The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 29

YHome, 14 Sunday Joirnal-l5tar SEPTEMBlgj71t989 JnlinisJfeeFS answer If vx 1 taub. tricMery Quote of the game Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell: "Part of the plan on offense was to be pesky and do things that frustrated and confused them." iff fir, 1 Scoring, team stats Utah 13 3 0 14 30 Nebraska 7 14 7 14 42 Utah O. Smith pass from Mitchell (Lammle kick) NU Gdowski run (Drennan kick) Utah O. Smith 43 pass from Mitchell (run tailed) NU Gdowski 8 run (Drennan kick) NU Croel 6 interception return (Drennan kick) Utah FG Lammle 45 NU Clark 1 run (Drennan kick) NU Carpenter 29 run (Drennan kick) NU Gdowski 4 run (Barrios kick) Utah Hicks 1 pass Trom Mitchell (pass tailed) Utah Rowley 20 pass from Mitchell (Abrams pass from Mitchell) it ft By Ken Hambleton Nebraska got a good look at the wild side of offensive football. The Cornhuskers faced all the gimmicks and gadgets of Utah's offense and came up with a few tricks of their own to post a 42-30 victory over the 1-2 Utes Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

"Part of the plan on offense was to be pesky and do things that frustrated and confused them," Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell said. It worked half of the time. Fourth-rated Nebraska struggled through the first half for the second week in a row as Mitchell dazzled the 76,333 fans and confounded the Corn-husker defense for two touchdown passes in the first quarter to give the un-ranked, unknown Utes a 13-7 lead. That shook the Cornhuskers. And Nebraska responded, outscoring Utah 35-3 and holding Mitchell and his offense out of the end zone until the final four minutes of the game.

Mitchell, who led the nation in passing last year, finished with 297 yards passing on 26 completions in 44 attempts. "They pass and do a lot of fancy stuff. We run," said Nebraska quarterback Gerry Gdowski. "We showed a lot of different things, too. We got the pressure off the I-back with a lot of different people and I think we're pretty hard to stop." -Gdowski scores three Gdowski ran for 98 yards and three touchdowns on option plays.

His first touchdown, an eight-yard run with 12:51 lea in the first half, and Chris Drennan's extra point kick put Nebraska in the lead for good. Nebraska's diversity showed in the scoring Gdowski's touchdown ended a nine-play, 80-yard drive that included a 29-yard run by fullback Bryan Carpenter, four runs by I-back Ken Clark for 18 yards and a 17-yard pass to Morgan Gregory. "We had our little pick-me-ups on defense and that seemed to help the defense and offense get going," Croel said. "I went from the lowest of the low on the touchdown to their tight end, to the highest feeling you can get in a game when I intercepted the pass and then scored, too." Nebraska defensive linemen Kent Wells, David White, Kenny Walker and Ray Valladao rose to the occasion and hounded Mitchell for losses of 30 yards. Mike Petko and Tyrone Byrd later intercepted passes to hamper the unique Utah offense.

Ball control offense Meanwhile, Nebraska's offense exploded for 432 yards rushing and 27 passing in a ball control offense. The Cornhuskers had the ball for 10 fewer plays but for three minutes more than Utah. "I don't know what it looks like up above. We're doing a lot of different things," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. "I dont know whether people perceive it or not.

They feel it's another run. Some of those runs are 15-20 yards and that's not all bad." Clark posted his second straight 100 yard plus game with 130 yards and a touchdown. He had runs of 18, 16, 22 and 15 yards. Carpenter rushed for 102 yards on five carries, racing through the Utah defense on one run for 21 yards and two runs for 29 yards apiece, including a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Wingbacks Richard Bell and Nate Turner combined for 72 yards rushing.

"We were shaky early," Osborne said. "I think we played a pretty good team Offensively, they have a different style that is capable of scoring points on anybody, "The second quarter through the fourth quarter we played well A lot of people are going to be upset with the score, but this was a good team we SeeHUSKERSonpage16D i i oU- fl Wv it- Utah NU 25 23 31-105 59-432 297 27 .402 459 17 28 26-44-3 31 2-0 2-1 11-70 7-60 28:37 31:23 6-15 2-9 0-1 2-3 First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Total yards Return yards Passing Punts Fumbtes-tost Penalties-yards Time ot possession Third-down conversions Fourth-down-conversions On the inside Related stories. Page 7D. Color photos. Page 160 One minute after Gdowski's touchdown, linebacker Mike Croel, who had been beaten by Utah's Dennis Smith for a touchdown at the end of the first quarter, stepped in front of the Ute tight end and scored on a six-yard interception return to pr.d Nebraska's lead to 21-13.

Mitchell had not been intercepted in 103 previous passes this year. QAIL FOLDA SUNDAY Nebraska tackle Kent Wells (91) jumps high in the air as Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell (19) sets up to throw. Utah's Grayland Williams (75) is ready to block Wells. Croel, young Nebraska defense leam imderfire Mike Babcock Columnist Mike Croel didn't need to be told. "Mike knew exactly what he did," according to Charlie McBride, defensive coordinator for Nebraska's fourth-ranked football team.

