Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 30

6DC3HUSE(En HIGHLIGHTS $FFTFMBER 30, 13M SUNDAY JCTWNAL-STAfj PU players It was a costly breakdown and a costly loss. "It's a letdown. But we've got to go after the Big Eight now," Clark said. Toughest loss have confidence, the harder it is to beat 'em," Weber said. "Nebraska wins when the offense rolls up and down the field.

But they just couldnt get untracked and we weren't able to stop 'em cold in the second half." v. One of the biggest plays was a 40-yard touchdown pass from Syracuse quarterback Todd NorleytoMikeSiano. "They ran a split post and we had double coverage on the wide receiver," explained NU safety Bret Clark. "I had it in view. Dennis Watkuis did, too," Clark said.

"I had it all the way. I just didn't put my hands up right for it" "It was my man," Watklns said. "I stayed with the guy. But when I saw Bret go up, I kind of stood and waited for a tip or deflection. Unfortunately, for both of us, the guy made a great reception." "He just went up between us and got it," Clark said.

any heads down," offered cornerback Dave Burke. "He told us the real test is how we go from here," Burke said. "It's not so bad to lose. The important thing is whether you get better or worse after you lose." And the Huskers, to a man, intend to get bet-. ter.

Tm sure well respond after losing to Syracuse just like they responded after losing to Rutgers," said NU fullback Tom Rathman. "They just outhit us and outplayed us totally. That was the bottom line," Rathman said. "They were pumped up. They were ready.

And we're going to be just as ready for Oklahoma State." Smith prepared Jeff Smith said hell be ready for Oklahoma State, even though he helped push the red light for Syracuse himself. By Randy York Assistant Sports Editor SYRACUSE, N.Y. Rob Stuckey stood in the windiest hallway inside the Carrier Dome Saturday, but he wasnt in the mood to be windy. Nebraska's senior defensive tackle was in the mood to be honest and he promised there would be no emotional hangover from the Huskers' 17-9 loss to Syracuse. "It's easy to-handle Stuckey said.

"But you find out what it's all about when you handle losing. And all I can say is Okie State better hook up because we're going to shove the ball down their throat next week." Stuckey wasnt the only one sold on a rebound against Oklahoma State in a nationally televised conference opener for both teams. No heads down "As I looked around the room when Coach Osborne talked to us after the game, I didn't see "It was my decision and the decision of my position coach, Frank Solicit, and Dr. Pat Clare," Smith said, referring to his decision not to play on a sore ankle. "I wish I could have played now," Smith said.

"But I didn't want to aggravate it" For Nebraska, Oklahoma State is a more important game than Syracuse. "I know myself, I'm going to take some positive things from this game and get ready for the Big Eight," said NU quarterback Craig Sund-berg. "I'm always an optimist I can't see us not being ready to play. I wouldn't look for that" Next week, the Huskers hope to eliminate mis-takes and return to their style. "We didn't get whipped today.

We beat ourselves," said defensive end Bill Weber. "We had no offensive ball control when we needed it and the defense was a little soft when we had to shut 'em down. "The longer we let a team hang loose and "This is the hardest loss I've ever been around," admitted defensive end Scott Stras-burger, who was at a loss to explain the defeat "We had as good a week of practices as we've had since I've been here," Strasburger said. "Now the seniors have to take responsibility. Next week, we've got to play as hard as we've ever played." "We want to win and we know what we have to do," said center Mark Traynowicz.

"We have to go out and play just like this team did." Clark agreed. "We have to go after Oklahoma State," he said. "We have to start knocking them around instead of getting knocked around." "I know the way I am and I know the way my teammates are," Stuckey said. "We will bounce back." Huskers- Syracuse roomies kask in triumph score, Green asked Norley to put some points on the board for Syracuse. Norley responded with a third-quarter touchdown pass to Mike Siano.

