Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 45

uskers-Win 2nd Nati Title Straigh ona. 9 By HAL BROWN 1 NU Ala. First Downs 15 16 How They Scored First Quarter Time Left 2:01 NU 6 12 0:00 14 0 Kinney, 2 run Rodgers, 77 punt return Damkroger, pass from Tagge Second Quarter Tagee. 1 nlunire 12:43 20 21 27 28 28 31 Devaney with his Alabama team of 1965 having beaten Devaney's Huskers, 39-28, here in the 1966 Orange Bowl and his 1966 team having scored a 34-7 win in the 1967 Sugar Bowl. Those two losses have stuck with Devaney since they happened and a win over Bryant was one of the few coaching accomplishments he hadn't achieved.

So badly did Devaney want this one that he kept his assistant coaches in Lincoln watching films rather than sending them out recruiting as is normal procedure in early December. That extra film watching apparently did some good as the Husker Black Shirts, who had had trouble with the wishbone-T of Oklahoma, had little trouble with Alabama's wishbone or with anything else stolen Friday evening. Glover, only a junior, made nine solo tackles, tops on the Husker team, and assisted on another one. But it was the same guy who broke open the Oklahoma game with his 72-yard punt return for a touchdown that broke this one open. And he, like Glover, is only a junior.

With the Huskers leading by 6-0, Rodgers fielded an Alabama punt at his own 23-yard line and returned it 77' yards for a TD and then quarterback Jerry Tagge hit Maury Damkroger for a 2-point conversion. Then the Huskers -had a 14-0 lead. Only moments before the opening kickoff did a heavy rain stop, leaving the field covered with large and deep puddles of water as the two preserver with him. Within less than a nine-minute span in the first half, Nebraska put 28 points on the scoreboard and the lights behind the Alabama name were still showing big zero. At this point the less-than-diehard football fans and those Nebraska fans, who were enjoying the rout, probably were permitting their wives to switch over to the movie as they watched the telecast in their living rooms.

The Huskers established early that they could move the ball against what was considered a good Alabama defense by moving from their own 37 to the Bama 30 before being stopped. At the same time, the Husker Black Shirts established some superiority over the vaunted Alabama offense that was Cont. on Page 2F, Col. 2 Miami Nebraska, returning to the site where they first staked a claim to the No. 1 ranking in college football, protected that claim with a surprisingly easy 38-6 victory over second-ranked Alabama in the Orange Bowl here Saturday one this season has accused Alabama of being a bum as far as football teams go with the Crimson Tide having rolled past 11 straight foes, but the Huskers made them look like just another member of the Bum of the Month Club, a tag some detractors had hung on the Huskers earlier in the season as they waltzed past out-classed foes.

It was the second time in less than six weeks that Nebraska had had to defend the No. 1 Rushing 47-183 58-241 Passing Yardage 159 74 Return Yardage 166 36 Passes 11-20-0 3-13-2 Punts Fumbles Lost 2 2 Yards Penalized 50 58 rating it had held all season against a team ranked No. 2 in the nation's polls. But unlike the 35-31 win over Oklahoma that came on a last ditch drive in the "closing mkautes, this one was decided long before the final moments and only about half of the 78,151 fans were still in the Orange Bowl Stadium when Alabama coach Bear Bryant walked across the PolyTuft to congratulate Husker head coach Bob Devaney. It was the first such walk Bryant had had to make in the three meetings between he and (Sanger, placement) Dixon, 2 run 8:49 (Sanger, placement) Third Quarter Davis, 3 run 5:49 Sanger, 21, field goal 0:00 Fourth Quarter Brownson, 1 plunge 4:45 (Sanger, placement) 37 38 Section 8 Pages Lincoln, Nebraska Jan.