Croel glanced at Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell while covering Dennis Smith, the Utes' tight end The Cornhuskers' junior outside linebacker knows better than to look back in such situations. He's been told time and time again during practice. Nevertheless, "he tried to sneak a peek (at Mitchell)," McBride said. And the mistake was costly. Six points, a 43-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Smith.

"I was mad about that," said Croel, who has sprinter's speed in his outside linebacker's body. Had he played the pass properly, there's no way Smith Utah outmanned. But there will come a time when that wont be the case. It might be next week, when Nebraska plays at Minnesota. Or it might not be until the Cornhuskers get into conference play.

"We're going to have to improve an awful lot to win the Big Eight. Defensively, we've still got a long ways to go," said McBride. Saturday convinced him of that Nebraska's tackling was "pathetic," McBride said. "That probably disturbs me the most They were ducking their heads, closing their eyes, not driving their feet (on contact) Little things, technique things, things that can get a good team beat And Nebraska is a good team, even though its first two victories havent been especially impressive. werent there yet, not even close." McBride didnt expect a shutout, not with Mitchell at quarterback.

"I was looking at (giving up) 17 to 21; points if we played well," he said. The defense lost concentration at tba end, according to McBride. "I was really disappointed." McBride wasn't disappointed in Croel, who intercepted a Mitchell pass and returned it six yards for 9 touchdown -early in the second quarter. "I was making up for that touchdow (to Smith)," said Croel, who broke up two other passes and was credited with four tackles, three unassisted. Receivers will catch passes against I CroeL That's to be expected.

But after -what happened Saturday, "they probably won't score again," McBride said. Experience is the best teacher. athletic ability. Experience is often the most effective teaching device. "Maybe a guy wont believe you until it happens," said McBride.

"Then he sees what you're telling him in practice." That's how it was for Nebraska's young defense Saturday. Early on, in particular, the Cornhuskers made mistakes in technique, basic things, things on which they work every day in practice, lining up properly, turning the right way, watching the ball instead of the receiver and not glancing at the quarterback. Mistakes in technique usually go unnoticed, except by coaches. But "they can cost you," McBride said. And they can get you beat They didnt get Nebraska beat Saturday because the Cornhuskers had If the Cornhuskers are to repeat as Big Eight champions and make a run at the national championship, though, they'll have to, improve defensively.

"If it hadnt been for our offense, there's no question who would have won this game," said McBride. Given the number of young defenders and the fact that Utah's offense was at the opposite end of the continuum from Northern Illinois' a week ago, McBride didn't expect a flawless performance. The Cornhuskers had only a week to practice special pass defenses. To compensate, the defensive schemes were kept simple. But "we were still making mistakes at the end of the game.

We were lining up wrong," McBride said. "One time I looked out there and we didnt have a guy covered. Mentally, we would have reached the end zone. "Mike would have run the guy said. "I took a little look back, and that slowed me down," said CroeL The play, which gave Utah a shortlived, 13-7 lead late in the first quarter of Nebraska's 42-30 victory at Memoriar Stadium Saturday afternoon, illustrates at least two points: Technique can be as important as Notre Dame rides Rocket' Hi KKT A on returns to beat Michigan ANN ARBOR, Mich.

(AP) Notre Dame launched a rocket now," Schembechler said. "That may or may not be true at the end of the year." As they did in last year's 19-17 victory, the Fighting Irish shut down Michigan's vaunted running attack, which features a trio of talented backs and an offensive line that averages 293 pounds per man The Wolverines gained only 94 yards on 34 rushes, a sickly 2.7 yards a carry. "I thought our defense played very well," Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said. "We didn't do anything special It was just a hard-earned victory." Notre Dame led 7-6 at halftime. Result Thlsweek- 1 Notre Dame (2-Q) del Michigan 24-1 9 Michigan State 2.

Michigan (0-1 lost to Notre Dame 24-1 9 at UCLA 3. Miami, Fla. (2-Q) def. California 31-3 at Missouri 4. Nebraska (2-Q) def.

Utah 42-30 at Minnesota 5. Auburn (2-Q) def. So. Mississippi 24-3 idle 6. Oklahoma (2-1 lost to Arizona 6-3 idle 7.

Clemson (3-0) def. Virginia Tech 27-7 Maryland 8. Colorado (3-0) def Illinois 38-7 idle 9. Arkansas (2-0) def. Tulsa 26-7 at Mississippi 1 0.

Illinois (1 -1 lost to Colorado 38-7 Utah State 1 1 Syracuse (2-0) def. Army 10-7 at Pittsburgh 1 2. West Virginia (2-0) det S. Carolina 45-21 at Louisville 1 3. Southern Cal (1 -1 def.

Utah State 66-1 0 Ohio State 1 4. Pittsburgh (2-0) was idle Syracuse 1 5. Washington (2-0) def. Purdue 38-9 at Arizona 1 6. Alabama (1-0) def.

Memphis St. 35-7 Kentucky 1 7. Tennessee (3-0) def. Duke 28-6 idle 1 8. Houston (1-0) was idle at Arizona St.

