The Manhattan Mercury from Manhattan, Kansas • 11

The Manhattan Mercury Sunday, October 5, 1997 Bl Heskers sef ffocafoe WMcatts IWB8B l( Brian Goolsby is snowed Associated Press (3), Eric Johnson (1), Jason Wiltz (99) and Grant Wistrom. NU's defense too much for 'Cats in 29th straight defeat Mark Janssen Sports Editor LINCOLN, Neb. Bill Snyder said Tuesday that Kansas State would have to play with "great" emotion, effort and execution to defeat the University of Nebraska. The Wildcat coach said, "That would cover all the bases." Saturday at Memorial Stadium, K-State had emotion and effort going early, but never the execution. Eventually, the other words gave out and the Corn-huskers hitthe bases-loaded home run with a 56-26 victory over Kansas State.

"They were just thatmuch better than we were tonight," said Snyder. "We made a lot of mistakes and today the better team won," added KSU running back Eric Hickson. In the eyes of the Wildcats, there is no other Heisman candidate that Ahman Green, who hit a grand-slammer of sorts himself with TD runs of 25, 7, 59 and 50 yards. The NU I-back rushed for 192 yards on 19 carries. In the third quarter alone, Green's five totes totaled 119yards and three TDs.

"Once he gets going he is very hard to catch," NU coach Tom Osborne understated. "It's the same as we've always thought," Snyder said. "He's a fantastic football player." "He's a tremendous back," said KSU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. "You have to keep him in a confined area because he's so big and fast he's a tough guy to deal with in the open area." On this night, he was the difference-maker. Well, at least the main one.

Trailing 20-6 at the half, K-State turned a semi-game into a rout with the first three series in the third quarter. The offense was less than nil, and as Snyder said, "We got soft on defense." KSU's first series netted minus 19 yards and included a 16-yard wild pitch by Michael Bishop. Green scored on a 7-yard run. NU 27, KSU 6 11:29. KSU's second series netted minus 9 yards and included a dropped pass and a muffed snap by James Garcia on a punt Green scored on a 59-yard run, which was the longest of the year for any Cornhusker.

NU 34, KSU 6 10:01. KSU's third series included a busted play and two false starts. Green scored on a 50-yarder. NU41.KSU6 5:30. For the 'Huskers, it was three TDs in eight plays with a total of 139 yards.

In part, Snyder said, "It was a case of having one guy displaced in the gaps." For the 'Cats, it was 11 snaps for minus 9 yards. "Ithinkwe justcame outnervous and lost some confidence," said Bishop of the third-quarter woes. "It's the first time we've been behind at the half and we just got a little worried." See No. 1 Page B3 'Cats Kicking game bad in another Nebraska loss RyanO'Halloran Sports Writer LINCOLN, Neb. Same problems.

Same result Same causes. Same result Same "big game" atmosphere. Same result. Kansas State's quarterback may have been new, but the offense suffered from the same-old problems. Michael Bishop, like Chad May, Matt Miller and Brian Kavanagh before him, couldn't move the offense in a loss to Nebraska.

Bishop and his offense were done in by a lackof a rushing attack in a loss against Nebraska. The lack of production was caused by the Nebraska defense in a loss to Nebraska. syi under by Nebraska's Eric Warfield In what is becoming a recurring theme, the K-State offense twid-1 died its collective thumb (Sny- derism) in a loss against Nebraska. This time around, it was 56-26, and it was nowhere near that close. "It's all about execution," said running back Eric Hickson.

"We didn't execute and when you dont execute, you don't win." Added Nebraska's Jason Peter. "Once we got up on them, we were able to make them one-dimensional and it made it much easier for us to play defense." But unlike last season's debacle of a loss to Nebraska, things got off to a rip-roaring start for the 'Cats. After Nebraska marched down See No. 3 Page B3 337. "We just didn't play good at all," said KSU tackle Todd Weiner.

"It didnt matter what quarter it was because we lost all the quarters." The 'Cats did get down 7-0 on NU's opening 80-yard drive. Of that defensive series, KSU coordinator Mike Stoops said, "We played back on our heels and just played frozen for a while. After that, we settled down." But a series of counters and counter-reverses had the Big Red offense revving for most of the night as they totaled 473 yards in offense. "We showed that when we start rolling we are a very hard team to stop," said NU I-back Ahman See No. 5 Page B3 Kansas State 1 0 14 24 Nebraska 10 10 21 15 54 First Quarter Nebraska 7, Kansas Slat 0 9:54 NU's Ahman Green 25-yard run.

