The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 27

OCTOBER 1 8, 1 988 Iril of ever fthm By Richard Hotter Lot AnQOtot Tfrnw SOUTH BEND, Ind. Great football games, those rare occasions when the play actually corresponds to the importance, do not simply pass into legend. Not even at Notre Dame, where everything seems to be instant lore. But when you add controversy, an upset and bad feelings, and mix in national championship ingredients (the weather was sensational, too), you definitely have another chapter in the game's Big Book of History. Saturday's 31-30 Notre Dame victory, in which Miami missed on a two-point conversion that would have won it in the last 45 seconds, had, it al It did not have flawless football, however.

Top-. ranked Miami made an incredible seven turn-. 'overs as its regular-season winning streak ended at 36 games. But there was a brawl (before the game), there were career days from important players, and there was clutch action in an the big moments. What's better is that this is by no means the last of it A residue of bitterness promises more history in years to come, although Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz doesnt want it just yet Referring to the increased heat between the schools, Holtz said, "I think the two schools really and truly need to talk about playing in the future.

I am talking about next year. I think we need a cooling-down period." For the moment it's Notre Dame, a winner jover college football's most consistently dominat ing team. The undefeated Irish, ranked fourth going into this game, now claim the following: revenge for the last lour defeats, one of them a game in which Miami was still passing the ban at the end of a 58-7 sendoff for Gerry Faust; a chance at the national championship, which probably win hinge on a Nov. 26 game with Southern Cal; and validation for a program that has struggled out of a sea of mediocrity. And yet, and people win argue this for weeks to come, Notre Dame may not have proven that it's a better team than Miami The Hurricanes, after an, out-gained the Irish, 481 yards to 33L Between the pre-game melee, when Miami apparently tried to run through a Notre Dame lineup and into the tunnel, and Miami's batted in the end zone with its primary receivers Terrell, who ran it back for a touchdown.

And Notre Dame scored its last points, on a 27-yard field goal by Reggie Ho, after tackle Jeff Aim simply stood up and caught a Walsh pass. But It was hardly a case of Miami falling down on the job. The Hurricanes played some football, too. In the final two minutes of the first half, when Notre Dame was leading 21-7, there was also a Walsh completion on fourth-and-5 at the -Notre Dame 24 that went for a touchdown. Then there was another Walsh scoring drive to end the half and tie the score.

And what of Miami's final assured drive, when Randy Shannon stripped the ban from Rice, and Walsh threw a fourth-and-6 pass to Andre Brown for the touchdown? See IRISH on page 2D an bottled up, a lot more of the unexpected happened. Notre Dame's Tony Bice, never much of a passer, threw for 195 yards and a touchdown. Miami's Steve Walsh, previously undefeated as a starter, matched his season-long mark of three interceptions in one game. Anl Miami fullback Cleveland Gary, who caught a game-high 11 passes, win be remembered for a fumble, a hotly contested one, at Notre Dame's 1-yard line. There was, in addition, a Miami fake punt that didnt work and turned the ban over to Notre Dame for a quick seven points in the third quarter, giving Notre Dame a 28-21 tead.

There were more traditional mistakes. Notre Dame went ahead 21-7 in the second quarter, when Frank Stams tipped a Walsh pass to Pat Clark elusive, 4 off field Cf -X- 7 if, Ah I t-r: A Ken Clark completed his performance Saturday afternoon in much the same way he began it by slipping away from a group of people intent on cornering him. In the first instance, the people were defenders on the Oklahoma State football team. On Nebraska's first play from scrimmage, Clark powered through three Cowboys, breaking out of the grasp of free safety Rod Smith. He spun and ran 73 yards to score.

In the second instance, the people were members of the news media, waiting to interview him in the South Stadium varsity lounge. Clark eluded them, too. The only way you couldVe gotten the junior I-back's post-game comments was to listen to the radio. Clark was interviewed, briefly, in the locker room, which is off-limits to everyone except the Nebraska football radio network. Before you knew it, he was gone.

Clark never made it to the lounge, where reporters waited to ask him about his 256 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Oklahoma State. It's not surprising, really. Clark meant no disrespect He's quiet, is an. And besides, what could he have said that his statistics didnt? Solich expected it Anyone who doubted Clark's ability or scoff ed when Frank Solich, the Cornhusker running backs coach, compared him to former Nebraska Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier should have been silenced, at least for the time being, Saturday. Only Rozier rushed for more yards in a single game than Clark did.

