The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 37

Lincoln Journal-Star SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1992 Practice-perfect Hmgkers poem 9Fokes nr "'v. i Scoring, team stats Oklahoma State 0 0 0 00 Nebraska 13 21 14 7 55 NU Washington 5 pass from Grant (Bennett kick) NU C. Jones 90 run (kick failed) NU Dixon 42 pass from Frazier (Bennett kick) NU Grant 1 5 run (Bennett kick) NU Bet 14 pass from Grant (Bennett kick) NU C. Jones 4fl run (Bennett kick) NU Armstrong 6 pass from Frazier' (Sieierklck) NU McMillan 1 1 run (Staler kick) i 1 1 4iMUiHSL. J' 1 1 "is jW 8 OSU NU 7 21 56-155 51-366 0 140 155 506 0 45 0-3-0 12-22-0 2-2 1-0 3-20 3-15 31:12 28:48 3-16 7-15 1-1 2-4 First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Total yards Return yards Passing Punts Fumbtes-tost Penalties-yards Time of possession Third-down conversions Fourth-down conversions By Ken Hambleton Uncoki Journal-Star When practice makes perfect, everybody smiles.

"We were all smiles after the shutout," Nebraska defensive tackle John Parrella said after No. 14-ranked Nebraska slammed Oklahoma State 554 Saturday afternoon in Memorial "There was a lot to smile about," said NU quarterback Mike Grant, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for one in the Big Eight Conference football opener before the 76,116 fans in the stadium's 186th consecutive sellout crowd. Even backup NU quarterback Tommie Frazier said he smiled after hitting the first of two touchdown' passes. "I smiled," he said. "But you try to not let it go to your head when things go right like that" Nothing went to Nebraska's head, but Oklahoma State was knocked dizzy in its worst loss of a series that dates back to 1960.

NU hasn't lost to OSU in 30 games. Nebraska's defense allowed the Cowboys to cross midfield just once. The No. 14-ranked Comhuskers scored on three plays longer than 40 yards, tallied on two long drives and recovered their only fumble of the game. "We felt like we had a lot to do, and did it, in the last two weeks of practice," Grant said.

"We wanted to improve our execution on offense, and the defense wanted to play a full four quarters." What Nebraska wanted, Nebraska got. JiJ J- .1, I Color picture page. Page ioe. The defense, stinging from what NU Coach Tom Osborne said was an embarrassing finish against Arizona State two weeks ago, shackled the Cowboys' limited offense. Nebraska's offense scored at will, through the air, on two long runs by Calvin Jones and on two long, deliberate drives.

Nebraska's kicking game was highlighted by Mike Stigge's school-record 87-yard punt. SeeNUonpage4E TED KnKUNCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska l-back Calvin Jones (44) eludes Oklahoma State defensive back Todd Fisher during a 90-yard touchdown run in the first auarter The point-after attempt failed, leaving the Comhuskers ahead 13-0. Jones carried seven times for 176 yards and two TDs. all appearances, Oklahoma St. was looking ahead Nebraska played an Oklahoma State to run out the clock.

The seconds didn't tick Nebraska had a week off to rjreoare for Mike Babcock Columnist AW football team that was looking ahead Saturday afternoon, you could say. It appeared the Cowboys' game plan was to survive, to leave Memorial Stadium as healthy as possible in anticipation of their next two games, against Missouri and Iowa State at Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State should have a chance of winning at least one of those games, which, realistically, wasn't the case on Saturday. That probably explains why the Cowboys -didn't make much of an effort. They didn't seem too, anyway.

They attempted only three passes in 59 offensive plays, all of which were incomplete. "We spent a lot of time (in practice) on piay-action passes," Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said. "It was alitor naught." i''; From its first offensive series on, Oklahoma State looked as it it was attempting off quickly enough, though. Nebraska scored 55 points. That despite the fact the game lasted less than three hours, which might be a record in this era of radio-television timeouts.

Oklahoma State not only didn't play well, it wasn't lucky. One of its punts, into a gusty northwest wind that freed a Gas 'N Shop blimp from its tether and sent it sailing south, netted a minus 4 yards. Scott Tyner, the punter, chased after the ball out-of-bounds and tossed it in frustration at Nebraska's Barron Miles. The punt "felt pretty good," Tyner said. It was that kind of afternoon for Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys weren't at full strength. Coach Pat Jones suspended three players for disciplinary reasons their top two receivers and No. 2 quarterback and Rafael Denson, their No. 1 tailback, made the trip to Lincoln shutout And just about every Nebraska player who suited up got in the game. Less than 10 minutes into the game, after Calvin Jones ran 90 yards for a touchdown to give Nebraska a 13-0 lead, it was appeared Osborne's greatest concerns would be keeping his players healthy and not having a recruited walk-on who is receiving "countable" need- based aid get in at the end, thereby violating the NCAA rule on scholarship limits.

