Nebraska Levels Sun Devils 77-28 Off-The-Field Distractions Have Little Impact On Huskers

The questions off the field will continue for Nebraska. On the field, the No. 2 Cornhuskers have left no doubt.

Stung by a week of questions about the integrity of the football program after star tailback Lawrence Phillips was suspended, Nebraska responded with a 77-28 romp over Arizona State on Saturday. It was the most points scored by Nebraska since an 84-13 win over Minnesota in 1983.

Clinton Childs sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and the rout was on. The Cornhuskers (3-0) took an average of 1:43 to score in the first half and set a school record with 63 points. The old record for points in a half was 55 against Colorado in 1983.

“It was just kind of an avalanche,” Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder said. “I’ve never been in an avalanche, but that was kind of the feeling … You have a sense of helplessness.”

Childs finished with 143 yards and two touchdowns. He left the game in the second quarter with a minor knee sprain.

“I proved a lot of things to myself,” Childs said. “I just wanted to show myself that I’m more than a backup. I wanted to show that I could get the job done.”

The rout capped a wild week that saw national media descend on Lincoln following Phillips’ arrest and suspension for allegedly hitting his ex-girlfriend.

There was no sign of Phillips at the game. Backup Damon Benning, who was arrested Sept. 9 on a similar charge, didn’t play because of a sore hamstring.

The Huskers didn’t need them. Arizona State (1-3), which had been giving up 687 yards per game, allowed 508 to Nebraska in the first half. Nebraska finished with 696 total yards, eighth best in school history.

“It’s always your game plan to score, but I can’t say we planned to score on nine of our first 10 possessions,” coach Tom Osborne said. He said his team lost focus in the second half, but not because of off-field problems.

“Each guy has his own individual thoughts, but I didn’t seen anybody that was distracted,” Osborne said. “I think it bothered them, but it didn’t bother their ability to play.”

Quarterback Tommie Frazier threw for two scores and ran for two, while freshman tailback Ahman Green added two touchdowns and a career-high 111 yards. Jeff Makovicka’s 13-yard scoring run put Nebraska up 35-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Frazier was curt when asked if the arrests had tainted Nebraska’s image.

“You’re judging the program off a couple incidents with a couple players,” he said. “We’re sitting on top of the mountain and everyone wants to take a shot at us. You’re trying to put us with the Miamis and the Oklahomas but we don’t care what people say about us.”

Frazier completed 7 of 10 passes for 191 yards.

Nebraska 77, ASU 28

Arizona State 7 14 7 0 - 28

Nebraska 35 28 0 14 - 77

Neb-Childs 65 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Green 3 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Frazier 15 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Vedral 27 pass from Frazier (Brown kick) ASUPoole 2 pass from Plummer (Nycz kick)

Neb-Jf.Makovicka 13 run (Brown kick) ASUPoole 80 pass from Plummer (Nycz kick)

Neb-Childs 38 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Johnson 28 pass from Frazier (Brown kick) ASUPoole 38 pass (Nycz kick)

Neb-Green 26 run (Retzlaff kick)

Neb-Frazier 3 run (Retzlaff kick) ASUBattle 1 run (Nycz kick)

Neb-Arnold 21 interception return (Retzlaff kick)

Neb-Brown 39 pass from Turman (Retzlaff kick)

A-75,418.

ASU Neb First downs 17 30 Rushes-yards 45-171 55-394 Passing yards 290 292 Return yards 77 123 Passes 14-33-2 12-20-1 Punts 7-39 2-61 Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-yards 8-66 5-30 Time of Possession 32:33 27:27

RUSHINGASU, Battle 9-52, Martin 11-40, Hopkins 12-39. Nebraska, Childs 12-143, Green 13-111, Sims 7-47.

PASSINGASU, Plummer 12-26-1-273, Verdugo, 2-4-1-17. Nebraska, Frazier 7-10-1-191, Berringer 2-6-0-16.

RECEIVINGASU, Poole 6-200, Bush 3-24, Boyer 2-17. Nebraska, Johnson 4-129, Gilman 3-39.