Turmoil Ends In Triumph Nebraska Wins Title With Rout Of Florida

As they began carting Florida players off the field, and counting the cleat marks on quarterback Danny Wuerffel’s chest, and zooming in on Steve Spurrier’s crestfallen face, it was time to consider Nebraska’s place in college football history.

It was the second quarter.

The most hyped game of its time, the clash of undefeated titans, the game everyone waited to see, was over.

Color it red. Nebraska’s swarming sea and Florida’s face.

Spotting the opponents a rare first-quarter lead, perhaps needing to work up an anger, Nebraska scored 29 unanswered second-quarter points in a 62-24 victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium before a crowd of 79,864.

The win secured for the 12-0 Cornhuskers their second consecutive undefeated season and national championship.

Any questions concerning Nebraska’s all-time worthiness were answered early and resoundingly.

Tommie Frazier proved he has no peer as collegiate option quarterback in riddling the Gator defense for 199 rushing yards in 16 carries while completing 6 of 14 passes for 105 yards.

Frazier, the game’s most valuable player, passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two, the second being one of the most spectacular scrambles in memory, a third-quarter quarterback draw in which he broke at least six tackles en route to a Fiesta Bowl-record 75-yard run.

“Frazier is great football player,” coach Tom Osborne said. “It does point to the fact there is a place in college football for a running quarterback. I think the option still has a place.”

Yeah, maybe. Nebraska finished with 629 yards and averaged 7.6 yards per play.

“When you look at a defense for a month, you can look at weaknesses,” Frazier said.

It was sweet redemption for Frazier, who grew up in Bradenton, Fla.

“I always wanted to leave the state, come back and beat each Florida team in the championship game,” he said. “I beat two of them (Miami and Florida).

Tailback Lawrence Phillips also starred after being reinstated as a starter last week, finishing with 165 yards in 25 carries, 105 of his yards coming in the first half.

The Nebraska defense, unsung by comparison, ransacked Florida’s fabled Fun ‘N Gun offense, sacking quarterback Wuerffel seven times, five in the first half, and limiting Florida to minus-28 yards net rushing.

The Cornhuskers’ blitz strategy wrecked the timing of Florida’s precision pass offense.

“A couple of times we didn’t have enough blockers,” Wuerffel explained. “Other times there were mistakes in schemes. They were coming at the right time from the right places. You have to give them credit.”

It was close for a few minutes. Florida took early leads of 3-0 and 10-6 in the first quarter, only the second time Nebraska had trailed this season.

Then came the onslaught: Phillips’ 42-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter gave the Cornhuskers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Nebraska 62, Florida 24

Florida 10 0 8 6 - 24

Nebraska 6 29 14 13 - 62

Fla-FG Edmiston 23

Neb-Phillips 16 pass from Frazier (kick failed)

Fla-Wuerffel 1 run (Edmiston kick)

Neb-Phillips 42 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Safety, J.Williams tackled Wuerffel in end zone

Neb-Green 1 run (Brown kick)

Neb-FG Brown 26

Neb-Booker 42 interception return (Brown kick)

Neb-FG Brown 24

Neb-Frazier 35 run (Brown kick)

Fla-Hilliard 35 pass from Wuerffel (Anthony pass from Wuerffel)

Neb-Frazier 75 run (Brown kick)

Neb-Phillips 15 run (kick failed)

Neb-Berringer 1 run (Retzlaff kick)

Fla-Anthony 93 kickoff return (pass failed)

A-79,864.

Fla Neb First downs 15 27 Rushes-yards 21-(-28) 68-524 Passing 297 105 Return Yards 265 152 Comp-Att-Int 20-38-3 6-15-2 Punts 4-41 1-36 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-Yards 9-78 4-30 Time of Possession 24:43 35:17

RUSHINGFlorida, E.Williams 6-6, T.Jackson 4-4, Anthony 2-(minus 1), Wuerffel 9-(minus 37). Nebraska, Frazier 16-199, Phillips 25-165, Green 9-68, Simms 2-35, Je.Makovicka 6-32, Childs 3-14, Schuster 1-4, Jo.Makovicka 2-4, Benning 1-3, Berringer 1-1, Legate 1-1, Turman 1-(minus 2).

PASSINGFlorida, Wuerffel 17-31-3-255, Kresser 3-7-0-42. Nebraska, Frazier 6-14-2-105, Phillips 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVINGFlorida, Doering 8-123, Hilliard 6-100, Anthony 2-40, McGriff 2-19, T.Jackson 1-10, Evans 1-5. Nebraska, Johnson 2-43, Holbein 1-33, Phillips 1-16, Je.Makovicka 1-8, Vedral 1-5.