Nebraska Drums Colorado Extends Nation’s Longest Winning Streak To 21 Games; Iowa State Up Next

To inspire his team, a Colorado player beat a war drum before Saturday’s game against Nebraska. The gimmick didn’t work.

Tommie Frazier threw for a career-high 241 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score as the second-ranked Cornhuskers continued their domination of the No. 7 Buffaloes with a 44-21 victory.

Ahman Green ran for two touchdowns and Kris Brown kicked three field goals for Nebraska, which beat Colorado for the fourth straight year and extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 21 games.

The Cornhuskers, who never trailed after Green raced 57 yards for a touchdown on their first play from scrimmage, moved closer to a fifth consecutive Big Eight title and a chance to play for a second straight national title in the Fiesta Bowl.

Colorado (2-2 Big Eight, 6-2) was hurt by 12 penalties and two interceptions, while Nebraska (4-0, 8-0) played a nearly flawless game with no penalties or turnovers. Three costly penalties aided a Nebraska scoring drive near the end of the first half, and Colorado’s turnovers led to 10 Cornhuskers points.

Nebraska played without star running back Lawrence Phillips, who was reinstated to the team Tuesday following a suspension for hitting his former girlfriend. Phillips didn’t make the trip to Boulder, but is scheduled to play next week against Iowa State.

The Huskers didn’t need him against Colorado, which came up with a surprise move before the game even started.

Instead of coming out through the tunnel, the Buffaloes walked through the student section of the stands on their way to the field. Then they gathered at midfield, raised their gold helmets and pointed toward the north end zone, where Colorado fullback Sulu Petaia was beating a Samoan war drum. Petaia, who is from American Somoa, is out for the season with a knee injury.

But Nebraska quickly silenced the record crowd of 54,063 at Folsom Field.

After forcing Colorado to punt on the opening series, the Huskers struck on their first play when Green took a pitch from Frazier, turned the left corner and sprinted down the sideline untouched.