The play clinched the win. Norley, who completed 9 of 18 passes for 106 yards, never saw the completion that upset the Cornhuskers. As he released the ball, he was sent reeling to the artificial turf. Even so, he knew the play had worked. "I could tell from the crowd reaction that he (Siano) caught it" Norley said- NUzoneWT According to Siano, yet another jun ior who, like Norley, is from Pennsylv nia, Syracuse discussed that particular pass play at halftime.

He figured ft would work because Nebraska "was playing a real soft zone. "We knew we could throw underneath them, and we found out the first half they weren't respecting the deep pass," Siano said. "The cornerback bumped me and released, and all I had to do was beat the guy in the middle of the field." Siano, a 0-4, 217-pounder, ran 40 yards to the end zone, jumped at the same time Nebraska defenders Dennis Wat-kins and Bret Clark did, and came down with the balL "I knew two guys were right with me, but the way Todd put the ball in there By Mike Babcock SYRACUSE, N.Y. The final two players in the Syracuse locker room at the Carrier Dome were roommates Tim Green and Todd Norley. Minutes earlier, the room was jammed with people.

Now the only ones who remained were Green and Norley and one or two student managers, whose job it was to clean up. The excitement of the Orangemen's 17-9 upset victory over Nebraska had subsided in the Carrier Dome and was now spilling over and across the Syracuse campus. Not only winning but also holding the top-ranked Cornhuskers to seven points "is pretty awesome, now that I look back on it" said Green, a junior defensive tackle and inspirational leader of the Orangemen. Beating No. 1 Because of the excitement, he still was having difficulty putting words in their proper order.

"We beat the No. 1 country in the nation the No. 1 team in the country whatever," Green said with a smile. The Syracuse defense yielded a touchdown, on a 25-yard pass from Craig Sundberg to Todd Frain, midway through the first quarter, then shut down Nebraska, which entered the game ranked second in the nation in rushing and total of fense. was covered by DuBose for a 13-yard loss which forced a punt from the Nebraska 4-yard line.

The punt only reached the 39 and four plays later, despite a holding penalty, Syracuse scored on a 40-yard pass play from Todd Nor-ley to Mike Siano to take a 10-7 lead it never relinguished. The two bobbles Syarcuse did recover were also damaging. One gave the Orangemen possession after Nebraska had reached the Syracuse 17 while leading 7-0. Syracuse then drove to a field goal to pull within 7-3. NU takes lead Nebraska drew first blood, scoring on a 25-yard pass from Sundberg to tight end Todd Frain.

Dale Klein's PAT made it 7-0. The Syracuse field goal was followed by the long pass from Norley to Siano. "It was just a great catch between two defenders (Brett Clark and Dennis Watkins)," McBride said. "Syracuse was also the first team we've played this year with super cut-back runners. We worked on that all week, but several times our linebackers overan the play, resulting in extra yards for Covington and Gayden." The illegal substitution penalty and Syracuse's clinching touchdown was fol-.

lowed on the last play of the game by a Syracuse safety the punter running-out the back end of the end zone as time expired to produce the final score. Osborne didn't blame the loss on the absence of Smith, or the inability of Rathman to play, but admitted, "I would like to try it again with them in the lineup." The head coach also lamented the fact that Sunberg, who completed just 5 of 13 passes with one interception, was hampered by a sore shoulder. "He couldnt throw at all on Monday or Tuesday and was only able to lob the ball Wednesday and Thursday. Our offensive backfield was not what it has been and they beat us at the line. We didn't play bad, but we made too many mistakes." 10 men on the field for a punt against UCLA and had it blocked," Syracuse Coach Dick MacPherson said.

"Today, they lined up with 12. I'm not being critical Those things happen. But we took it from that play to a 17-7 lead and that was a terrifically big play." Hard-running Jaime Covington, who led the victors with 99 rushing yards on SO carries, had gains of 7, 9 and 16 yards during the winning march. The 16-yarder put the ball at the NU 1, from where Harold Gayden (45 yards on 13 carries) tallied the TD. DuBose nets 107 Nebraska I-back Doug DuBose, subbing for the injured Smith, led all ground gainers with 107 yards on 23 carries.

