Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 38

i it Nov. 12, 1978 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star Hie winning margin 1111 1 i 1 imt Al' I'm r''l iUNJ ,7, ''j "N-Frankiin 7 ''1 '-is :V4.M" inl --(1 M'r4 vx if: Kelly Saalfeld Franklin (39). (57), left pard Barney Cotton (54) and fullback Andra Berns led NU ball carriers with 113 yards on 25 attempts. I-back Rick Berns (35) did the running, but the Husker blockers cleared the way. Berns picks up yardage through a large hole opened by center Offensive line took game to Sooners It's an optical illusion.

Kelly Saalfeld's black, high-topped, football shoes just make him look slow. "I believe that's true. A lot of people have told me that," said the Nebraska center. Oklahoma's AU-American nose guard Reggie Kinlaw might have been inclined to tell confident," Cotton said. "Deep down in our hearts, we knew we could do the job today." That showed as the Huskers picked up three first downs in the closing seconds of the game to maintain possession of the ball and move it from their own three-yard line safely out of Sooner scoring range.

Husker confidence "But we knew if they had scored, we could have taken By Mike Babcock -Many experts predicted the kicking game would be the difference in Saturday's 'game. When Billy Todd (14) hit the goal post with a late first half field goal at-tempt, the idea travelled through the crowd that the miss, rather than a successful attempt, would be the difference. But the Arizona senior became the hero early in the final period with this 24-yard boot. Todd and holder Tom Sorley (12) eye the ball until it lands in the north end zone, directly through the center of the uprights. Saalfeld that Saturday afternoon, but "there was no talking had chips on their shoulders, Hunt reeling to the artificial wukuib wr sumeone iu iry ami KiiocK mem on.

"Our whole offensive line went into the game with the at- titude that thpv fthe Sonnprsi would have to show us they could ston us ud the middle: they hadn't showed us that," Saalfeld said. "They knew what was corn- ing, too," he said. "They lined up with two guys tight on my shoulders, and id we still came right at 'em." The Nebraska game plan be- came apparent on the opening snap of the game when the Huskers' left guard, Barney Cotton, bolted through the de- tensive line and sent OU's All- American linebacker Daryl luri. 'Here we come "We said all week we were Eoing to run right at them, and we did," Cotton said. "They hned up in a goal-line defense, a six-man front, all day, and we said, 'Here we come; we're going all the "I don't think they believed it, he said.

"In fact, I said to one of them, 'You guys don believe me, do Hunt must have gotten some inkling of the truth in Cotton's statement as he picked himself up off the cold, hard ground after that first play. "I figured we'd be physical," Cotton said. "And we came in at halftime and said if we keep yjf i between Keggie and me during the game," he said. Kinlaw also must have dis- rnvprpd that Saalfpld thmiph perhaps not on the 10 best dressed list in those black shoes, is no plodding hulk in the Husker offensive line, either. "My roommate told me he had seen an interview with Kinlaw on TV, and Kinlaw said he didn't think I was very good," Saalfeld said.

"I didn't see it, but it gave me a per sonal incentive." Personal incentives It must have seemed like all the Huskers had personal in- centives Saturday. They went after the Sooners like they all It was an emotional win for jiff the ball and scored again," Saalfeld said. "There was enough time left, and we could have done it, I think." Now, about those black high tops? Well, Saalfeld says he wears, them for a good reason. In the iowa aiaie game wis year, ne iosi a iow-cui ana cosi ine ieam an extra pomi Because oi the time he wasted getting it back on. "So I thought, why not wear.

black high-tops even if they do look dumb? I'm not trying to be different," Saalfeld said. Cotton, who plays beside' Saalfeld in the Nebraska offeij- sive line, got an insight into the potential problems with low- r.i.. i noon. "It almost made me the goat' of the game because we might have gotten a touchdown instead of taking the field goal," Cotton said. Lost a shoe 1, His reference was to a five-yard penalty the Huskers drew when he pulled out before the ball was snapped, three plays before Billy Todd's game-winning, 24-yard field goal Cotton lost a shoe and missed the huddle trying to get the shoe tied.

He Just might follow Saalfeld's lead at least they stay on. Fumble? Officials said no coming at 'em, they'll break open. "You could tell it in their eyes after those pile-ups in the middle of the line. The confi- dence just wasn't there. They were getting up slower as the game went along," he said.

Kelvin Clark, who plays tackle alongside Cotton, agreed Wore Sooners down "We just started wearing them down," he said. "They didn't want to get up some' times, and we even had a cou- pie of sweeps go for yardage there at the end." Nebraska's physical play was a good match for the Soon- ers' speed. order tor tne pucnes ana me passes 10 wore, we naa to go ai em iitsi, saaueia saia. "As far as a defensive line con- trolling us, it hasn't happened since the Alabama game. "We made mistakes, too, or I think we could have beat them by more than we but I'm just happy with the win," he said.

"This time, we were more gets a hug for his efforts. 1 Nl I Getting the extra yard, fullback Andra Franklin (39) dives over the Huskers' right side for a 5-yard gain in the second quarter. Sooner George Cumby (28) made the initial hit with free safety Darrol Ray (3) ready to stop any further progress. the Huskers and their fans. Defensive end Derrie Nelson (92) "5- TamM Ik VT1 N-Ruud Sooner freshman Kelly Phelps (7) found out how -hard Nebraska football players can hit when he re- turned a fourth-quarter kickoff.

The spirited Husk- ers, who had just taken a 17-14 lead with a Billy Todd -field goal, stopped Phelps cold at the 19. John Ruud (4S) made the hit which i sent Phelps to the ground and the ball into the air. Ruud starts his chase to the ball with heh; fromf Brent WBllams (6C) and de-fensive player of the game" -Jim Plllen (29). Much to the sellout crowd's disap- provaL the ball was ruled dead when Phetas was hit disallowing the Huskers' recovery. 1.