The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 25

THE LINCOLN STAR Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1986 PAGE 25 Bmiiiseci, bantered Hyskers Cuope to cajptuB tesiacious WoDverDraes ther. He suffered a broken foot during C2T i Sunlcist eFiestacBowl T'T 4 Probable starters OFFENSE Ht Wt Pos Wt NEBRASKA (9-2) No Name 80 Todd Froln 65 Tim Roth 70 B. Blankenshlp Yr Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. 68 Bill Lewis 61 John McCormlck So. By Virgil Parker of Tha Lincoln Star PHOENIX, Ariz. Torn Osborne made sure they didn't wax the floors last night in the lobby of the resort hotel where the Nebraska football team has been staying.

The way things have been going since the Cornhuskers have been here preparing for today's Sunkist Fiesta Bowl clash with Michigan, Osborne could expect three key players to slip, fall and be out of action. Nebraska I-back Doug DuBose, the Big Eight Conference rushing champ a year ago with 1,040 yards, upped his total to 1,161 this fall despite missing one game entirely and performing at a sub-par level much of the rest of the season because of a knee injury. DuBose finally got healthy. But, the day the Iluskers arrived in Phoenix, he bruised a shoulder in a scrimmage. Three days ago he hurt it again.

Osborne thought the injury may force DuBose out of the game, but Osborne and trainer George Sullivan said Tuesday that the junior I-back will get a chance to test his shoulder Wednesday. Sullivan expects DuBose to start, but he won't give a final go-ahead until just before kickoff. If DuBose cant play, Osborne said Keith Jones would get the calL Jones, a sophomore from Omaha, suffered back spasms during Monday's workout, but was back at practice Tuesday. "Keith surprised me in that he could hardly walk yesterday. He did a pretty good job today.

It looked like he could run," Osborne said. If neither DuBose nor Jones are able to start, senior Paul Miles would probably get the nod. one of Nebraska's bowl practices. Starting defensive end Brad Smith is also ouL He suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken hand, among other ailments, this year. The three defensive ends who are available and who have started at least one game this year Scott Tucker, Gregg Reeves and Tony Holloway all missed at least one game this fall because of injuries.

It's been that kind of season for the Iluskers. On the other hand, Michigan will be starting the same players who opened the season in 18 of the 22 positions. Of the two spots on offense where that is not true, one is at flanker, where John Kolesar has started the last nine games in a row. The other is at one guard position, where John Vitale has started the last eight games of the season. The two position switches on defense represented even less disruption.

Outside linebackers Jim ScarceUi and Jeff Akers didn't start the opening game of the season, but have been in the starting lineup since then. The 15th annual Fiesta Bowl will kick off at 12:30 p.m. (CST) before a capacity crowd of 70,000 in Sun Devil Stadium and a nationwide NBC (KMTV, Channel 3, Omaha) television audience. Nebraska has the dubious honor of facing the two best defensive teams in the nation, back-to-back. Oklahoma, which toppled Nebraska from its No.

2 rating with a 27-7 victory, leads the country in total defense. Fifth-ranked Michigan is the nation's leader in defense against scoring. The Wolverines allowed just five touchdowns in 11 Turn to: Fiesta, Page 27 222 268 278 263 277 283 240 200 175 212 190 TE LT LG RG RT SE QB IB FB WB 6-3 230 6-0 275 6-1 270 6-6 275 4- 0 250 6-4 275 5- 9 170 6- 0 195 5- 11 190 6- 0 220 5-10 195 69 Tom Welter Jr. Jr. 85 RobbSchnltzler 7 AA.

Clayton 22 Doug DuBose So. Jr. 26 Tom Rathman Sr. MICHIGAN (9-1-1) Ht Yr Name No 6-6 Sr. EricKattus 81 6-4 Sr.

Clay Miller 79 6-3 So. MikeHusar 74 6-1 Sr. B.Tabaehlno 77 6-1 So. JohnVltole 67 6-7 Jr. John Elliot 72 6-8 Sr.

PaulJoklsch 84 6-3 Sr. Jim Harbaugh 4 5- 7 So. Jamie Morris 23 6- 0 Jr. Gerald White 22 6-0 Fr. JohnKolesar 40 MICHIGAN 6-5 Sr.

JlmScarcelll 85 6-4 Sr. MI.Hammrstn 66 6-0 Jr. Billy Harris 56 6-3 So. MarkMessner 60 6-2 Sr. JeNAkers 33 6-2 Sr.

MlkeMallory 42 6-0 Sr. AndyMoeller 49 6-2 Sr. Ivan Hicks 17 6-1 Jr. Garland Rivers 13 6-3 Sr. Brad Cochran 30 6-2 Sr.

Tony Gant 14 DEFENSE 6-3 220 LE 220 LT 240 257 235 219 6-5 250 6-3 275 6-3 250 6-3 225 23 Roger Llndstrom Sr. NEBRASKA 89 Scott Tucker Sr. 76 Chris Spachman Jr. 95 Danny Noonan Jr. 96JimSkow Sr.

