The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 35

111 iii 1 1 iiiii iii mi mi iiiiii mi ii ii mi mi i THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2001 11-B OU: Another shot at Huskers? Razzle-dazzle turns trick for Huskers Crouch's TD catch game-breaker for NU game. Maybe, overall, better than we did a year ago," said Stoops, referring to OU's 31-14 victory in 2000. But Nebraska held OU to its lowest point total since a 29-0 loss to Texas in 1998, before Stoops' arrival. For the third time this season, the offense did not score in the second half. "That can't happen and win football games," Hybl said.

"Our defense has always hung in there and kept us in there. But that can't happen." Midway through the fourth quarter, Hybl's theorem was proven. A fly-to-the-ball unit was fooled. Crouch's reception sealed victory. "It's not one play," OU junior receiver Curtis Fagan said.

"It was a lot of plays." After OU's first five possessions ended with an interception and four punts, White moved the Sooners deep into Husker territory, but tweaked his left knee. Hybl came in and tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith, giving OU a 7-0 lead. Trailing 10-7 later in the second quarter, a trick failed. OU had moved from its 20 its average starting position to the Nebraska 20. Fagan took a handoff from Hybl, then pitched to receiver Mark Clayton running the opposite way.

Clayton stopped and threw toward Hybl, alone in the secondary. "Nate was wide open," Clayton said. "But I was anxious, and I tried to hurry." The pass was slightly under-thrown. Hybl tried to adjust but slipped "I got stuck in the turf," he said and fell. An easy touchdown fell incomplete.

"Just a bad play," Hybl said. From Page 1-B critics we can win the big game." There's a good chance the teams will meet in another big game. OU (7-1, 4-1) still Division and a berth in the Big 12 championship game. "If we take care of business and play like we know how to play, we'll be there," senior linebacker Rocky Calmus said. Probable opponent: Nebraska.

From there? "Maybe a long shot at the Rose Bowl," said Calmus, referring to the site of this year's Bowl Championship Series national title game. It isn't that farfetched. Losses Saturday by UCLA and Virginia Tech (ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the BCS, respectively) should mean the Sooners won't drop far in the polls and computer rankings that make up the BCS' complicated formula. "All of our goals are still sitting out there in front of us," said junior quarterback Nate Hybl, who entered the game after Jason White's second-quarter knee injury.

Neither team sustained momentum for long Saturday. Nebraska had it last. "It was a very hard-hitting, physical football game for four solid quarters," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. OU outgained Nebraska 339-329, held the Huskers to two of 14 third-down conversions and 164 yards rushing and forced 10 punts five in the first quarter. "We played a great defensive mitted.

Nebraska inserted the touchdown play just this week. "In practice, it wasn't a wide-open play every time," Crouch said. "We figured this was a good time to call the play. I snuck back behind the defense and Mike delivered a great pass. When it's called, you're a little uneasy about it." Nebraska coach Frank Solich had run a lot of offense from that same formation with motion.

The Husker running game had been effective enough to cause the secondary to support the run. It was something Solich saw and decided to exploit. "It seemed to fit for us when we threw it," Solich said. "It ended up being on the right hash. The down and distance was the right time for it." Stuntz, a freshman, was recruited as a quarterback but spends his time at receiver.

"I don't know what my QB rating is right now," Stunzt joked afterwards about his first career pass. Earlier in the game, Oklahoma tried a similar play. Only Sooner quarterback Nate Hybl slipped on what looked like a possible touchdown. "It was a great play," Hybl said. "I'm not sure what happened, but I tried to come back for it and I kind of got stuck in the turf.

"They executed it and we didn't." STAFF PHOTO BY PAUL HELLSTERN Oklahoma's Roy Williams jumps up to block a pass from Nebraska's Eric Crouch. By David Morris NewsOK.com LINCOLN, Neb. Call it the play that made the difference. For their part, the Cornhusk-ers didn't have a name for it. Maybe it will be remembered as the play that won the Heisman Trophy for Eric Crouch.

"41 flash pass? You can call it that," Crouch said. On first down from the Nebraska 37 with just over six minutes left, Crouch handed off to Thunder Collins, who was in motion. Collins ran the option and flipped to Mike Stuntz. The lefty rolled back on the reverse and found Crouch at the Sooner 40. Crouch sprinted in for his second career touchdown reception.

For most of the day, the speedy Sooner defense contained Crouch, who finished with a season-low 21 yards rushing. Oklahoma prevented him from finding the sidelines and getting into the open field where he usually makes people miss. But his speed burned the Sooners on this play. "I've been waiting for a big win in my career," Crouch ad "Could have been a great play." OU settled for Tim Duncan's 20-yard field goal, tying it with 15 seconds left in the half. "We needed to get that ball in the end zone," Stoops said.

"It could have made a big difference." Clinging to a 13-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers tried the same trick. Clayton watched from the sideline as the play developed. "My stomach was turning," he said. "I can't really explain it. It hurt." Thunder Collins took a hand- off, then pitched back to freshman receiver Mike Stuntz, a former high school quarterback.