"Ken had the kind of game I expected he'd have sooner or later," said Solich. "I was glad to see him using his one-on-one ability, making sharp cuts that put a defensive guy at a disadvantage." And though it didnt show up in the statistics, Solich also was pleased that Clark twisted an ankle in the first half TED K1RKSUNOAY JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska safety Mark Blazek (right) intercepts a pass intended for OSU's Curtis Mayfleid with 9:56 remaining in the first quarter. NU defense still looking to improve 6) Oklahoma St 0 21 7 1442 Nebraska 35 14 7 763 NU Clark 73 run (Orennan kick) NU Fryar 66 Interception return (Dren nan kick) NU Clark 9 run (Drennan kick) NU Taylor 60 run (Drennan kick) NU Taylor 43 run (Drennan kick) NU Clark 2 run (Drennan kick) OSU Sanders 9 run (Blanchard kick) OSU Sanders 1 run (Blanchard kick) NU Mllllkan 32 pass from Taylor (Drennan kick) OSU Dykes 12 pass from Gundy (Blanchard kick) NU Mllllkan 13 pass from Taylor (Drennan kick). OSU Sanders 1 run (Blanchard kick) NU Taylor 9 run (Barrios kick) OSU Sanders 4 run (Blanchard kick) OSU Nash 20 pass from Gundy (Blanchard kick) On the Inside OSU quarterback Mike Gundy is more afraid of-Ne-braska's offense than its defense. Page 7D.

World Series (Dodgers toad 1-0) Saturday' rtwlt Los AngtlM 5, Oakland 4 Sunday's gamt Oakland (Davis) at Los Angtle (Her-shiser), 7:25 P.m., Channel Tuesday's gamt Los Angeles at Oakland, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday's game Los Angeles at Oakland, 7:25 p.m. Thursday's game x-Los Angeles at Oakland, 7:3 p.m. Saturday's gam x-Oaklond at Los Angeles, 4 25 p.m. Sunday, Oct.

23 -Oakland at Los Angeles, 7:25 p.m. i-H necessary Quote of the game NU Coach Tom Osborne: This Is hard to figure. It's like my golf game. Every time you've got something fixed, something else breaks down. I still don't know what kind of team we are." Team stats, scoring Mike Babcock Columnist Actually, Solich wasnt happy about the injury.

"I like the fact Ken got banged -up and stin played," he said. A year ago, Clark might not have been wining to play hurt, a characteristic that distinguished Rozier from other nmnlng backs. Saturday, an Clark needed to keep going was a tight wrap of the ankle by George Sullivan, Nebraska's head trainer and physical therapist Along the way, "Ken's developed a natural toughness to where he wants to stay In there," said Solich. 27 carries Clark, who had averaged about 13 carries a game in rushing for a team- i high 481 yards this season, was handed and pitched the ban 27 times Saturday, which is why teammate Tim Jackson wasnt surprised by bis yardage. "I was waiting for this day to come," Jackson sail "I knew if we gave him the enough, betd go crazy." Jackson, a safety, compared Clark to Oklahoma State tailback Barry Sanders, an acknowledged Heisman Trophy candidate who ran for 189 yards and four touchdowns Saturday.

On 35 carries. Clark "would have the same kind of (season) stats as Sanders If he carried the baU more," said Jackson. Saturday, there wasnt much to choose between the two. Nebraska couldnt stop Sanders, and Oklahoma State couldn't stop Clark, who came up 30 yards short of breaking Roger's See BABCOCK on page 6D Huskers post win 0in 5 sets 1 Pa9e 4D ners Page 2D Neb.Wesleyan 1 tops Midland Page 3D Former pitcher still throws strikes Page 9D crosixH cials said the Mowing day.) Blazek's interception Saturday at the Nebraska 20-yard line was Mowed by a three-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Jackson's interception set up a 10-play, 51-yard scoring drive that gave Nebraska a 56-21 lead midway through the third quarter.

That's Oklahoma State's style of play, Blazek said. "They're the ones with the turnovers a game. They're the ones who get the turnovers and don't give them up," he "They were due to have a turnover. They had one in four games and they had picked up 19 or so in those came four games. A turnover here or there would shake them up, we thought I think it made a big difference." Gundy, who hadn't thrown an interception in three games, agreed.

"We went out and made a lot of mistakes and behind and they kicked our butts," be said. "I thought going into this game we had a super chance of winning. We moved the ban wen but we turned it over and that was the key today. The interception for a touchdown. See DEFENSE on page 60 Quick on the draw 1 Nebraska's 35-polnt, first-quarter explosion featured: NU's 14 points in 13 seconds of possession time; 21 in 53 On NU's first scrimmage play, Ken Clark running 73 yards to Charles Fryar Intercepting a pass and returning 86 yards for a TD.

Clark's 9-yard score the quarter's only TD from less than 40 yards. Quarterback Steve Taylor scampering 60 and 43 yards for TDs. ciark(132)andTay1or(103)each8urpassing100yard9rushing. Nebraska piling up 299 yards rushing to 83 for OSU. lX The two teams combining for 440 yards of total offense.

The Huskers running only 1 2 plays (no third downs) to 33 for OSU. 1 NU having a possession time of 4:13, compared to 10:47 for OSU. OSU NU First downs 27 -28 Rushes-yards 44-208 60-570 Passing yards 247 92 Total yards 455 662 Return yards 32 87 Passing 17-30-3 6-11-1 Punts Fumbles-tost 1-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 3-26 9-66 Time of possession 28:07 31:53 Third-down conversions 4-12 7-12 FourtrHiownconvarslont 0-0 2-2 Gibson ends Game 1 in Hollywood style By Ken Hambleton Defensively, Nebraska's 63-42 victory over Oklahoma State Saturday was atypical, according to Nebraska senior safety Mark Blazek. Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said he hopes it was. "It was good enough to win, but not good enough, if you know what I mean," Blazek said.