84 Gregg Reeves Sr. 44 Mike Knox Sr. 35 Kevin Parsons Jr. 5 B.Washington So. 32 Brian Davis Jr.

42 Mike Carl Jr. 19 Bryan Slebler Jr. Kickoff: 12:30 p.m., (KMTV, Channel 3). if r- (('' i 'v 111,1 1 A s. lVv 'k MG RT RE LB LB LCB RC8 223 220 174 185 219 180 6-2 235 6-3 230 6-1 205 6-3 195 5-11 180 5-11 195 Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.

Telecast: NBC Marc Munford is back home, still on crutches. Both underwent knee surgery earlier this year. Linebacker Chad Daf er won't play ei Travis Turner, who was Nebraska's starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, will watch the game from the sidelines on crutches. Top linebacker But seriously folks who's IMo. 1 here? Mike Babcock Sports Columnist UCLA, Miami loses to Tennessee and Oklahoma and Penn State play to a pathetically dull tie, the winner of Nebraska-Michigan might get some No.

1 votes. That's a longshot of cosmic proportions, but then, who knows? The odds against that sequence of events actually occurring are no greater than the odds that what follows is accurate. SUNKIST FIESTA BOWL: The irresistible force, Nebraska's running attack, against the immovable object, Michigan's defense Logic says the Wolverines will win. Nebraska's offense may be too one-dimensional to be successful against a defense like Michigan's, and the Wolverines have a mobile, passing quarterback. Check the media guide.

Nebraska has always had problems with mobile, Turn to: Picks, Page 27 PHOENIX, Ariz. Who's No. 1 among the nation's major college football teams? Late Wednesday it should be apparent If undefeated and untied Perm State gets by Oklahoma in the Orange BowL the Nittany Lions will be the mythical national champions. A 12-0 record is a strong argument It's difficult to ignore perfection. If Oklahoma wins, however, the national championship will be up for grabs or, more accurately, up to the 60 media voters in the Associated Press polL An Oklahoma victory would put the Sooners in the title picture, along with Miami and Iowa.

In order to be in contention, Miami would have to beat Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl, and Iowa would have to beat UCLA in the Rose BowL Tennessee and UCLA, as well as Cotton Bowl participants Texas and Auburn, will play only for pride in New Year's Day bowls. There's no way to work out a scenario in which any of them could win this year's national title. Nebraska and Michigan, who get the day started in the Sunkist Fiesta BowL are in just about the same situation, although blindly optimistic Cornhusker and Wolverine fans haven't given up hope. If Iowa loses to AuodaM Pratt Nebraska quarterback McCathorn Clayton practices his passing Tuesday during the Huskers' workout at the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State looking for respect against favored Oklahoma Penn State acquired some of its lack of respect should go to No.

1 (if Penn State loses and Miami beats Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl) because they beat us." Last year, Switzer hollered long and loud that second-ranked Oklahoma deserved to be No. 1 over 13-0 Brigham Young if the 9-1-1 Sooners beat Washington in the Orange BowL But Washington silenced him with a 28-17 triumph. Miami, Oklahoma and fourth-ranked Iowa, which plays UCLA in the Rose BowL all are 10-1. Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson has been extremely vocal that if the national championship vote comes down to Miami and Oklahoma, the Hurricanes would deserve to be No. 1 because of their 27-14 triumph in Norman, on Oct 19.

Southern Cal won 17-18. Ironically, that same day. No. 5 Oklahoma (10-1) was an eight-point favorite over No. 4 Florida State (11-0) in the Orange BowL Oklahoma won 24-7.

"Personally, I never considered Penn State No. 1 in the says Sonny Reizner, who runs the Castaways sports book in Las Vegas. "There are maybe five or six teams which, if they played now, would be a 1- to 7-point favorite." Switzer isn't doing any politicking for No. 1 this year, although he does say that "if we are fortunate to beat the No. 1 team, we should go up.

It's as simple as that I'm sure Jimmy Johnson (coach of second-ranked Miami) feels they each other at their final pre-game news conference. "Oklahoma beat three good football teams (Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Southern Methodist) in the clutch, when they had to get it done (to finish 10-1 and set up a game of national championship proportions)," Paterno said. "It doesnt bother me (that Oklahoma is favored) as long as we've got a chance to play. I don't care what the so-called experts think, and my kids feel the same way." Those "experts" have made Penn State the biggest No. 1-ranked underdog since third-ranked Southern California was a seven-point favorite over No.

