Lincoln Journal Star du lieu suivant : Lincoln, Nebraska • 38

iff AWXi- ei 7F Hnpinf Dailey, NU teammates know they gave this one away BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE Lincoln Journal Star Statistics don't lie, Joe Dailey said repeatedly. Stats don't lie, the struggling Nebraska quarterback said again and again Saturday, all the while knowing that in this case, stats deceived in a hurtful way if you bleed Husker red. Sure, Nebraska accumulated more than twice as many first downs as Southern Mississippi The Huskers racked up nearly twice as many total yards. If those stats didn't flat-out lie, they at least distorted reality.

Because on this day, one statistic represented the hard, cold truth for Nebraska: Five turnovers, including four by Dailey. "It's all on me," the sophomore from New Jersey said after the Huskers dropped a 21-17 decision before 77,887 sun-splashed spectators at Memorial Stadium. Dailey tossed three interceptions and lost a fumble as Nebraska fell to 1-1. Southern Miss, the defending Conference USA champion, converted Dailey's miscues into two field goals and a touchdown. All told, the Golden Eagles (1-0) scored 18 points off of turnovers.

"It's really unfortunate to see a game takenaway by ourselves," Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan said. "If a tough pill to swallow" 1 Nebraska quarterback Joe Dailey (left) looks up to see Southern Miss defensive back Darrell Bennett (right) recover Dailey's fumble on the Golden Eagles' 1 2-yard line late in the game Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The turnover was the fourth committed by Dailey in the game and his eighth in two games. Dailey's other seven turnovers are all interceptions. Golden Eagles give Dailey tough lesson DIOR AZCUYLincoln Journal Star iuiCig wJi.

JAMES COLBURNflJncoln Journal Star Wildcats ft mm Nebraska's version of a quarterback controversy has taken on the ugly form of Joe Dailey learning how to operate the West Coast offense. For Bill Callahan's Huskers, it's amounted to the kind of results you'd expect from a first-time driver trying to navigate LA rush-hour traffic On Saturday, Dailey caused a major pileup in Memorial Stadium with a second straight tunnel-vision performance that left the Huskers on the south end of a 21-17 loss to Southern Mississippi One that they deserved, but had no business being left with. Nebraska nearly doubled the Golden Eagles in offense, piling up 476 yards to 239. But with Dailey adding three interceptions to the four he tossed against Westennii-nois last week, and throwing in a fumble for good measure, the Huskers were left reeling from their first nonconference loss at home in 13 Perhaps now we have a better understanding for why Callahan went ga-ga when highly-touted West Coast disciple Harrison Beck announced this summer his plans to become a Husker next season. When's that 2005 seasons opener, again? "We left a lot of points on the field," said Callahan, understandably ruffled after just his second game on the Nebraska sideline.

baid Nebraska linebacker Barrett Ruud, "We basically gave one away. It was like, 'Here you Nebraska lost at home to a nonconference opponent for the first time since 1991, when Washington, America defensive RUUD behind All-tackle Steve Emtman and quarterback Billy Joe Hobert, prevailed 36-21. Nebraska fell to Southern Miss despite outgaining the Golden Eagles 476-239 and forging a 26-1 1 advantage in first downs. The truth, thBngh, was in the turnovers. Dailey threw interceptions during practice in bunches throughout the spring and even during preseason camp.

It's easy to cut him slack considering he's a first-year starter learning the NFL-styie West Coast system installed by his first-year head coach. In last week's 56-17 win against Western Illinois, Dailey's four interceptions were regarded as little more than a nuisance. Against Southern Miss, Dailey's turnovers were Nebraska's undoing. The game's turning point occurred with one second left in the third quarter, when linebacker Na-ton Stewart leaped to grab Dailey's errant throw and sped 49 yards for a touchdowa The TD pulled Southern Miss within 17-15 and gave the Golden Eagles momentum. Nebraska had seemed to seize control early in the third quarter on Dailey touchdown passes of 9 yards to wide receiver Grant Mulkey and See HUSKERS, Page 4E 4 CHARLIE RIEOEUTh AuociMM CURT McKEEVER Journal Star StaffWriter asssBsssssssssaa "This was a game there for the taking and we gave it away." Like a loyal commander in chief, Callahan refused to point the finger at his field generaL Or maybe he chose not "to go into that" because it was so painfully obvious what took the Huskers out of their attack.

Dailey's three interceptions led to 12 of trie Golden Eagles' points, while his fumble killed a drive at the Southern Miss 12 with less than five minutes to play. The lack of headiness seems a bit perplexing, since it belies the manner in which the sophomore carries himself off thefield. But "we knew he was going to-have some tough lessons," said NU offensive coordinator Jay NorvelL The first one Saturday came when Dailey, under heat, dumped, See McKEEVER, Pag 4E UP NEXT Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan (right) gets animated as he speaks to sophomore quarterback Joe Dailey (12) in the fourth quarter Saturday at Memorial Stadium. 'We left a lot of points on the field. This was a game there for the taking and we gave it Nebraska coach Bill Callahan RED ZONE Bulldogs pummel No.

13 HUSXERS INSIDE John Mibry explores the surprisingly wide-open spaces of the 12 North. '7 Blnckshirts lament their inability to take the ball from the Golden Eagles. A after losing, Notre Dane comes to liie and No. 7-rankcd Michigan. toc-s n--? on the ofTon- i sive and impress to 20 a t'! 2 rout of Tdcdo.

fending Big 12 Conference champions the rest of the game. Bulldogs running back Dwayne Wright scored two touchdowns before tearing a tendon In his right knee in the fourth quarter, sidelining him for the season. i Bryson Sumlln was originally credited with Wright's second touchdowa but Kansas State offi- dais gave me TD to Wright after reviewing the tape. Paul Pinegar threw two touchdown passes to Matt Rivera and ran for another score, and Sumlin added one TD run in Fresno State's biggest win over a ranked team and the Wildcats' worst regular-season nonconference loss In 13 years. "I've been here for 16 years," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

"You can remember some of the 1-10 and 5-6 (seasons). We never had a football team that just got beat up as badly as we did today." The Bulldogs' 45 points were the most given up Sw K-STATI, Past 7E BY STEVE BRISENDINE Tha Associated Pres MANHATEAN, In 2001, Fresno State made a run at breaking Into the Bowl Championship Series by beating big-name teams. The Bulldogs are at it again. FresnoState's45-21 upset of No. 13KansasState was its second victory over a team from a BCS conference In seven days and its seventh since the BCS was established in 1999.

With the big payday a BCS bowl guarantee, perhaps it's fitting that coach Pat Hill used a poker metaphor to describe his team's situation. "We are still at the main table," Hill said. "We were all la We picked up all their chips, and now we've got a bigger pile and next week we'll go all in again." Fresno State (2-0) didnt have to catch many breaks against the Wildcats, either. After giving up an early touchdown on Bret Jones' 42-yard interception return, the Bulldogs dominated the de rjr- Saturday, spt 18, Heinz PiUGbur-h DTOACC (7,8) Pinnacle Sports Network (1400 AM, 1110 AM, 93.3 FM) Fresno State's Bryson Sumlin (34) Is congratulated by teammate Dartagnon Shack (50) after Sumlin scored his second touchdown in the Bulldogs' 45-21 upset of No. 13 Kansas State Saturday in Manhattan, Kan..