NU took the opening kickofT 80 yards in 10 rushing plays. Green rushed four times for 47 yards. A key play was an 1 1-yard run by QB Scott Frost on a 3rd and 5 play. PAT: Kris Brown, kick. Nebraska 7, Kansas State 4 4:14 KSU's Eric Hickson 1-yard run KSU converted two pivotal 3rd downs on pass plays of 19 and 46 yards to Everett Burnett KSU went 61 yards in eight plays.

PAT: Holder James Garcia bobbles snap. Nebraska 10. Kansas State 4 NU's Kris Brown 31-yard field goal NU took advantage of a roughing the kicker penalty against Keith Black to keep the drive alive. The 'Huskers then went 66 yards in 12 plays. Nebraska 13, Kansas Stale 4 9:01 NVs Brown 32-yard field goal NU took advantage of an Eric Warfield interception and return of 26 yards to the KSU 16-yard line.

Threeplays netted just oneyard prior to the field goal. Nebraska 20. Kansas State 6 4:33 NU's Scott Frost 4-yard run Seven plays and 43 yards for NU after a 28-yard punt return by Bobby Newcombe. Key play in the drive was a 6 yard run by Frost on a 4th and 2 snap from the KSU 35. All 43 yards came on the ground.

"AT: Brown, kick. Third Quarter Nebraska 27, Kansas State 4 1 1:29 NU's Green 7-yard run KSU's first series netted a negative 19 yards, which set up a short field for NU. The 'Huskers took just four plays to go 34 yards. The key play was a 23-yard pass to Vershan Jackson. PAT: Brown, kick.

Nebraska 34, Kansas State 4 10:01 Green 59-yard run After KSU's second go-nowhere series, Green scored on the first play of an NU drive. The run was the longest of the season for NU. PAT: Brown, kick. Nebraska 41, Kansas State 4 5:30 NU's Green 50-yard run Green's rushing totals went to 19 carries for 192 yards on his 50-yard score. It was the first timeinhiscareerhe'shadfourTDsinonegame.

PAT: Brown, kick. Nebraska 41. Kansas State 12 318 KSU's Hickson 13-yard run The 'Cats went 80 yards with a 42-yard strike ip Darnell McDonald being the big play. PAT. Piss fails Fourth Quarter Nebraska 48, Kansas State 12 1 1:03 NVs Jay Sims 5-yard run NU went 56 yards in 10 plays.

PAT. Brown, kick. Nebraska 48. Kansas State 20 7:35 KSU's Michael Bishop 4-yard run Bishop's run capped an 11-play, 84-yard drive. PAT Bishop, 2-point run.

Nebraska 54, Kansas State 20 5:34 NU's Joe Walker 71-yard pass interception. PAT: Dropped snap. Nebraska 54, Kansas State 20 3:45 NU Team safety Bishop fumbled in the end zone with Hickson recovering. Nebraska 54. Kansas State 26 49 KSU's McDonald 21-yard pass from Bib hop KSU goes 49 yards in three plays.

Attendance: 75.856. KSU Neb 16 21 Firstdowns Rushes-yards Passing Comp-Att-Int RetumYards Punts-Avg. Fumbles Lost Penalties-Yards TimeofPossession 40-98 60479 162 8-24-2 94 6-14-1 10 150 8-453 4-415 3-1 0-0 8-56 26:43 4-35 33:17 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Kansas St, Hickson 21-83, Bishop 17-14. Goolsby 2-1. Nebraska, Green 20-193.

Frost 17-98, Newcombe 1-25, Sims 6-24, Makovic-ka 7-18, London 3-12, Alexander 5-7, Buckhalter 1-2 PASSING Kansas St, Bishop 8-24-2-162. Nebraska, Frost 6-13-1-94. London 0-1-04. RECEIVING Kansas Burnett 2-65, McDonald 2-63, Penes 2-29, Lawrence 1-5, Hickson 1-0 Nebraska, Davison 1-39, V.Jackson 1-23, Sims 1-16, Cheatham 1-9, S. Jackson 1-9, Buckhalter 1 -(minus 2) KSU Notes It was Michael Bishop's first loss since his senior year in high school.