After the Comhuskers defeated NCAA Division I-AA Middle Tennessee State 48-7 i earlier this season at Memorial Stadium, Osborne said the Blue Raiders weren't the worst team Nebraska would play. The Oklahoma State team that the Comhuskers played Saturday might have been. But remember, the Cowboys were looking ahead. They're capable of defeating Missouri and Iowa State, at full-strength. As for Nebraska, there was simply no way.

Oklahoma State, and now, the Comhuskers will have another week off before they play at Missouri and get back to some semblance of a normal, weekly schedule. Orginally, Nebraska was scheduled to play Kansas State at Manhattan, KarL, this Saturday. But that game was moved to Dec. 5 at Tokyo. "It's difficult to have two open dates this close together," Osborne said.

"If we had it to do over, we'd probably call that (the Japan trip) off and play it. It'd be nice to play next week." Three weeks from now, Nebraska plays Colorado in what figures to be the showdown for the Big Eight championship, which those teams shared last season. Games like the one on Saturday provide little evidence of how prepared the Comhuskers will be for Colorado. Still, Nebraska won. The defense got a but didn't play because of a sore neck.

Denson wouldn't have made the difference between winning or losing against Nebraska, anyway. The other three wouldn't have, either. Holding out Denson and suspending the three players proved to be good coaching decisions on the part of Jones. "Pat's a knowledgeable coach," Comhusker Coach Tom Osborne said. "He did what he had to do for his team." COLOR lue Jays one up raves one away; Smoltz OK vs.

Pirates; team up 3-1 Ml 4 A V'-W Longhorii QB stays perfect vs. Oklahoma DALLAS (AP) The Peter Gar, dere hex held for a fourth straight year Saturday. Gardere threw two touchdown passes and became the first quarterback in the 87-year history of the Texas-Oklahoma series to win four football games, directing the Long-horns to a 34-24 upset of the 16th-ranked Sooners. He also surpassed Bobby Layne's series record of 240 yards passing as the Longnorns improved to 3-2. 'I "It was just a great feeling to go 4-0 against Oklahoma," Gardere said.

"I heard our fans yelling 'Four More Years' as I left the field, and I heard the Oklahoma fans yelling 'Graduate, Gardere hit 18 of 32 passes for 274 yards, and Phil Brown scored on touchdown runs of 13 and 3 yards. a Miami holds on. Page 3E. Tennessee upset. Page 3E.

Kansas routs KSU. Page 5E. Wcsloyan comes back, boats Dana Page 5E Timing may suit Eagles or Chiefs Page7E Plcascnt Tap i.fJ bCVi Pag8 7E Hannan's 300 first by a Lincoln woman Page 8E PITTSBURGH (AP) Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz had a bad back, but there was nothing wrong with his right arm, his bat or his legs. Once again, nothing's going right for Pittsburgh in the National League playoffs. Smoltz, pitching with an aching back, became the first NL pitcher to win his first four playoffs starts, and his bat played almost as big a role Saturday night in the Braves' 6-4 victory over Pittsburgh in Game 4 of the National League playoffs.

Still no offense from Barry Bonds, and, this time, no defense either for the Pirates. Their defense let them down at just wrong time, so the Atlanta Braves are one victory away from being right back in the World Series. The Braves can wrap up the series in Pittsburgh for the second vpar in ASSOCIATED PRESS Toronto's Dave Winfield (bottom) knocks the ball loose from Oakland shortstop Walt Weiss with a hard slide in the second inning. Winfield eventually scored the game's first run on Candy Maldonado's single. It's no 'Home Sweet Home9 for A's Playoff schedule Blevins rallies Rockhurst in battle of prep powers (Bft-of-wvn) American League Oakland vs.

Toronto (Btu Jay lead Mrtet 2-1) Saturday's rawH Toronto 7, Oakland 5 Sunday! gam Toronto (Momt 0-0) at Oakland (Wetoh 0-0), 3:10 p.m. Mondaya gams Toronto (Cone 1-0) at Oakland (Stewart 0-0), 2:07 p.m. Wednesday's gam x-Oakland at Toronto. 2:07 p.m. or 7:26 p.m.

Thursday's gam x-Oakland at Toronto. 7:37 p.m. National League Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta (Braves lead series 3-1) Saturday's result Atlanta 6. Pittsburgh 4 Sunday's game Atlanta (Avery 1-0) at Pittsburgh (Walk 0-0), 7:37 p.m.

Tuesday's game x-Plttsburgh at Atlanta. 7 37 m. Wednesday's game -Pittsburgh at Atlanta. 7:26 p.m. i-H necessary a row today behind Steve Avery, 3-0 in playoff starts against the Pirates.