But, a one-man gang was not enough against a solid Syracuse defense. NU fullback Tom Rathman, who had a 100-yard game himself earlier this season, was knocked unconscious on the opening kickoff and didn't see any action until the second half. Although he played briefly after intermission, Rathman carried just four times for eight yards. With Smith out, Paul Miles and freshman Keith Jones were the only available backups for DuBose. And Miles suffered a badly bruised shoulder after carrying the ball just twice for eight yards.

Knocking heads "A lot of Nebraska fans didn't seem to think this would be much of a test" Osborne said. "I didn't feel at all secure. I expected a real head-knocker." A "head-knocker" is what he and the Huskergot "Football games are won or lost in the trenches," Osborne said, "and they beat us at the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense. It was a very physical game. We made some mistakes and they didn't That was the difference." Although Nebraska recovered two of Its four fumbles, an errant third quarter pttchout by quarterback Craig Sundberg 1 I'll flliif a --'mm marip it pasv (list tnnkoit nn anil thara i The Cornhuskere nished for 154 yards it was," said Siano.

I timed it right; it and passed for 60 yards. "Our defense. didn't seem that hard." i 1 You cant say enough about those guys," said Norley, Syracuse's junior quarterback. i. Even though Nebraska defeated Syracuse 63-7 a year ago in Lincouif Green said the Orangemen hadn't been intimidated by the Cornhuskers because "a lot of times, we were just one play away." As Saturday's game wore on, Green realized what could happen with "an all-" out defensive effort I could see the fire in everybody's eyes," he said.

"People Smart thinking Norley had an idea the Orangemen's defense would give a good effort Saturday. Green said so. "Timmy's a positive thinker, and during the week he told me we'd be able to x. Prom Syracuse- stop Nebraska, even though they'd prob-, were saying in the huddle, 'We're going ably score some to do it' And I thought, 'Damn right we STAFF PHOTO BY TED KIRK Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne bows his head as the top-rated Cornhuskers fall to Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, 1 7-9. i io ousei wnai ine tornnusners ma that consumed eight minutes and 17 seconds.

The final Orangeman touchdown followed a 15-play, 79-yard drive, kept alive by a 15-yard penalty on Nebraska for having 12 men on the field. Those two drives showed Syracuse's offensive potential "We had the one drive of over eight minutes and another that carried into the end zone," said MacPherson. "That's pride. That's power. That's offense.

That's beautiful" In central New York state, on Saturday afternoon, that was Syracuse 17, Nebraska 9. According to MacPherson, in one week, the Orangmen went from "that place way down below, where all the sewers to the "penthouse." The juxtaposition of a loss to Rutgers and a victory over Nebraska was dramatic. Syracuse benefited from "the luck of the draw," MacPherson said. "Flaying Nebraska this week, we knew we were going to be in a dogfight" Syracuse 17, Nebraska 9. The final time of possession favored-the Orangemen, 36:45 to 23:15.

Syracuse's first score, on a 24-yard field goal by Don HcAulay with 4:07 remaining in the first half, followed an 18-play drive Noise affected Huskers Scoring NU-SYR How scored Time Left FIRST QUARTER 74 From 25 pass 7:51 from Sundberg 'v Drlvt: 59 yards In eight plays. Highlighted by 17 Sundberg pass to Frain. Conversion: Klein kick. SCCOND QUARTER 74 McAulayM field goal 5:07 Drlvt: 77 yards in 16 plays after Lee recovered Sundberg hobbled snap at Syracuse 17. 4:50 if vV fllSs 'J t9 -'wjk plll WSSm 1 V' I sk lv MMmMOf- By Randy York Assistant Sports Editor SYRACUSE, N.Y.

Noise never has been an ally for Nebraska's offense and it was a factor again here Saturday in the Huskers' 17-9 loss to Syracuse. "It was definitely a factor," NU quarterback Craig Sundberg said, referring to a crowd of 47,280 at the Carrier Dome. "A lot of our effectiveness is taking advantage of the weaknesses in a defense," Sundberg said. "A lot of times today, I had to go to my pants. I had to use my left hand or my right hand to help our audible sys-tern," Sundberg said.

