The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 29

STILLWATER Walt Garrison is the best fullback in the Big Eight Conference. That was the accolade paid the Oklahoma State rushing leader Saturday by Nebraska coach Bob Dev-aney just after Garrison had come within five yards of spoiling the Orange Bowl-bound Cornhuskers' perfect record. Munching an orange in a strangely quiet Nebraska dressing room, Devaney minced no' words about it: "Garrison is a tremondous football player. He is the best fullback my team has ever played against in the Big Eight Conference." Then Devaney paid his own club a compliment, but declined to compare the Huskers' comeback against O-State with their winning rally against Missouri two weeks ago. "They had (heir backs to the wall, and tliey showed again they are a fine team with tremendous spirit," he said.

"I'm proud of the way they moved the ball down the field on that last drive. "They used their time outs carefully and their execution faultless. They had just one opportunity and Staff Photos by Bob Albright, Don Brown and Hank Mooney. There was little celebrating in the Nebraska quarters, for the Huskers indicated they felt lucky to have escaped with their lives. "That's the toughest team I've played against," declared tackle Dennis Carlson.

"That number 60 (guard Charles Harper) was sure hard to handle. He was making tackles all over the field." The Cornhuskers voted to award the game ball to defensive back Billy Johnson, who was credited with putting the stop on Garrison's last moment bid for the Big Eight's upset of the year. "It was Johnson who stopped him: Me and Walt Barnes (center) had him at the line but he broke through us. I had a leg and Barnes had a leg, but he got by," said right tackle Dick Czap. "I'm glad we don't have to play them again." "State is a good hall club, and for some reason is always tough for us," quarterback Fred Duda said.

"I wasn't throwing well, and they put a good rush on me," he said. However, Duda said he never had a doubt that the Huskers would get the winning touchdown. "No, there wasn't anything special said in the huddle," he recounted. We just took it for granted that we were going to get those seven points. I thought we could do it, but I knew we had to push it.

Our line was strong when it had to be." The Huskers admitted they were surprised by the Cowboy's call on Garrison in a draw play on the final run that almost beat them. "We weren't expecting the draw," Carlson said, "I was expecting a pass and so was everybody else. I was charging straight ahead and that's why Garrison got by me. I thought it was pretty far but for' a draw and guess that's why it almost worked." Garrison found little solace in the near miss or the 121. yards he.

gained. they had to cash it in." Against Missouri, he pointed out, the Cornhuskers had three quarters to overcome a 14-point deficit. Devaney disclosed that the Orange Bowl bid had already been accepted before the ball game, and a prepared statement about the acceptance was handed out soon after the Huskers left the field. "The boys voted that if we had a choice we'd go the Orange Bowl. And I told them that they should consider it as a reward for a successful season." Devaney said there had been some suggestions that Nebraska wait before making a choice, but he said he told the team to forget "the angle of being No.

1 in the country." The coach said, "When anything other than the team's choice enters into it, I think we should forget about bowls." Devaney said he did not know who Nebraska's opponent will be, and the Orange Bowl officials present gave no indication. Representing the Miami spectacle were Bob Hector, president, and Jimmy Llewellyn, member of" the selection committee. Poke coach Phil Cutchln praised the Nebraska rally which sent his Cowboys off the field with tears in their eyes. "They came from behind and won in the fourth quarter and that's the mark of a good football team," he said. Cutchin noted "This was the second week we have run out of time on the five," harking back to the Cowboys 14-10 loss at Iowa State.

The O-State coach declared this was State's best game of the campaign, however. "We have played better in spots, but we put together our best whole game today. I thought we played our most consistent game. It isn't a bit satisfying when we fail to win, but some of our young men played better today than they thought they could." Cutchin declined to single out a turning point. There were too many, he said, hrom the Nebraska IS, the Dig tuuoacK Tinas aayiignT..