and talent and maturity and focus and grit to endure another Disaster in the Desert (Arizona State 19, Nebraska 0). The 37-27 loss to Texas in last year's Big 12 championship game is still too fresh in the Huskers' coUective mind for them to let it happen again this year. Such games serve as a reminder to the players to never look too far ahead.

That's a right reserved for sportswriters. Do you really think Jason Peter and Grant Wistrom the awe-inspiring, two-man defensive wrecking crew will aUow a complete meltdown, like the one at Arizona State, to occur again? IAN DOfHEMUSljncoln Journal Star Nebraska's Grant Wistrom celebrates dropping Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop for a loss..