Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 35

THE HARTFORD COURANT: Saturday, January 2, 1988 E5 Bowden on 4th-and-oal from 15 and wins gamble yards was nearly disastrous. Carter, for trying to kick away from two Nebraska defenders who were twisting his legs after a tackle, was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct That took the Sem-inoles back to the 18. A third-and-18 play picked up three yards, forcing Bowden to make his second biggest decision of the season. A field goal would cut the-lead to 28-27. The Seminoles could then either try an on-side kick or just try to hold Nebraska, get the ball back and kick another field goal, all within the last three minutes.

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne was doing his share of squirming. "I thought we were going to stop Continued from Page El "We'll probably finish higher in the rankings than the school ever has," Bowden said, "so we've accomplished a little something." It couldn't have been accomplished without a tiny mistake by Nebraska that probably cost the game. Steve Taylor, throwing from his 42, completed a screen pass to split end Morgan Gregory that covered 58 yards to the 2. But the officials ruled Gregory stepped back off the line of scrimmage, leaving the tight end as an ineligible receiver. Tight end Tom Banderas, who had gone into a pass route on the play, was penalized.

The game of his five-year careen 28 for 51, 375 yards and three touchdowns. The last time he had thrown for 300 yards? "Never, nothing over 270 that I can ever remember," he said. "Never, not even in passing drills have I thrown that many times in one day." The series, which began 97 yards from the Cornhuskers goal line, didn't start welL McManus threw what he called "a worm burner" into the ground for an incompletion on first down. McManus hit Terry Anthony for seven yards, Lewis for eight, tailback Dexter Carter for 15, Anthony again for 21 and Carter for 43 to the 2. But again, moving those last two Florida State 31, Nebraska 23 play was called back and the Corn-buskers were pushed back another 10 yards.

They couldn't recover. Banderas had lined up where he was supposed to, on the wide side of the field. But Richard Bell, the Nebraska wingback, said it's a formation the team rarely uses and Morgan shouldn't have stepped back. "It was the correct call to make," Bell said. "As soon as the official explained what happened, you could understand the penalty." Bowden said he was standing on the sideline thinking, "'They've pulled this thing out' But then I looked out there and saw two flags.

I didn't know who the penalty was against Then, I got the joyous news. FSU FG Schmidt 32, 7:11. Drive: 42 yards, 8 plays. Key plays: McManus 15 and 1 7 pass to P.Carter. Florida St 24, Nebraska 21.

Neb Knox 4 run (Drennan kick), 14.20. Drive: 52 yards, 9 plays. Key play: S.Taylor 23 pass to Gregory. Nebraska 28, Florida St 24. Fourth quartar FSU Lewis 15 pass from McManus (Schmidt kick).

11:53. Drive: 97 yards, 11 plays: Key plays: McManus 21 pass to Anthony, McManus 43 pass to D.Carter. Florida St 31, Nebraska 28. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing Florida St. S.Smith 9-28, McManus 5-26.

Bennett 7-1 6, D.Williams 3-5, D.Carter 4-4, Butts 1-3. Nebraska Jones 15-80, S.Taylor 20-75, Knox 13-62. Brinson 2-16. Heibel 3-7, Carpenter 1-2. Passing Florida St.

McManus 28-51-1-375. Nebraska S.Taylor 7-14-1-142. Receiving Florida St. Gainer 5-89, P.Carter 5-54, D.Carter 4-89, R.Lewis 4-59, Bennett 4-47, Anthony 2-29, Dawsey 1-17, S. Smith 1-5, D.

Williams 1 -(minus 7), Butts 1 -(minus 7). Nebraska Gregory 3-49, Millikan 2-32, Banderas 1-48, Heibel 1-13. TACKLES-ASSISTS Florida St. D.Carter 1-0, K.Carter 1-1, Dodge 2-1, Freeman 1-0, Gabbard 1-2, Grant 2-0, Haggins 3-4, Harp 1 -4, Hayes 0-5, Maygew 3-1 McGowan 3-7, Moss 1 -0, Newell 5-3, Palmer 0-2, Sanders 2-1 Shivers 3-1 Thompson 2-1 A.Williams 2-1 0'Malley 1-0, E. Williams 3-0, Schuchts 1-0.