2, 1972 Page 1 the Crimson Tide tried to do until after the game had been decided with Nebraska going to their halftime chat with a 28-0 lead. Middle guard Rich Glover, who led the defense against Oklahoma, led it again here Saturday night despite wearing a borrowed' helmet. His was teams warmed up. Both coaches have been credited with being able to tread on the wet stuff, but the way things went for Alabama on this night Bryant might have wanted to take a life Key Aspect of Win-. Was Second National Crown 7r jtfW'vl III twl A 3 By DON FORSYTHE Miami Nebraska football coach Bob Devaney claimed the most significant aspect of the Cornhuskers' 38-6 Orange Bowl win over Alabama was that the win gave Nebraska two national championships in a row.

But the victory may have been just as satisfying personally because it helped square accounts with Alabama coach Bear Bryant, who was 2-0 against Devaney's Nebraska teams before Saturday night "It's nice to win any game," said Devaney, "but it adds to the satisfaction when it comes against a coach who has compiled a record like coach Bryant." One of the morale-boosting items for the Cornhuskers, according to Devaney, was seeing Colorado defeat Houston in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl and Oklahoma defeat Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. "This gave us an idea that the football teams we had played and beaten were good football teams. It gave us a sound feeling about this game," he said of the Orange Bowl. the aftermath of the Oklahoma game when the Sooners struck for big chunks of yardage through the air. "We intercepted two important passes one in the end-zone and another late in the game which set up a touchdown," he said.

"We had a much more effective defense tonight." The alterations in the defense had cornerfoacks Blahak and Anderson, who made the two key interceptions, playing man-to-man on the Alabama wide receivers. Devaney indicated that he really didn't know what to expect from Alabama, but offered the thought, "I felt they would rather run than pass." Devaney was delighted with the comfortable 28-0 halftime cushion. "It's not a usual happening against Alabama," fie said of a burst which produced three touchdowns in less than five minutes. "But I thought Alabama would make some adjustments, which it did, and would come back, which it did. Devaney handed huge compliments to his defensive team and kuartedback Jerry Tagge.

"I think we have the best overall defensive team in the country. I think our defense was great. Tagge has had a great year. I think he's the best quarterback in the country," added Devaney. Devaney pointed to a more effective pass defense as one of the keys to the win over Alabama.

He had promised changes in AP WIREPHOTO Alabama's Terry Davis (10) finds it's easy to get wrapped up in what he's doing especially with Husk like Willie Harper (81) and Bill Janssen (55) around, btanciing Dy it needed is men wover vv). ers Black Shirts Confident Against Tide Wishbone said "we had a big game against Oklahoma. That took a lot of pressure off us. That was the big game." Middle guard John Peterson came up with a key play with the kickoff coverage team when he recovered a fumble which set up Nebraska's third touchdown. "I was terribly surprised.

I probably could have run with the ball, but I was so happy to get hold of it I went right down. 1 just happened to be in the right place," he said. There were a lot of bumps and bruises collected by the Cornhuskers, but there was no pain in the post-game celebration. Defensive tackle Monte Johnson had an ice bag wrapped around a wrist. "I think I broke my wrist but it's all right," he smiled.

Kosch explained, "we had all season to prepare for it. We defended the national championship each week." Rich Glover, who was the leading candidate for "most valuable" lineman in the game after making nine solo tackles, Devaney Would Listen to Pro Offer Miami A lot of frustrations were washed away Saturday night when Joe Blahak stopped Alabama's opening drive in (he second half with a pass interception in the end zone. It wa6 Joe's first interception of the season. "I was just glad to get it," beamed Joe. "The guys have kidded me a lot about not having any interceptions.

I got awfully frustrated. You sort of lose confidence in yourself," he said. Lack of confidence wasn't a problem for the Cornhusker defense against Alabama. "We played more of our old type of defense," said co-captain Jim Anderson. "I enjoyed it," added linebacker Bob Terrio.

We spent a lot of time defensing the wishbone the last three weeks. That and the experience of the Oklahoma game helped. We were ready for it. But once they started to go to the I formation I really relaxed. We're more experienced against the I.