The hand signals did not work as wen as the verbal commands. "For instance, one time, we had a draw called," Sundberg related. "Doug (DuBose) thought I audibled, but I did- n't We were standing at the goal line and I ended up keeping the ball" The Huskers' inability to keep the crowd out of the game increased the chances for the upset as the game progressed. "We could run our offense well enough to move the ball," Sundberg said. "We just ended up with a couple bad turnovers and a couple bad breaks." The most crucial fumble came with 13:24 left in the second quarter when Sundberg mishandled a first-down hand-off and Syracuse recovered on its own 17-yard line.

"I just got the baU from Mark '(Traynowicz) and turned right," Sundberg said. "I dont know if Tom Rathman hit it out of my hands or what The opposite guard was pulling. IH have to look at the films to see how I lost it" Sundberg's second fumble came early in the fourth quarter when he did- Sundberg 7 A 0.9 Porter 2 7 3.5 Turner 1 11 u.o Mile 2 8 4.0 Rathman 4 8 2.0 Swanson 1 7 7.0 Passing No. Co. Yds PI 13 5 40 1 2 0 0 Pass receiving No.

Yds. Frain 3 48 Swanson 1 6 DuBose 1 6 Punting No. Yds. Ave. Livingston 7 306 43.7 Punt returns No.

Yds. Swanson 2 1 Kickoff returns No. Yds. DuBose 3 53 Interception return No. Yds.

Burke 1 22 Syracuse Offense Rushing No. Yds. Ave. Covington 30 99 3.3 Gayden 13 45 5.0 1 6 6.0 Norley 11 -18 Morris 1 -1 Fox 1 -13 Passing No. Co.

Yds PI 18 9 106 Pass receiving No. Yds. 2 42 Schwedes 3 42 1 13 Covington 3 9 Punting No. Yds. Ave.

Fox 7 277 31.5 Punt returns No. Yds. Schwedes 2 3 1:29 THIRD QUARTER 7-10 Siano 40 pass from Norley Drlvt: 39 yards In five plays Including 10-yard holding penalty against Syracuse. Followed short Nebraska punt from the and zone. Converson: McAulayklck.

FOURTH QUARTER J4t Cordon I run Drlvt: 59 yards in 12 ptoys following 15-yard penalty against Nebraska for Illegal substitution wfltn Syracuse was torcad to punt. Highlit! by 39 pass from IMrtty to Sctiwedes on third and ftvtn and 16 run tvy Cvtooton to the 1. Otffwriion: McAulay. ut of end zone JMS94.7 2 Syrocti 9 7 7. wmr-r-rn-i ii Mir.iiMm i- UH TEUPHOTO- Nebraska linebacker Mart Munford overpowers Syracuse fullback 9 17 Harold Gayden in the first half.

Anybody could see that You have to! give them credit" "We moved the baU We just made too many mistakes," said Doug DuBose, who led Nebraska with 107 yards rushing. "Their defense played wen. They pursued and they were The hitting was obvious. The time I fumbled (and Mark Behning recovered) they hit Statistics nt get the center snap from.Trayno-; wicz. "I never got the ban," he said.

"We didn't get a lot of continuity or a lot of rhythm today. We were hurt by our lack of consistency more than anything." Sundberg wore an ice bag on his left shoulder after the game for an injury that he has been nursing all week. "It didn't bother me at an," he insist- ed. "It's just been slow recuperating. I dldnt push it too much." Sundberg thought maybe a tone had been set when he executed a brilliant fake and hit tight end Todd Frain with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 7:51 remaining in the first quarter.

"We got on top and after that, it was just a combination of things," he sail "They stopped us when they had to. Mtbrctka Offens Rushing No. Yds. Ave. 23 107 4.7 ngni on me oau.

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