Nebraska Anthony 1-1, Blazek 2-1, Cheloha 1-0, Cooper 0-1, Drennan 0-1, Etienne 8-2, Forch 7-0, Fryar 2-2, Gregory 1-0, Jackson 3-2, Jamrog 3-2, Jobman 1-0, Kelley 0-1, Murray 2-0, Neuburt 0-2, Pete 0-2, N.Smith 5-2, Thomas 4-2, Tomjack 3-0, Washington 0-3, Weiniak 1-1, Standard 1-0, Anderson 0-1. Interceptions Florida St. Sanders. Nebraska Washington. Missed held goals Florida St.

Schmidt 43. OFFICIALS Referee W.Shelton. Ump J.Darden, HL B.Coleman, R.Rogers, BJ R.Murphy, SJ B.Hicks. FJ T.Millis. Time: 2:48.

A 72,112. -1- -T 1 1 'I I 1 iT 1 Associated Press the first quarter to give the Cornhuskers a 14-0 lead. They lost, 31-28. TEAM STATS FSU Neb FIRST DOWNS 26 20 Rushing 6 14 Passing 19 6 Penalty 10 THIRD DOWN EFF 9-17. 4-11 FOURTH DOWN EFF 2-2 1-2 TOTAL NET YARDS 457 384 Total Plays 80 68 Avg Gain 5.7 5.6 NET YARDS RUSHING 82 242 Rushes 29 54 Avg per rush 2.8 4.5 NET YARDS PASSING 375 142 Completed-Att 28-51 7-14 Yards-Pass Play 7.4 10.1 Had Intercepted 1 1 PUNTS-Avg.

4-30 4-36 TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 112 192 Punts Returns 2-12 3-89 Kickoffs Returns 4-97 3-68 Interceptions 1-3 1-35 PENALTIES-Yds 2-20 9-78 FUMBLES-Lost 2-1 4-2 TIME OF POSSESSION 31:07 28:53 SCORING BY QUARTER Florida St. 021 3 7 31 Nebraska 14 014 0 28 SCORING PLAYS First qnartar Neb Jones 3 run (Drennan kick), 5:29. Drive: 18 yards, 3 plays. Key play: Bell 27 punt return to FSU 1 8. Nebraska 7, Florida St ft Neb Brinson 52 punt return (Drennan kick), 13:45.

Nebraska 14, Florida St ft FSU Gainer 10 pass from McManus (Schmidt kick), 4:30. Drive: 40 yards, 6 plays. Key play: S.Smith 1 6 run. Nebraska 14, Florida St 7. FSU D.Williams 4 run (Schmidt kick), 10:12.

Drive: 75 yards, 6 plays. Key play: McManus 19 run, McManus 17 pass to D.Carter. Nebraska 14, Florida St 14. FSU Gainer 25 pass from McManus (Schmidt kick), 14:16. Drive: 55 yards, 7 plays.

Key plays: McManus 17 pass to Ben nett, McManus 10 pass to Lewis. Florida st 21, Nebraska 14. Third quartar Neb S.Taylor 2 run (Drennan kick), 3:19. Drive: 77 yards, 7 plays. Key play: S.

Taylor 48 pass to Banderas. Nebraska 21, Florida St 21. i V4 Syracuse's Don McPherson carried Alan Greenberg xa Syracuse 16, Auburn 16 them once, especially after that peanlty forced them back," Osborne said. "You'd think on fourth down that you'd get enough pressure or coverage to prevent a 15-yard touchdown pass." But Lewis slipped away from cor-nerback Lorenzo Hicks and was open when McManus' pass hit him. Even Bowden appeared to feel a little sorry for a Nebraska team that had been ranked No.

