Nebraska Prevails In Battle Of Unbeatens Frazier’s Four Td Passes Lead Huskers To 27th Straight Win Over Kansas State

Even Nebraska coach Tom Osborne couldn’t believe it. His potent rushing offense scored no touchdowns, his special teams gave up a blocked punt for a touchdown and yet the Cornhuskers beat Kansas State easily.

No. 2 Nebraska got a career-high four touchdown passes from Tommie Frazier and a dominating performance from its defense Saturday to defeat the eighth-ranked Wildcats 49-25.

It was a strange game. Frazier didn’t run for a touchdown for the first time in six weeks, the Huskers had seven penalties and Kansas State scored 19 points in a 7-minute span of the fourth quarter behind a backup quarterback.

And it was strange because Kansas State had played Nebraska closer than any other Big Eight team the last four years. It was Nebraska’s 27th consecutive win over K-State.

“We did an awful lot of good things and then we probably backed off too early,” Osborne said. “We shouldn’t have substituted so early on defense. I guess it’s really nice to play a good football team and be able to pull your first team out.”

That was because of Nebraska’s defense, overlooked all week in favor of the top-ranked Wildcat defense. After three quarters, Kansas State had six points, minus-4 yards rushing and 128 total yards. K-State finished with minus-19 yards rushing after giving up nine sacks for 82 yards.

“For the first time this year we did a pretty good job of getting in there and getting in the quarterback’s face all day,” said end Jared Tomich, who had two sacks. “(Quarterback Matt Miller) was taking a long time to get up. Any time a quarterback does that, it’s a good sign.”

Through three quarters. everything looked good for Nebraska (3-0 Big Eight, 7-0). The Cornhuskers held a 42-6 lead on three touchdown throws from Frazier, a 79-yard punt return by Mike Fullman, a fumble recovery in the end zone by wingback Jon Vedral and an interception return for a score by Luther Hardin.

But the Wildcats (2-1, 6-1) came back behind scoring throws by Brian Kavanagh to Mitch Running (7 yards) and Kevin Lockett (18 yards). A blocked punt by Gordon Brown recovered by Clyde Johnson for a touchdown brought Kansas State within 42-25.

Osborne brought his starters back in. Frazier’s fourth TD pass, his second of the day to tailback Ahman Green on a shovel pass, sealed the win with 3:43 remaining. Frazier was 10 of 16 for 148 yards.

Green, a freshman, finished with 109 yards, his fourth game with at least 100 yards.

“We weren’t good in any aspect,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “The kicking game got us in a hole to begin with and then it happened to our offense and our defense. … We just couldn’t handle the emotion of the ballgame and that’s my role.”

Kansas State, which came into the game allowing 94.8 yards rushing per game, had given up 97 to Nebraska with 3 minutes gone in the second quarter.

After Fullman’s score, Jimmy Dean returned the kickoff 30 yards to the Nebraska 49. The Wildcats scored in eight plays on Miller’s 18-yard pass to Kevin Lockett, but Martin Gramatica’s extra-point attempt was wide.

Nebraska scored on its next three possessions. Green ran 19 yards on a screen pass and 33 yards on an option before Vedral’s recovery of Clinton Child’s fumble after a 2-yard run.

By the time Frazier threw his second scoring pass - a 10-yard shovel pass to Green with 3:54 remaining in the half to give the Huskers a 28-6 lead - Nebraska had piled up 210 total yards against a defense that had allowed 199.8 per game.