Stuntz threw deep to Crouch, open behind everybody. "I knew Eric was going to catch it," Stuntz said, "and I knew he was going to outrun everybody. He's a very fast man." Defensive tackle Kory Klein and cornerback Derrick Strait gave chase, anyway. "But we ran out of space," Strait said. And soon enough, out of time.

BUY BRIDGESTONE OR MY OTHER mm, tide jwn ncrM, lint. HIWU ULIM Brunson McCoy Dona hoe BUFFALOES 22, COWBOYS 19 Colorado 7 0 7 8-22 Oklahoma St 0 16 3 019 First Quarter Col Brunson 74 pass from Ochs (Flores kick), 7:47 Second Quarter OSU Bell 1 run (Phillips kick), 7:08 OSU Safety, punt snap out of end zone, 5:25 OSU Levels 57 interception return (Phillips kick), :27 Third Quarter OSU-FG Phillips 20, 4:38 Col Houston 16 run (Flores kick), 0:00 Fourth Quarter $240 IN CAR CARE KO Punts Int. Fumble Player Hollowell Pesavento (McCoy pass Col Graham 21 pas: from Pesavenlo). 5:54 A 41.070. Tackles Lewis 1 1 Harris 8.

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Braylon It i Oklahoma State Rushing Att Yards TDs First Downs Passing Penally Rushing Att-Yds Yards Passing Passes C-A-l Total Offensive Plays Total Yards Avg. Gam per Play Fumbles Lost Penalties-Yards Interceptions-Yards Punls-Avg Punl Returns-Yards Kickoff Returns-Yards Att. Com. Int. Yds.

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Colorado drove 80 yards for a touchdown to pull within 19-14, with Pesavento scrambling and breaking tackles for a 16-yard gain on third-and-15 to the OSU 34 to keep that drive alive. Then Pesavento took the Buffs to victory. "This game was a struggle and a fight," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said. "You need to have a little luck along the way. Our luck and how hard we played gave us a three point win.

"We were fortunate to get out of here with that, but I will take www.MasterCareUSA.com This time, the Cowboys found it in an all too familiar fashion a failing defense. After standing up to Colorado's vaunted running attack most of the night, OSU didn't stop the Buffs in the game's crucial moments. After the stop of Bell, the Buffaloes covered the 66 yards in just five plays. Bobby Purify runs of 17, 11 and 14 yards, all tackle-shredding bursts. A Marcus Houston run of 2 to the Cowboys 22.

"We needed a couple of tackles at key times to get off the field and win," said OSU coach Les Miles. Then the Cowboys needed some pass coverage, as journeyman backup quarterback Bobby Pesavento in for an injured Craig Ochs hit his big tight end Daniel Graham all alone down the middle for a scoring pass with 5:54 to play. Then injury turned to insult. Graham and the Buffaloes were flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, making an obligatory two-point conversion try a 33-yard attempt. They made it with ease Pesavento hitting Derek McCoy roaming alone behind the Cowboys secondary.

The conversion was critical, meaning OSU needed a field goal for a tie, not a win. It was still critical moments later, after OSU moved to the Colorado 34 in one play, a 44-yard completion from Aso Pogi to Rashaun Woods. But forced into an aggressive mode, Pogi's next pass went through the hands of wide receiver John Wohlgemuth, was tipped by Buff linebacker Kory Mossoni and intercepted by Michael Lewis. "I don't know if that was the turning point," Miles said of the conversion. "Obviously, that was a key play in them winning." Obviously, there were many more.

"I just wanted our defense to stand up and get themselves off the field," Miles said. "If they do that, we win. If our offense makes the fourth and one, we win. "I mean, there's just a number of ways for us to win this football game." Instead, Colorado improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12. And OSU finds itself with a fourth straight losing year.

After trailing 7-0 in the first quarter, the Cowboys scored 19 unanswered points. Bethanv N.W. Expressway Greenwav Norman I 7021 N.W. 23rd 12 Mile West Of Plaza 36th Ave N.V 495-9460 MacArthur 11735 S. Western at Robinson Shepherd Mall 728-3093 691-5505 360-3363 12 Mile West Of MacArthur 728-3093 From Page 1-B Les Miles said.

"We come to win. There's no second-place prize. Very disappointing." The Cowboys, 2-6 overall and 0-5 in the Big 12 Conference, were on the verge of the benchmark win they so desperately crave, leading 19-14 in the fourth quarter before a homecoming crowd of 41,070. Sensing an opportunity for a kill, the Pokes gambled on a fourth-and-one play actually more like half a yard from the Buffaloes' 34. But tailback Tatum Bell was stuffed for no gain, and moments later the No.

25-ranked Buffs were romping on their way to victory. "I'm tired of this losing," said Bell, who ran for 95 yards and a touchdown after missing last week's game at Iowa State under suspension for breaking team rules. "Everybody's tired of losing. It seems like we always find ways to lose instead of ways to win." 33rd Broadway 5LN23rd Moon (Behind McDonalds) 525-3525 1 9th Broadway "'ay 843-9693 Mnststn 321-6431 737-1426 STORE HOURS: Weekdays 7 A.M. 7 RM.

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