1 earlier in the season, only to lose to Oklahoma. "The finish to this football game was amazing," he said, "and probably a little unfair to Nebraska. We were lucky. To go 112 yards for a touchdown 97 plus the 15-yard penalty, you have to be fortunate." i Fourth quartar Aub FG Lyle 41 1 :33. Drive: 36 yards, 8 plays.

Key plays: Burger 17 pass to Tillman. Auburn 13, Syracuse 10. Syr FG Vesling 31 6:47. Drive: 61 yards, 11 plays. Key play: McPherson 18 pass to' Kane.

Auburn 13, Syracuse 13. Syr FG Vesling 38. 12:56. Drive: 54, yards, 11 plays. Key play: McPherson 13' pass to Glover on third and 4.

Syracuse 16, Auburn 13 Aub FG Lyle 30, 14:59. Drive: 62 yards, 13 plays. Key play. Burger 8 pass to Danley on fourth and 6. Syracuse 18, Auburn 18.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing Syracuse, Drummond 17-82, Johnston, 1 4-50, McPherson 20-31 Owens 4-11. Auburn, Danley 13-42, Ware 4-3, Burger 4- (minus 2), Weygand 1 -(minus 2). Passing Syracuse, McPherson 11-21-0-140. Auburn, Burger 24-33-1-171, Donaldson' 1-1-0-58. Receiving Syracuse, Glover 6-91 Kane 2-30, Kelly 1 8, Johnston 1-6, Drummond 1-5.

Auburn, Danley 7-34, Tillman 6-125, Don-, aldson 4-14, Reeves 3-20, Weygand 2-18, Ware 2-0, Bolton 1-18. TACKLES-ASSISTS Syracuse Paul 6-0, Ingram 1-0, Man-. gram 2-0, Friberg 0-1, Bavarro 6-0. Wooden 5- 0, Gregory 4-1 Holmes 5-1 Thomson 1 -0, Ward 2-2, Bucey 1-0, Burnett 4-0, Frase 1-0, Brown 2-0, Gaughen 1-1, LeBaron 1-0, Bus-kirk 1 -1 Greer 1 -0, Dominc 1 -0, Whiteman 5-: 0. Auburn Huntley 1 -0, Brown 2-1 Reed 4- 0, Rolland 2-2, Bruce 4-0, Hill 6-1, Stallworth 5-1, Ogletree 4-0, Hodge 2-0, Staples 4-0, Crain 9-8, Riggins 7-0, Phillips 6-5, Clemmer 1-1, Donaldson 1-0.

Briggs 3-0, Cheattum 2-: 1. Mitchell 2-0. Wiley 5-0, McCary 1-0. Rog-: ers 0-1. Goff 0-2.

Syracuse Holmes Aubum None. OFFICIALS Referee John McClintock, Ump J.C. Leimbach, HL Tom Ehlers, Kent Houck, BJ Artie Polk, SJ Mike Borgard, FJ I Ed Clark. Time: 3:05. A 75,495.

i home with a loss; that was Auburn Coach Pat Dye, on his decision to play for a tie in the fourth quarter, ending an eight-play, 36-yard drive. But Syracuse came right back with a 31-yarder by Vesling, ending an 11-play, 61-yard march with 8:13 remaining to play. One possession later, McPherson showed his mettle. Two completions to Glover and a 12-yard pass to Tommy Kane helped Syracuse move to the Auburn 22. But on a third down and 1, Drummond was stopped cold by all-American linebacker Kurt Crain.

MacPherson settled for Vesling's third field goal, this one setting up the game's final scene. "I didn't know if I would have gotten into the end zone on the last play," Burger said. "Every quarterback wants to go for the end zone. But I agree with anything the coaches say. "We didn't get beat; they didn't get beat Everyone should be happy." Everyone, that is, except Syracuse Coach Dick MacPherson.

Jubilation." Nebraska, which had led 14-0 only to fall behind 21-14, had taken a 28-14 lead with 40 seconds left in the third quarter when I-back Tyreese Knox ran 4 yards for a touchdown. When Florida State couldn't move the ball early in the fourth quarter, the Cornhuskers (10-2) held the ball for 5 minutes, 41 seconds while moving it 71 yards on 13 plays to the 2. Knox fumbled and Florida State defensive tackle Eric Hayes recovered with 6:58 to play. "They looked like they were wrapping it up down there at the 2," Bowden said. "They were going in and they had the game won." Not after the fumble.