After 27 straight junior collegecollege wins, Bishop said, "I just have to bounce back and keep my head up and come back next week." Coach Bill Snyder called Bishop's performance, "very average, but he was very competitive. He's still learning and it takes time." Bishop rushed for 14 net yards and hit 8 of 24 passes for 162 yards. Snyder said Bishop had to go from the first snap to the last The 56 points is the most KSU has given up since a 56-3 loss to See No. 4 Page B3 Oldahoma ously played rivalry in Division I A. The teams won't meet the next two years because of he Big 12's rotating schedule between the North and South divisions.

Kansas 20, Oklahoma 17 Oklahoma 3 7 0 717 Kansas 0 I 17 0-20 First Quarter OU FG Daniels 4 20 Second Quarter OU Parker 14 run (Daniels kick) 6:31 KU FG Garcia 22 2 26 Third Quarter KU Blevins 56 punt retum(Garcia kick) 12 50 KU-FG Garcia 51 941 KU Vann 99 run (Garcia kick) 339 Fourth Quarter OU Moore 1 run (Daniels kick) 12:40 A 42,500 OU 18 54-188 146 13-19-1 6 7380 2-1 6-30 3527 KU 11 33 158 96 922 2 7 5-460 2 1 4-30 2433 Firstdowns Rushes-yards Passing Comp-Att-Int RetumYards Punts-Avg Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards TimeofPossession 1NDIVI DUAL STATISTICS RUSIIlNG-OWahOTia, Parker 26 75, Moore 1070. Fazande 13 52. Rose 11. Butler UA). Fuente 3S) Kansas.

Vann 17 137. Davis 430, Winbush 526. Wegner 4- -81. Johner 3 27) PASSING-Oklahoma, Fuente 8 10 85 0. Mimre5 961 1 Kansas.

WcRncr6 13-66 l.Johner 3 9 30 1 RKCKIVING-Oklahoma. Little 552. Alexander 4-47. Parker 1 23. Freeman 1 13.

Blocker 1-6. Williams I 5 Kansas. Hancock 2 30. Patterson 2-23. Vann 2 20, Bowles 1 11, Chandler 19.

Johner 13 NU stops upset bid MarkJanssen Sports Editor LINCOLN, Neb. The Las Vegas "Due Theory" for Kansas State didn't work again. Saturday here at Memorial Stadium, the Wildcats stood before the Big Red slot machine and gave it a yank. "7 For the 29th consecutive time, Kansas State shot craps against the blackjack-hitting Nebraksa Corn-huskers, 56-26. "They played like they are capable of playing," said KSU coach Bill Snyder.

"They played like a national championship caliber team." Just for the record, the total score in the 29-game losing streak is After K-State scored on its first drive, the defense held Nebraska at its own 22. But on Jesse Kosch's punt, Keith Black ran into him, and was called for a personal foul. The Huskers had new life, and Kris Brown's 31-yard field goal nine plays later made it 10-6. With a little over seven minutes left in the first half and the 'Cats still within a touchdown at 13-6, Garcia's punt was returned 26 yards to the K-State 43 by Bobby Newcombe. On the play, Newcombe started one way, but then switched directions and found daylight "I could have done a better job of getting the ball up, and we could have done a better job of containment" Garcia said.

After the punt return, Nebraska scored seven plays later on a Scott Frost 4-yard run to make it 20-6. Finally in the first half, punt returner David Allen dropped a Kosch boot at his own 20-yard line. Allen was savpd, however, when Cephus Scott intercepted Frost on the next play. On a night when K-State needed almost perfect execution from the offense, defense and special teams, the 'Cats certainly didn't get it from the "special" teams. "Not very good," Snyder said.

"It's been as big a nemesis when we've played Nebraska as I can think of." And it was again Saturday night Oklahoma took over on the Kansas 26 after Travian Smith sacked Matt Johher, whose fumble was recovered by Darryl Bright. But the Sooners were unable to move the ball and settled for the field goal and a 3-0 lead. The Jayhawks shut down Oklahoma's offense until midway through the second quarter. The Sooners finally picked up a first down on their sixth offensive series on a run by Jermaine Fazande. Oklahoma followed with its only sustained drive of the half.