It was like the Colorado game then." Bill Kosch, back "home" at safety after playing the corner in the Oklahoma game, said, it felt good to be back there. Compared to last year I was really relaxed. We just went out and played a regular game nothing fancy. I thought we came into this game poised and confident." Tagge Topples Big Record Miami Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge's 161 yards of total offense in the Orange Bowl win over Alabama gave him the Big Eight single season record in that department. Tagge's 159 passing yards tand two yards rushing gave him a season total of 2,494 surpassing the mark of 2,356 set by Kansas State quarterback Lynn Dickey in 1969.

AP WIREPHOTO Nebraska's Jeff Kinney (35) plunges over the goal from two yards out for the Cornhuskers first touchdown against Alabama in the Orange Bowl. Miami Bob Devaney looked ahead in two different directions Saturday night as a huge press corps sought out what lies ahead for the nation's winningest college football coach. What about next year? "I think we'll have a good football team next year time will tell," said Devaney. Is there a chance he won't be at Nebraska? "I wouldn't shut the door on a change," he replied to a question about openings in pro ball. "If some club came up with a good offer and it had a good chance to win, I'd listen." he said.

Asked what the advantages to college coaching were, he enumerated regular pay days and an "occasional raise" if you win." Rodgers Breaks Another Record Huskers' Game Ball To Lowe On The Inside Oklahoma Buries Auburn Page 2F NU No. 1 Unanimous Stanford Stuns Michigan Pago 3F Miami Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers bettered a single season national collegiate punt return scoring record and moved to within one return of a career record when he scored from 77 yards against Alabama in the Orange Bowl Saturday night. Rodgers scoring run against Alabama was his fourth of the season. He shared the NCAA record of three with several others entering the Orange Bowl game Johnny's career total now stands at six, just one short of the NCAA record of seven set by Oklahoma's Jack Mitchell (1946-48). Rodgers' string of punt returns started last year In the Missouri game, when he scored on a 48-yard return.

He rambled 66 yards against Oklahoma State for his other touchdown as a sophomore. Rodgers continued hi3 long range scoring bursts this season, scoring on returns of 62 yards against Iowa State, 92 yards against Oklahoma State and 72 yards against Oklahoma. He entered the Orange Bowl game with 60 returns for 800 yards in two seasons of play and returned 6 punts for 136 yards against Alabama. The career record for yards gained on punt returns is held by Lee Nalley of Vandcrbilt, who ran for 1,695 yards in 1947 through; 1949. ,1 Miami Johnny Rodgers had the football in his hands a lot in the Orange Bowl' game Saturday night and had it again after the game.

But Johnny made a quick handoff of the prized game ball. "We want to give the game ball to our No. 1 fan, Rex said Johnny. Lowe, the former Cornhusker end who's battling Hodgkins Disease, viewed the game from the sidelines in a wheelchair. "It was great, beautiful," said Lowe of the Cornhuskers' 38-6 win.

I Miami Nebraska's 38-6 Orange Bowl victory over Alabama gave the Huskers a clean sweep of the national football championships. The Huskers had already been presented the United Press International title when the UPI coaches' board took its final poll at the end of the regular season. The Huskers are sure to retain their No. 1 spot in The Associated Press poll when the final vote of writers and broadcasters Is taken next week. i And the MacArthur Trophy, emblematic of the national championship' as awarded by the National Football Foundation, was presented to Nebraska in the winner's dressing room Saturday night.

The National Football Foundation in the past has picked its champion before the bowl games, but because No. 1 Nebraska was meeting No. 2 Alabama in the Orange, Bowl they decided to wait and award their trophy to the winner. fjSs Sunday Outdoor News Page 7F Channel in Pro Football Dallas v. San Francisco, 12:30 p.m.

(6-10); Bnl-timora v. i Miami, 3:30 p.m..