He had the 7 Dana Brinson of Nebraska returns "Siit k' -7 at i Associated Press MVP award, "but it's a great surprise. I'm a little disappointed in the way I played. There were a lot of opportunities that I didn't take advantage of. It's like golf. When you get it around the green, that's the most difficult part But you've got to get it in the hole." To the Orangemen, getting it in the hole meant going 12-0.

They lipped the putt They wanted a tie in the Orange Bowl. Instead, they got one here. "Ironic, isn't it?" McPherson said. And sour. "It's a sour taste in your mouth, a nasty taste," McPherson said.

"There are some great memories of the season that this tie could never spoil. But when you come as far as we have, to finish up in a tie, it's hard to deal with. You come so far and you feel you deserve something great I think this bunch of guys deserved something great" They reached for the sky and fell among the stars. Through 25 years of mediocre Syracuse football teams, that would have been more than enough. But on the first day of the New Year, as Syracuse football entered a brave new world, it wasn't Not even close.

7 wr a punt 52 yards for a touchdown in Auburn, Syracuse tie, 16-16 Continued from Page El and rushed off. When asked what he thought of the field goal, MacPherson said: "I thought it was good; it went right down the middle. "But seriously, if I thought in my wildest imagination that Dye would do that It made me look like a jerk because I had just told my kids on our drive before that a field goal was just as good as a touchdown, because I thought they would go for the win. "Personally, I would have gone for it, even on fourth down. And we would have made it "But the only guy who can answer that question is Pat Dye.

He must have had a good reason for why he did that. And if I could hear it, then I'd be able to make a judgment But right now, I have no idea what he was thinking." The tie all but spoiled Syracuse's claim to a possible No. 1 ranking. All week long MacPherson had said that his team's goal was to go 12-0 and be judged fairly by the pollsters. But in reality, the Orangemen can blame more than Dye's decision to kick a field goal for their falling out of the national championship picture.

Syracuse had more total yards than Auburn (314 to 270), had an edge in time of possession of more than 15 minutes, and ran off 12 more offensive plays than the Tigers in the second half alone. But the Orange repeatedly squandered touchdown opportunities, and even MacPherson had to admit that "we didn't get the job done inside the 25." Trailing, 10-7, at halftime, Syracuse embarked on an impressive drive with its first possession of the third quarter. Orange quarterback Don McPherson, who was voted the game's most valuable player after completing 11 of 21 passes for 140 yards, moved his team to the Auburn 4. On third and 3, tailback Robert Drummond ran for what appeared to be a first down at the Tigers' 1-yard line. But Syracuse was penalized for a delay of game.

"I thought I had 1 second left on the clock," McPherson said. Now facing third and 8 at the 9-yard line, McPherson tried to hit wideout Deval Glover on a quick post, but the pass was ruled incomplete. Replays later showed that Glover had made the catch. But the Orange had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Vesling that tied the score, 10-10. 20 times for 84 yards but was sacked five times for 53 yards.

TEAM STATS Syr FIRST DOWNS 23 Rushing 16 Passing 7 Penalty 0 THIRD DOWN EFF 8-15 FOURTH DOWN EFF 0-0 TOTAL NET YARDS 314 Total Plays 76 Avg Gain 4.1 NET YARDS RUSHING 174 Rushes 55 Avg per rush 3.2 NET YARDS PASSING 140 Completed-Att. 11-21 Yards-Pass Play 6.7 Had Intercepted 0 PUNTS-Avg. 5-36 TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 92 Punts Returns 3-18 Kickoffs Returns 4-64 Interceptions 1-20 PENALTIES-Yds 2-20 FUMBLES-Lost 2-0 TIME OF POSSESSION 37:35 14 3 10 1 4- 13 1-1 270 56 4.8 41 22 1.9 229 25-34 6.5 1 6-45 105 0-0 5-105 0-0 5- 43 1- 0 22:25 SCORING BY QUARTER Syracuse 0 7 3 616 7 3 0 616 SCORING PLAYS First quarter Aub Tillman 17 pass from Burger (Lyle kick), 9: 1 3. Drive: 68 yards, 3 plays. Key play: Donaldson 58 pass to Tillman.