"Some of that (OSU's 42 points) was due to an interception they returned to the Some was due to mental lapses on our part when we got so far ahead so quickly. "An of it means we have a lot of work to do," he said. Blazek, safety Tim Jackson and cor-nerback Charles Fryar an intercepted Oklahoma State passes, breaking OSU quarterback Mike Gundy's string of of 74 passes without an interception. Fryar returned his interception 86 yards for a touchdown to give Nebraska a 144) lead with 3 minutes gone in the game. Fryar's touchdown was referred to as the first "real" pass interception for a touchdown by Nebraska this year.

(Blazek returned an interception for a touchdown against UCLA, but referees missed the can on the play, game offi son arrived from Detroit where he helped the Tigers win the World Series ml984. 'One-legged man' "I'd been in the training room aU Gibson said. "I heard Vin Scuuy say I wasnt going to play. I said, That's it' I put on an ice bag on my knee and made it numb. I said go ahead and pinch hit Mike (Davis) for Alfredo (Griffin) and if he gets on, IH give it my best shot" His best shot was enough.

"He hobbled up there like a one-legged man," said Dodgers Manager Tom Lasorda. That's a guy who has a lot of power. He could hit the ban out of the Grand Canyon. Here we were staring defeat right in the eyes, and an of a sudden the guy hits one out" Eckersley, who led the majors with 45 saves during the season, saved an four Oakland victories in the. American League playoffs.

He relieved Dave Stewart to start the ninth, retired Mike Sdos-da on a popup and struck out Jeff Hamilton before walking Davis. Gibson connected for the sixth home run off Eckersley In 79 innings. Oakland outfielder Jose Canseco's grand slam shook the flagpole and the Dodgers in the second inning. But the LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles' Kirk Gibson wrote a Hollywood ending to Game 1 of the World Series in Tinsel Town itself Saturday night Gibson, the hobbled hero, limped off the bench and to the rescue with a pinch-hit, two-run, two-out full-count home run off baseball's best reliever in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Oakland. 1 Gibson, the symbol of Dodger determination an season, came through with the biggest hit of his career when Los Angeles needed him most Unable to start because of ligament damage in his left knee, he touted off four pitches from A's bullpen ace Dennis Eckersley before homering far over the right-field fence.

Suck it up' "I figure if I could get up there with a guy on and the crowd into it I could suck It up for one AB," said Gibson, who visibly favored the bad leg that had forced him out of the seventh game of the National League playoffs. "I knew Fd be a detriment It was tough, rve got two bad legs." Gibson won the fourth game of the playoffs with a I2th-innlng homer and broke open the fifth game with a three-run homer. This, though, was better. Canseco had hit several tremendous blasts during batting practice, drawing cheers from the Los Angeles fans. This time he hit the ban even harder.

Canseco sent a low line drive to center field that zoomed past the 395-foot mark and clanged off the flagpole. Stewart overcame a two-run homer by Mickey Hatcher in the first inning and worked around Sdosda's RBI single in the sixth. Familiar foes Stewart and Belcher each were familiar with the other team Stewart pitched for the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, and Belcher was sent by the Oakland organization to Los Angeles in August 1987. Stewart fasts on days of games because be gets nervous, and he got off to a shaky start After hitting Sax in the back to open the first Stewart balked with one out He led the majors a record 16 balks this season. Hatcher, subbing in left field and in the third spot for Gibson, followed with a borne run deep to left and danced around the bases.

Hatcher, who had only one home run during the regular season, became the 19th player to homer in his first World Series at-bat and the first NL See SERIES on page 8D tD Dodgers, who beat the New York Mets in seven games in the playoffs, hung tough. They now have ace Orel Herhiser going in Game 2 tonight against Storm Davis. Television coverage (Channel 6) will begin at 7 p.m. Beanbatl battle Stewart and Dodgers starter Tim Belcher engaged in an early beanbaU battle that prompted umpire Doug Harvey to warn both teams. Belcher hit Canseco with a pitch in the first inning, and Stewart hit Steve Sax to open the bottom of the first Canseco, who led the majors with 42 home runs during the regular season and hit three more in a four-game sweep of the American League playoffs, bom-, ered against Belcher, a former minor league teammate.

Belcher hit Canseco with a pitch in the first inning, and Oakland went on to load the bases before Terry Stelnbach filed out to end the threat Belcher, a rookie who beat the Mets twice in the playoffs, wasnt so lucky in the second. Glenn Hubbard led off with a single and Stewart, batting for the first time since 1383, drew a oneKiut walk on a fun-count pitch. Carney Lansford's wane loaded the bases and Belcher then struck out Henderson. "It's hard to match, a storybook," he said. "I was disappointed I couldnt play.

It was tough pushing off my front foot My hamstring hurt I just decided to buckle down and try go to the opposite field. What a team!" It's Gibson's team. The Dodgers were 16 games under .500 last year before Gib-..