1 9. North Carolina St. (3-0) def. Wake Forest 27-1 7 North Carolina 20. UCLA (1 -1 def San Diego State 28-26 Michigan 21 LSU (0-2) lost to Florida Slate 31-21 idle 22.

Texas (2-1) def. TCU44-7 idle 23. Washington St. (3-0) def. Oregon St.

41-3 at Wyoming 24 Iowa (0-1 lost to Oregon 44-6 at Iowa State 25. Mississippi St. (2-0) was idle at Georgia that destroyed Michigan on Saturday. Raghib Ismail, nicknamed "Rocket" because of his blazing speed, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the second half as the top-ranked Fighting Irish beat No. 2 Michigan 24-19.

Ismail, the nation's leading kick returner last season, ran back the opening kickof of the second half 88 yards and added a 92-yard return with 12:46 left to give Notre Dame its third straight win over the Wolverines the first time any school has done that in Bo Schembechler's 21 seasons as Michigan coach. "He's faster than the speed of sound," Schembechler said. "He may be the best I've ever seen. We couldn't tackle him." The two runs were shocking considering that no one had returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Michigan in 32 years. Ron Engel of Minnesota, who had a 95-yarder Oct 26, 1957, was the last "If I make one person miss, we usually do pretty good," Ismail, a 175-pound sophomore flanker, said.

It was the 25th meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams since The Associated Press started its poll in 1936, The top-ranked team has won 16 times and tied twice. Notre Dame's victory on a gloomy, rainy day extended its winning streak to 14, the nation's longest, and snapped Michigan's 10-game unbeaten string. It was Michigan's season opener and the second game for Notre Dame, which beat Virginia 36-13 in the Kickoff Classic Aug.

31. "Notre Dame is a better football team than Michigan right Young bowler honored Page 5D Colorado romps Page 2D Winningest high school football coaches Page8D Arizona field goal beats OU TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Doug Pfaff kicked a 40-yard field goal with two seconds remaining Saturday night as unranked Arizona shocked sixth-ranked Oklahoma 6-3 in a game marked by rugged defense and missed opportunities Arizona (2-1), started from its 41 and drove 37 yards on 12 plays after forcing the Sooners (2-1) to punt from their 11. The Wildcats recovered three Oklahoma fumbles, the first of which set up Pfaff first field goal, a 24-yarder with 48 seconds before halftime for a 34 lead at intermission. The Sooners, tied it at 3-3 at 8:27 of the third quarter on R.D.

Lashar's 42-yard field goal. Maddux's bad day helps relaxed Pirates end Cub streak John Smiley got the victory despite allowing seven hits and four runs in five innings before three relievers finished. The division-leading Cubs were trying to match their longest winning streak of the season and go 22 games over .500 for the first time this season. Cubs Manager Don Zimmer said the tone for the game was set in Pittsburgh's three-run first when starter Greg Maddux's two-base throwing error on Jay Bell's bunt led to Reynolds' two-run homer. Maddux allowed nine hits and Ave runs in 4 innings.

"That's why you practice fielding bunts on the first day of spring training, because you see so many of them fouled up," Zimmer said. "It was a bad day for him (Maddux) all the way around." The Pirates, who have won just seven of their last 20 games against Chicago, beat the Cubs in Three Rivers Stadium for only the second time in eight games. Expos 10, Metsl The Mets blew their first chance In more than a week to gain ground on Chicago, losing to the Expos at Montreal as Spike Owen equaled his career high with four RBI and Pascual Perez scattered four hits over eight innings. The Mets remained 5 games behind the -'W Cubs. The Expos, who snapped a five-game losing streak and trail the Cubs by seven games, tagged Sid Fernandez for seven runs in 2 innings, starting with four in the first Astros 3, Reds 1 At Houston, Jim Deshaies pitched a three-hitter tor a career-high 13th victory.

Deshaies, 13-9, pitched his fifth complete game of the seaEon, retiring 15 consecutive batters before issuing his only walk to Eric Davis with two out In the ninth inning. El By Associated Press The Chicago Cubs' magic number for winning the' National League East is 1L The Pittsburgh Pirates' magic number is 1990. Gary Redus hit a three-run homer, and Mike LaValliere and Jose Und had consecutive run-scoring doubles Saturday to give Pittsburgh the lead in the fourth inning as the Pirates beat Chicago 8-6 at Pittsburgh to end the Cubs' six-game winning streak Redus, whose three-run shot in the seventh made it 84, and R.J. Reynolds combined for two homers, four runs and five RBI as the Pirates continued to play spoiler in the NL East The Pill rates, who were mathematically eliminated Friday night, have won six of their last seven games, against the Cubs, New York and St Louis. "They're in a pennant race, they're nervous and intense with every at-bat" Redus said of the contenders.

"We're relaxed and having fun, still trying to get on a roll for next year." The Pirates used a similar late-season surge in 1987 to build some momentum for a second-place finish last year, but Redus said winning in September would be "a lot more fun if we were in the race. You see a lot of things happening right now and you wonder why they didnt happen earlier." -tm. Mi. nt.inni on..