The Sooners mixed runs by Fazande and De'Mond Parker with a 15-yard pass to Maurice Little, scoring on a 14-yard run by Parker with 6:31 left in the half. David Winbush returned the ensuing kickofT 31 yards and Zac Wegner completed four passes to give the Jayhawks a first down at the 13. Kansas stalled there and settled for a 22 yard field goal by Joe Garcia to make it 10-3 at half-time. The game marked the 95th meeting between Kansas and Oklahoma the oldest continu Ryan O'Halloran Sports Writer LINCOLN, Neb. Counting practice, warm-ups and actual game situations, James Garcia has caught the snap, put the ball down and seen it go through the uprights hundreds of times.

So when Eric Hickson went over the top to answer a Nebraska touchdown Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, it was a foregone conclusion that Martin Gra-matica would boot the extra point for a 7-7 tie. The snap from Brandon Knowles was there, but Garcia's hands weren't. No kick was attempted, and the 'Cats were down 7-6. "It was just one of those things," Garcia said after K-State's 56-26 loss to Nebraska. "I committed the cardinal sin I tried to put it down before I caught it" Was it the ballgame? No.

How about a waste of a possible confidence booster for K-State? You bet With a defense on the field too much, and an offense scuffling as usual in a big game, the 'Cats special teams were nowhere to be seen, either, save for kickoff returns of 36 and 46 yards by Gerald Neasman. "Our kickinggame fell apart," K-State coach Bill Snyder said. Garcia's butterfingers display wasn't the only lowlight for the 'Cats. Associated Press blocked a punt to give Kansas the ball at the Oklahoma 31. Kansas stalled there and Garcia kicked a career-best 51-yard field goal to put the Jayhawks up 13-10.

Oklahoma had no first downs and only 27 yards total offense in the first quarter, but took a 3) lead on a 37-yard field goal by Daniels with 4:20 left in the first quarter. Blocked field goal preserves Jayhawks win over Seattle avoids series sweep Associated Press BALTIMORE No sweep here. Jeff Fassero allowed three hits in eight shutout innings, retiring 18 straight batters in one stretch, to beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 Saturday and keep the Mariners alive in their AL division series. Seattle, bidding to become the first team to win a best-of-5 playoff after losing the first two at home, pulled to 2-1 in the series and will send Randy Johnson to the mound against Baltimore's Mike Mussina in Game 4 Sunday. Rich Amaral, a surprise starter in the leadoff spot, had two hits and scored two runs, and solo homers by Jay Buhner and Paul Sorrento offTerry Mathews made it4-0 in the ninth.

Baltimore, which got a two-run double from Jeffrey Hammonds with two outs in the nyith, was seeking to duplicate the NL sweeps by Atlanta and Florida but instead was shut down by Fassero. Making his first postseason start, Fassero struggled in the first and See No. 2 Page B3 Associated Press LAWRENCE Eric Vann ran 99 yards and Tony Blevins returned a punt 56 yards as Kansas got two big-play touchdowns and blocked a late field goal to beat Oklahoma 20-17 Saturday. Oklahoma had moved from its own 22 to the Kansas 10 with less than one minute left. Steve Daniels hit an apparent 27-yard field goal to make it 20-20, but the Sooners were called for illegal procedure.

Defensive end Dewey Houston then blocked Daniels' subsequent 33-yard attempt, and the Jayhawks held on for the win. Kansas (4-1 overall, 2-0 Big 12) had taken a 20-10 lead on Vann's 99-yard run from scrimmage. That followed an interception by Jamie Harris that stopped an Oklahoma drive which started on the Sooners 20. It was the fifth 99-yard run frdm scrimmage in NCAA history, and the second by a Kansas runner. Gale Sayers ran for a 99-yard touchdown against Nebraska in 1963.

Oklahoma (2-3, 0-1) led 10-3 at KU's Steve Bratten (far left) blocks OU kicker Steve Daniel's fourth quarter field goal try that could have tied the game Saturday. the half. But Kansas stopped the Sooners on three downs to open the second half. Brian Shackelford then punted to Blevins, who evaded several tacklers and ran it in down the right side. Joe Garcia's extra point made it 10-10.

Kansas stopped the Sooners on three downs on the next series, and Ron Warner partially i.