1 Ohio State in the 1980 Rose BowL MIAMI (AP) Top-ranked Penn State, a team that gels more voles Uian respect, shoots for its second national championship in four years Wednesday night But the nation's only unbeaten-untied team is a decided underdog. The fact that third-ranked Oklahoma is favored by a touchdown in Wednesday night's Orange Bowl doesnt seem to bother Penn State Coach Joe Paterno. "1 don't know how much more respect you can get than being voted No. 1," Paterno said Tuesday as he and Oklahoma's Barry Switzer, who have done an about-face and have become buddy-buddy in recent years after some serious philosophical differences, sat side-by-side and ribbed by having to come from behind to win six times during its 11-0 regular season. The Nittany Lions won three games Maryland, Temple and Alabama by.

two points, two games Syracuse and Boston College by four points and two games by seven points East Carolina and Rutgers. But they blew out four of their last five opponents West Virginia 27-0, Cincinnati 31-10, Notre Dame 36-6 and Pitt 31-0 and Paterna terms the Lions "a much better football team than we were at the end of the year. We're as healthy and prepared as we can be, and I think well play as well as we know how." -iff Evans leads Falcons to Bluebonnet win it tit Hv CVk if Healy fuels Army win ATLANTA (AP) Army quarterback Rob Healy ran for 107 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown run, and the Cadets' wishbone offense pulled off a pair of surprise scoring passes in a 31-29 victory over mistake-prone Illinois Tuesday in the Peach BowL Illinois quarterback Jack Trudeau connected on a 54-yard touchdown pass to Ail-American wide receiver David Williams with 34 seconds remaining to pull the mini within two points. But Tru-deau's pass on the two-point conversion attempt was batted away by Army defender Peel Chronister to preserve the victory for the Cadets. The Cadets, 9-3, turned four Illinois turnovers into three touchdowns and Craig Stopa's 39-yard field goal in the triumph over the 6-5-1 nilinL despite a record Peach Bowl passing performance by Trudeau.

The nationally televised game was played in a steady rain with temperatures in the mid-40s. Army went ahead to stay, 28-23, late in the third period on an 81-yard, eight-play drive that ended when Healy pitched to halfback Clarence Jones, who threw a 26-yard scoring pass to Scott Spellmon. Stopa added his field goal with 6:40 remaining in the game after Army recovered Ray Wilson's fumble at the mini 42. Illinois had taken a 23-21 lead on Wilson's 1-yard plunge early in the second half. The touchdown run culminated a 79-yard, 15-play drive.

Army's other halfback, William Lampley, threw the other scoring pass, a 33-yarder to Benny White, in the opening half. Doug Black had scored on a one-yard run and Healy on his 22-yarder to give the Cadets a 21-16 half time lead. HOUSTON (AP) Air Force's football season lasted just long enough for junior fullback Pat Evans, who started the season on the sidelines and ended it Tuesday as. his team's most valuable player. Evans, hobbled by a pre-season knee injury, set up one touchdown with a 48-yard run and scored on a 19-yard run to lead the lOth-ranked Falcons to a 24-16 victory over Texas in the 27th Bluebonnet Bowl in Rice Stadium.

Evans was named the most valuable player in the game for Air Force and defensive end James McKinney earned the honor for the Longhoms. Evans credited his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season to "the center, two guards and tackles. They just kept them (Texas defenders) off me and had holes that a Mack truck could go through. I didnt do anything speciaL" Evans said it was his best game of a season that had been marked by frustration. "I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING all year," he said.

"But this put me over the edge and gives me a boost for next year." The Falcons fullfilled a season-long tendency of capitalizing on their opponents' mistakes. William Harris caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Bret Stafford and Jeff Ward kicked field goals of 24, 31 and 28' yards to account for the Texas scoring. "We had the opportunities but they had the big plays," Harris said. "We didnt take advantage of our opportunities and they did, and that was pretty much the difference." Stafford said his touchdown pass "was -just a good play that worked the way it was supposed to work. We didn't relax after that at alL Air Force just did a good job of stopping us." The Falcons, who won their fourth consecutive bowl game, took a 14-7 half-time lead with a pair of touchdowns over a 1:59 span of the first quarter.

Evans, who missed the first two games of the season, broke 48 yards to the Texas 1-yard line to set up Greg Pshsniak's touchdown run, and quarter-, back Bart Weiss leaped 1 yard for the go-ahead touchdown moments later. Weiss' touchdown came after Longhorn Lee Beckelman bobbled a kickoff and Air Force's Marc Munafo recovered at the Texas 32. STAFFORD'S 53-YARD RUN in the third quarter set up Ward's 24-yard field goaL but moments later, Falcon corner-back Tom Rotello's 27-yard interception return paved the way for Evans 19-yard scoring run. Ward kicked his 31-yarder with 14:14 left in the game after Air Force safety Scott Thomas batted down a third-down pass at the Falcon 14. Air Force cornerback Dwan Wilson's 14-yard interception return set up Tom Ruby's 40-yard field goal with 43 seconds left in the game.

The Longhoms, 8-4, were trying to erase memories of last year's 55-17 loss to Iowa In the Freedom BowL Instead, they extended their bowl losing string to four in a row. Air Force closed out its winningest season at 12-L Evans finished with 129 yards on 18 carries in bis biggest game of the sea- Summary, Page 26 ii viimiiiMiinMMffiBW" Auoc kited Prwt Air Force's Terry Maki (67) pulls down Texas running back Darron Norris (34) as Falcon Tom Rotello (45) closes in to help during first-quarter action in the Bluebonnet Bowl..