The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 25

The Tampa Tribune, Monday, January 2, 1995 Sports-5 Title worth the wait for Osborne I 66 If Nebraska started losing, people would get uneasy. But it wouldn't be quite as nasty as other places. TOM OSBORNE Nebraska coach 0 mmwLi 1 Year Rec. Rank Bowl Result 1973 9-2-1 7 1974 Cotton Nebraska 19, Texas 3 1974 9-3-0 9 1974 Sugar Nebraska 13, Florida 10 1975 10-2-0 9 1975 Fiesta Arizona St. 17, Nebraska 14 1976 9-3-1 9 1976 Bluebonnet Nebraska 27, Texas Tech 24 1977 9-3-0 12 1977 Liberty Nebraska 21, North Carolina 17 1978 9-3-0 8 1979 Orange Oklahoma 31 Nebraska 24 1979 10-2-0 9 1980 Cotton Houston 17, Nebraska 14 1980 10-2-0 7 1980 Sun Nebraska 31, Mississippi State 17 1981 9-3-0 11 1982 Orange Clemson 22, Nebraska 15 1982 12-1-0 3 1983 Orange Nebraska 21, Louisiana State 20 1983 12-1-0 2 1984 Orange Miami 31 Nebraska 30 1984 10-2-0 4 1985 Sugar Nebraska 28, LSI) 10 1985 9-3-0 11 1986 Fiesta Michigan 27, Nebraska 23 1986 10-2-0 5 1987 Sugar Nebraska 30, LSU 15 1987 10-2-0 6 1988 Fiesta Florida State 31, Nebraska 28 1988 11-2-0 10 1989 Orange Miami 23, Nebraska 3 1989 10-2-0 11 1990 Fiesta Florida State 41, Nebraska 17 1990 9-3-0 24 1991 Citrus Georgia Tech 45, Nebraska 21 1991 9-2-1 15 1992 Orange Miami 22, Nebraska 0 1992 9-3-0 14 1993 Orange Florida State 27, Nebraska 14 1993 11-1-0 3 1994 Orange Florida State 18, Nebraska 16 1994 13-0-0 1 1995 Orange Nebraska 24, Miami 17 know I'd be tough to live with.

"But Tom doesn't show that. He's reasonable and calm. He doesn't slam helmets and throw chairs around the locker room. Even with the close misses, the people in Nebraska have been so proud of him. They rally around him.

They believe in him." Nebraska's longtime stoic coach finally earns the ultimate prize. By JOEY JOHNSTON Tribune Staff Writer MIAMI All week long, Nebraska players' spoke about their added motivation. Winning the national championship, wearing the ring, that would be great. But winning it for Coach Tom Osborne, ending his New Year's Day frustration, that would be something special. After Nebraska's 24-17 win over Miami in Sunday night's Orange Bowl, Osborne likely has earned that elusive national title.

Although unbeaten Penn State faces Oregon in today's Rose Bowl, Tuesday's final polls should be a formality. True to form, Osborne downplayed his role. "It's gratifying that players would say that and feel that way winning for the coach," Osborne said. "But it's not about whether I deserve it or not. It's about who is the best team.

"I was really proud of last year's team an 18-16 Orange Bow! loser to Florida State. We didn't win any ring or trophy. But we played well enough to win it and that meant a lot to me." While most of college football pins its hopes on polls and bowls, Osborne concentrates on performance. Last season was perhaps the most painful test for that clinical approach. Nebraska soundly outplayed FSU.

The 17-point underdog Corn-huskers surpassed their potential. Yet they didn't win. Byron Bennett was wide left on a 45-yard field-goal attempt as time expired. FSU captured the Orange Bowl, 18-16, and its first national title. Afterward, it was vintage Os- -1.

losing, people would get uneasy. But it wouldn't be quite as nasty as other places. "I feel, just to preserve our sanity and the integrity of the game, we have to put some value on playing well, playing up to your abilities and to some degree being able to live with that." Bob Devaney, Nebraska's athletic director emeritus and the football coach who hired Osborne as a graduate assistant in 1962, said that noble philosophy hasn't washed with some frustrated Cornhusker fans. But no one can deny Osborne's staying power. There have been 219 victories in 22 years, every season with at least nine wins.

"His consistency has been remarkable," said Devaney, who won national titles with Nebraska in 1971 and '72. "He's the finest coach in the country, but will never get that sort of credit because he hasn't been winning the final game. After coming so close so many times, I borne. "As far as I'm concerned, we won," he said. "Not on the scoreboard, but with great football." That style wouldn't play in Miami, where it's No.

1 or else! Remember, they still haven't named any expressways after Hurricanes coach Dennis Erickson. Even after winning two national titles in his first three UM seasons, Erickson carries scorch marks from South Florida's venomous radio talk shows. But Nebraska is not Miami. Not by a long shot. In Nebraska, they did name an expressway after Osborne.

More evidence that he's a state treasure. Even after seven consecutive New Year's Day defeats, Osborne was generally painted as a victim of fate, a sympathetic figure. "We don't have a professional football atmosphere in town; there are no pro teams around," Osborne said. "Our university is the property of the people. If Nebraska started t.

v. I Osborne probably could have earned his first national title during the 1984 Orange Bowl. But trailing 31-30 to Miami with 48 seconds remaining, he bypassed an extra-point for the tie and a 12-0-1 record. Turner Gill's two-point conversion pass was batted down by Miami's Kenny Calhoun. "I wasn't aware there was any other option," Osborne said.

"You play to win. That's how you win the national championship. It wasn't any act of heroism or great fortitude." Ten years later, when FSU's Bobby Bowden finally won the elusive national championship at his expense, Osborne still was a stand-up guy. And the Cornhusker fans were loyal as ever. "When we got back last year, there were 3,000 people at the airport," Cornhuskers offensive tackle Zach Wiegert said.

"That shows you the support. We were all surprised." Don't be surprised if that loyal crowd is doubled later today in Lincoln. Nebraska's frustration is over. Osborne is happy, but don't look for him to lead the parade. "Coach Osborne makes a big deal about the process being so rewarding to him, but there's no doubt he'll enjoy a national championship," Nebraska offensive tackle Rob Zatechka said.

"He deserves it." Associated Press photo So close for so many times, Nebraska coach Tom Osborne finally rode off with his first anticipated national title. South American Treasures SINGLE MEN OVER 35 i Meet Someone Special SUCS DON'T GO! Tampa (813) 251-9381 Offices Tampa. Venezuela. Columbia. Costa Rica Brazil ODEE International, Inc.

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