Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 55

Ir Soorts SECTION, Nov. 5, 1978 Lincoln, Neb. NU in a waltz, hut next dance have faster beat may NU KU First Downs 35 22 Rushes-vards 64516 3870 Passing yards 283 262 Return yards 290 37 Passes 10-11-022-49-3 Punts Fumbles-lost 73 10 Penalties-yards 7-72 549 LAWRENCE, Kan. Nebraska and Oklahoma set the stage for an Orange Bowl showdown after the Huskers smothered Kansas, 63-21, here Saturday, while OU was breaking a 7-7 halftime deadlock with Colorado in Boulder to claim a 28-7 victory. Regardless of what the two teams do in the final games of the season, the winner of next Saturday's shootout in Lincoln will earn at least a tie for the Big Eight championship and the Orange Bowl bid.

"We're glad Oklahoma won its game," Cornhusker Coach Tom Osborne observed after his club's lopsided victory. "I hope Colorado pressed them enough as indicatd by the halftime score so that they (OU) had to use their regulars for the full 60 minutes. That might work in our favor next week." Osborne almost used one of his regulars quarterback Tom Sorley four plays too long. Despite a bulging 42-7 halftime lead, Osborne started his rep-lars at the outset of the second half. "We debated about returning with the first team," Osborne admitted, "but we didn't want to announce to Kansas that we were pulling off, let them gain the momentum and then later have to put the first team back in.

We were going to go with the first offense and first defense for One series each at the start of the second half in the hopes we could establish the momentum, then use the reserves the rest of the way." But, on the fourth play of the third quarter, Sorley went down with a knee strain and hobbled to the sidelines. "I think he'll be okay to play next week," Osborne said hopefully. "I sure hope so." "I heard the knee pop," Sorley recalled. "It was the same thing that happened to me in the California game. I'll probably have to rest it a day or two, but I'll be ready for Oklahoma." Saturday's contest and that word is used loosely was another in a string of tm -i' "yMKMf -v.

1 1) (f 'YsVsj: SSty 1- i A 1 a I ff lb--, in i rr hr" rm iiwhiumimi in inirinmi irrn 'I MirMiri-iiniri inrirnriiini mi Westside grad, who is listed as third 192 yards rushing and a 78-yard pass to a 63-21 victory over the Jayhawks. With the Oklahoma game only a week away, it must have thrilled the Nebraska coaches and fans alike to see sophomore I-back Craig Johnson (30) turn in a superb performance against Kansas on Saturday. The Omaha Virgil Parker Husker-Jayhawk mismatches. It marked the 10th straight Nebraska win over Kansas. In the previous seven games, Nebraska outscored Kansas, 317 to 39.

The Huskers upped the average this time with a record setting performance. Despite refraining from throwing a pass in the fourth quarter and using a lot of wingback reverses and quarterback sneaks in an attempt to hold down the score while resting a battered corps of I-backs, Nebraska piled up 799 yards in total offense. That was the most yards gained by any team in nation this falL It shattered the Nebraska record of 655 yards set against Hawaii in 1976. The Huskers alo piled up 35 first downs, which tied a school record set in 1911 against Kansas State. Kansas is going to have to rewrite its record book too.

The negative Jayhawk records were: Total offense. Old mark, 665 by Missouri way back in 1949. Most points ever scored against KU by Nebraska. It was not the biggest spread in the series, however, as Nebraska registered a pair of 56-0 wins, one by the count of 55-0 and last year's 52-7 in a span of the last seven years. I-backs Richard Berns (44 yards rushing) and I.M.

Hipp (46 yards on the ground) both passed Bobby Reynolds on the all-time Nebraska career rushing list Tony Davis still leads with Jeff Kinney is second at 2,420, while Monte Anthony finished with 2,274. Berns is now fourth at 2,237, Hipp is fifth at 2,199 (with a full season remaining), while Reynolds is sixth at 2,196. Craig Johnson, the sophomore I-back from Omaha Westside, led everyone with 192 yards on the ground and 78 more on a single pass reception while scoring three NEBRASKA: Continued page 10E The playoff berth was cemented the following week at home against Hastings, but again Grand Island drew a Lincoln team, Lincoln Southeast in the opener. The Lincoln jinx is but a memory now, thanks to the amazing feat of defeating Northeast, Southeast and Northeast, all on foreign turf Lincoln's Seacrest Field. There were obvious things Grand Island had going for it Saturday night, like the foot and arm of kickerquarterback Steve Murry in scoring 13 of GI's 19 points on his first two field goals of the year and an eight-yard quarterback sneak he audibled at the line early in the fourth quarter to move the Islanders to their commanding 19-6 lead.