Auburn 7, Syracuse O. Second quartar Syr Glover 12 pass from McPherson (Vesling kick), :06. Drive: 58 yards, 9 plays. Key plays: Holmes interception; McPherson 7 run on 3rd and 4 at Auburn's 21 Syracuse 7, Auburn 7. Aub FG Lyle 40, 14:13.

Drive: 72 yards, 12 plays. Key plays: Burger 11 pass to Danley on 3rd. and 9 at Auburn's 6. Auburn 10, Syracuse 7. Third quartar Syr FG Vesling 27, 9:26.

Drive: 54 yards, 1 4 plays. Key play: Drummond 5 run on third and 5 at Auburn's 22. Auburn 10, Syracuse 10. We weren't going back it. Earlier in the first half, Syracuse had moved to the Auburn 18.

But McPherson was sacked one of five sacks on the day for Auburn's vaunted defense and Vesling was short on a 47-yard field-goal attempt Auburn scored first on a 58-yard option pass from receiver Duke Donaldson to Tillman, who had a brilliant afternoon, with six catches for 125 yards. This one gave Auburn a first down at the Syracuse 10, and three plays later, Burger hit Tillman with a 17-yard flag pattern for a TD. Syracuse tied the game early in the second period on a 12-yard pass from McPherson to Glover and Vesling's PAT. It was the 45th straight extra point for Vesling and extended Syracuse's consecutive PAT streak to 225, an NCAA record. A 40-yard field goal by Lyle with 47 seconds left in the half gave Auburn a 10-7 lead at intermission.

Auburn took a 13-10 lead when Lyle nailed a 41-yard field goal early game winner. It didn't hold up. And afterward, neither did some Syracuse chins. The media awaited them in the interview area outside the dressing room. "A lot of them," Syracuse sports information director Larry Kimball said, "don't want to come out" After dressing, Don McPherson did.

He'd done a lot of fancy stepping to complete 11 of 21 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown (no interception) and to gain 84 yards in 20 rushing attempts. He'd run the option boldly, if not always successfully, against one of the nation's best defensive teams. But he didn't do what was needed to keep Syracuse's faint hopes of a No. 1 national ranking alive. That, however, didn't keep the media from voting him the Sugar Bowl MVP.

No matter that Burger, rarely pressured by the Syracuse defense, completed eight passes in a row in the fourth quarter. Too late. With Syracuse leading, 16-13, the ballots were already in and being counted so the result could be announced on TV. Funny isn't it? Before, Heisman runner-up McPherson wasn't winning awards he deserved. Now, he's winning awards he doesn't deserve.

And nobody knew it better than he. "It's a great honor," he said of the Continued from Page El coach later said, "I shouldn't have said that," that's how the Orangemen were feeling. Nobody more so than their quarterback. He'd gotten Syracuse into the end zone all season inside the 25. New Year's Day, he managed it just once, on the first play of the second quarter.

On the next series, McPherson drove Syracuse 22 yards to a first down on the Auburn 20. Then went backward. On their first possession of the third quarter, he drove the Orangemen 52 yards to a first down on the Auburn 11. They settled for a 27-yard Tim Vesting field goal In the fourth quarter, he drove them61yardstoathird-and-3atthe Auburn 14 but missed tight end Pat Kelly in the end zone, forcing Syr-aucse to settle for a second game-tying Vesling field goal "That," the quarterback said, "cost us the game." On Syracuse's next and last possession, McPherson moved the Orangemen 54 yards to a third-and-1 at the Auburn 22. But when Robert Drummond's plunge came up inches short, Coach MacPberson sent in the field goal team.

Vesling's third field goal, a 38-yarder, was the would-be I-.