"I like our chances and I like my chances of not pitching again, not with Steve Avery and Tom Glavine ready," Smoltz said. "I like where we're at." Yeah, one game from the Worid Series. Only two teams San Francisco in 1989 and Cincinnati in 1990 have taken 3-1 leads since the NL playoffs went to a best-of-seven format in 1985, and both won their series. The Giants ousted the Chicago Cubs in five games, and the Reds beat Pittsburgh in six. Only two AL teams, Kansas City in 1985 and Boston in 1986, have rallied from 3-1 down.

"I dont know what the statistics are, but this was a big win for us and huge loss for them," Smoltz said. The Pirates beat themselves in this SeeNLonpage2E Atlanta's Sanders plans double duty. Page 2E. Winfield, Maldonado chase postseason ghOStS. Page 2E.

Red Sox are shopping Clemens. Page 2E. Final 1992 major league Statistics. Page 2E. OAKLAND, Calif.

(AP) A different field gave the American League playoffs a different feel Saturday a sloppy one. Balls bounced all over the Coliseum, and the bullpens took turns blowing it. There were errors everywhere: in the field, on the bases and by the coaches. Somehow, Toronto hung on. In a game both teams seemed afraid to win, the Blue Jays beat Oakland 7-5 to take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

The whole thing took 3 hours, 40 minutes, making it the longest AL playoff game in history. There was a good reason: A beautiful day in the park turned into one big mess as each club spent the afternoon kicking it, missing it and chasing it "It was a straggle out there," Toronto Manager Cito Gaston said. "Normally, a club like Oakland doesnt make those errors, but some days are like that" After two tight textbook games indoors at Sky Dome that included only one error, the bright sun and green grass in California seemed to be too much of a change of scenery for the teams. A crowd of 46,911 was not a sellout maybe because it was too nice a day. The fans in attendance saw the A's commit three errors and throw three wild pitches.

"I haven't seen a game like this since I've been here," said Oakland High school sports cuts make little sense. Page 6E. North Platte football team edges Northeast. Page 6E. Papillion-La Vista wins volleyball title.

Page 6E. East boys sweep in LPS tennis. Page 6E. ing plays to rally Rockhurst in the fourth quarter. Blevins stepped in front of a pass intended for Ty Goode to set up Rockhurst's go-ahead touchdown.

On the Hawklets' next possession, Blevins leaped high in the air between two Southeast defenders to catch a 30-yard pass on a third-and-14 play. Four plays later, Southeast's Giff Anderson recovered yet another Rockhurst fumble and the Knights took over with 5:04 left in the game. Mike Hassler made a diving grab of a By Ryly Jane Hambleton Lincoln Journal-Star TWhen Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst and Lincoln Southeast collided Saturday, outstanding defense and big plays were the result Rockhurst, which was ranked No. 9 in the National Prep Poll on ESPN, overcame four first-half fumbles and a blocked punt to earn a 21-17 victory against Southeast before a crowd of 7,408 at Seacrest Field. The Knights were rated No.

23 in that poll and both were also ranked in USA Today Rockhurst No. 14 and Southeast No. 24. "Southeast is a great defensive team and every bit as good as anybody, on our schedule," said Rockhurst Coach Tony Severino, whose team is 6-0. 1 know we play good defense and it showed.

Tony Blevins made some great plays, but' we expect our big-time players to make big-time plays Blevins, a senior tailback and defensive back, didn't disappoint The 6-foot-L 171-pounder who is being recruited by several NCAA Division I schools, turned in three game-break- El reliever Kelly Downs, who gave up two unearned runs. Toronto was charged with only one error, although more were possible. "Sometimes, you make mistakes and get away with them," Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire said. Today, we didn't" McGwire was involved in two key plays that could have turned the game in Oakland's favor. Instead, they went Toronto's way.

In the fourth inning, third base coach Rene Lachemann made an ill-advised move to have McGwire tag up at third base with the score 2-2. McGwire was thrown out easily, although he made it interesting by barreling into catcher Pat Borders. "I just listened to him, and he said to get going, so I left" McGwire said. "There was nothing left for me to do but to crash into him because I was a i no dead duck." In the seventh, McGwire dived for Manuel Lee's two-out grounder down the first-base line. The ball skipped past McGwire's glove for a two-run triple that put Toronto ahead 5-2.

"I look at what you put into the game," Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said. "I didn't feel that any of our guys didn't put their best into it" Roberto Alomar and Candy Maldonado hit early home runs that put Toronto ahead and pinned the loss on Ron Darling. Juan Guzman wound up with the win, and Tom Henke gained his second save of the series. The Blue Jays broke Oakland's six---game home playoff winning Toronto will try to take a bigger; edge today when Game 1 loser Jacki Morris faces Bob Welch. See LSE on page 6E.