Or the sound defense that allowed Northeast just 128 yards rushing and 55 passing, and kept Northeast's breakaway threats from breaking away for anything longer than nine yards. They also had the fact that no one figured they would win, and a second good-luck cake presented them by Grand Island Central Catholic. The first was cut into pieces and consumed after defeating two-time defending state champion Lincoln Southeast in the first round, 8-7. "If Central Catholic stays with us, well win it aU," a jubilant Fischer said shortly before the second cake was consumed "Everybody should keep picking those other teams, too. That sure doesn't Fischer would be the first to admit that the other teams should have been picked after Grand Island had played against Norfolk.

But not anymore. The same goes for Murry. "When we were sophomores, everyone said we'd be good when we were seniors," Murry said "Then, when we lost to Norfolk, they all said we didnt have a NORTH EAST Continued pose 12E Pius in final with no frills win Northeast ousted by Grand Island that's plainly and simply what they ran down the Bison's throat. "We talked to the kids at halftime and picked out four or five plays we felt we could run on them," Aldrich said. "We talked quite a while to make sure they all had their assignments down right.

We came out and that's what we ran." And ran them well. The Bolts scored the first three times they touched the ball the second half. Taking the kickoff to start things, Pius marched 81 yards on runs of 15 by Steve Morin, 40 by Tim Brusnahan, 15 by Morin, nine by Marty Coniglio and a trio of up the middle efforts which netted only inches before Coniglio punched in the tieing touchdown. Less than three minutes had clicked off the clock. PIUS Continued page 12E How AP's 1.

Oklohomo (9-0) def. Colorado, 28-7 2. Penn Stale (9-01 def. Maryland, 27-3 3. Alabama (8-1 def.

Miss. 35-14 a. Nebraska (8-1 def. Kansas, 63-21 5. Maryland (8-1 lost to Penn State, 27-3 6.

USC (7-1) def. Stanford, 13-7 7. 'Texas (6-1) Idle 8. Michigan (7-1 def. Iowa, 34-0 9.

UCLA (7-1) def. Oregon, 23-21 10. Houston (7-1) def. TCU, 63-6 11. Navy (7-1) lost to Notre Dame, 27-7 12.

LSU (5-1) def. Mississippi, 30-8 13. Georgia (7-1) def. VMI, 41-3 14. Purdue (7-1) def.

Northwestern, 31-0 15. Notre Dome (6-2) def. Navy, 27-7 16. Clemson (7-1 def. Wake Forest, 51-6 17.

Arkansas (5-2) def. Rice, 37-7 18. Michigan State (5-3) def. Illinois, 59-19 19. Pitt (6-2) def.

Syracuse, 18-17 20. Washington (5-3) def. Arizona, 31-21 Saturday's semifinal scores Class A Grand Island 19, Northeast 6 Creighton Prep 21, 0. Gross 3 Class O'Neill 12, McCook 7 L. Pius 28, Central City 14 Class C-l Pierce 31, Fremont Bergan 21 Bayard 25, Norfolk Catholic 12 Class C-2 Anslev 14, E.Butler 0 Class Cambridge 35, Spencer 0 Walthill 20, Dorchester 0 Eight-Man Beemer48, Greeley 20 Dowson-Verdon 34, Bladen 14 By Chuck Sinclair Prep Sports Editor If there's no place like home, you probably couldn't have convinced Grand Is-land football Coach Kenny Fischer of' that Saturday night as his Islanders eliminated Lincoln Northeast from the state football playoffs with a 19-6 decision at Lincoln's Seacrest Field On the other hand, as Grand Island advances to the Class A final against Omaha Creighton Prep Friday night in Grand Island, there may be some dispute over the Islander's real home football field.

Fischer spent more football game-time this season on the sidelines of Seacrest Field than he did back in Grand Island. The Islanders played five games at Seacrest this year, three in the regular season, and two in the playoffs, while hosting just four at "home" during the regular season. Four short weeks ago, everyone in Grand Island was wondering what had happened to the Islander football program. Now, everyone in Lincoln is wondering what happened to the Islander football program. Besides ending Lincoln's reign of three years on the Class A crown, the Islanders put a lid on the frustrations Grand Island has had in the past three years, losing each time to a Lincoln team in the first round.

Four weeks ago, after a loss to Norfolk, Grand Island desperately needed a win against the same Lincoln Northeast team to cling to any kind of hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. With its back against the wall the first time, following that disappointing loss to Norfolk that had Islander fans scratching their heads. Grand Island defeated Northeast 19-14. STAFF PHOTO BY HARALD DREIMANIS string, scored three touchdowns, had reception in leading the Cornhuskers top 20 fared Next week's opponent at Nebraska N. C.

State LSU Oklahoma at Virginia Washington Houston at Northwestern at Oregon St. at Texas at Syracuse at Alabama at Florida ot Wisconsin Tennessee North Carolina at Baylor Minnesota Virginia at USC Friday's playoff final pairings 0. Creighton PrepaVcand Island Class O'Neill at Lincoln PiusX Class C-l Pierce at Bayard Class C-2 Grant at Ansley Class Walthill at Cambridge Eight-Man Beemer at Dawson-Verdon Sports Scene Hockey North Start vs. Sabres, 6 p.m., (D Football Redskins vs. Colts, 8 p.m., CD Maverick football, 11:15 p.m., College Football 78, 1 1 :45 p.m., Tuesday Football NU highlights, 7 p.m., Sooners ers had the most destructive forces in the end to score a 28-7 triumph over the Buffs.

A record crowd of 53,553 hoped against hope for a bigger thrill than finding Santa Claus in Miracle on 33rd Street. They should never have allowed themselves such a euphoric attitude. While Oklahoma should have gone into the dressing room at halftime trailing 21-7 or, at the very best, 13-7, the Sooners were so confident, they elected to kick off in the second half. "We knew they weren't going to move the ball on us," OU Coach Barry Switzer said. "They proved that the first half.

So we thought the best strategy was field position. The first half was embarrassing. We knew if we had executed in the first half, it would have been a typical day." Unfortunately for Colorado, it was all a matter of time, TV By Tom Vint Staff Sports Writer Just like the famous jeans commercial. The Class match up between No. 1 rated Lincoln Pius and No.

4 Central City was to be a look alike contest. Both teams run similar offenses and defense. Both have compiled similar averages offensively and defensively and both were unbeaten. But Pius showed that the no-frills, plain and simple way is best once again in ousting Central City from the state Class football playoffs, 28-14, at Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday night. Plain and simple is the way Pius veteran Coach Vince Aldrich likes it.

After trailing 14-6 at halftime, he told his Thunderbolts to knuckle down and run just four rushing plays the second half. And J- Pius X's Dan Eissell (11) gets ready to over Central City it but not for long Football Notre Dame vs. Navy, 8 a.m., fj NFL 78, 11:30 p.m., Lions vs. Vikings, noon, CD Seahawkt vs. Bears, noon, Broncos vs.

Jets, 3 p.m., (53 CollMM ElUlHlflll It (Tl Dolphins vs. Cowboys, 3 p.m., CD Tom osbornt Snow, 10:30 p.m., Bowling Leisure Lanes, noon, CU stops Okla 16 61-382 20 Colo 14 59-125 104 37 10-26-3 8-48 1-0 2-20 First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards Passes Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards 102 1- 2-1 5-45 8-5 9-55 By Randy York Staff Sports Writer BOULDER, Colo. The earth shook and the Rockies trembled for awhile on an Indian summer afternoon here Saturday and surprisingly, it wasn't just because No. 1-ranked Oklahoma was inside Folsom Field Colorado also registered on the seismograph, checking the nation's leading offensive team to 78 total yards and a 7-7 halftime standoff. But Oklahoma is still Oklahoma and evf though it wasn't beautiful, the Soon The Sooners may not have unleashed their typical thundering explosion of home run balls.

But they hit the ones out of the park they needed to hit to set up the annual Big Eight Conference shootout with Nebraska in Lincoln Saturday. "Maybe Nebraska ought to be favored the way they played today and the way we played today," Switzer said with a grin. Switzer was referring to two golden Buffalo opportunities which fizzled in the final three minutes of the first half. Thomas Lott, who played more like Thomas Not against the Buffs (an uncharacteristic minus 20 yards rushing on 13 carries), watched his first pass of the afternoon become a wobbly interception. Ronnie Cullins' theft and 23-yard return gave CU a first down on the OU 13 with 2:46 remaining.

But Sooner linebacker George Cumby and defensive left end Greg Sellmyer combined to tackle Colorado's James Mayberry on a fourth and two situation at the OU 5. Disaster struck Lott again with 1:13 remaining. He pitched high to halfback Jimmy Rogers and Steve Doolittle recovered for the Buffs on the OU 9. OKLAHOMA: Continued poge7E Oklahoma 7 1 14 728 Colorado 0 7 107 Okla Lott 1 run (von Schamann kick) Colo Movberry 4 run (Dodlotls kick) Okla Sims 59 run (von Schamann kick) Oklo Valora 20 pass from Lott (von Schamann kick) Oklo-Klng 74 run (von Schamann kick) INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RUSHINO-Oklohoma Sims 27-221, King 16-157, Overstreet 3-14. Colorado, May-berry 19-50, Ford 6-3a Hornbtrgw 5-21.

PASSINO-Oklahoma Lott 1-2-1-20. Colorado, Solomon 10-25-2-104, Davis 0-1-1-0. RECEIVINO Oklahoma, Valora 1-20. Colorado, Mayberry 4-28, Pugh 2-15, Bat- i ICjil-29. 11 STAFF PHOTO BY TED KIRK throw a pass in the 'Bolts' 28-14 win.