It’s Simple: Huskers Too Good

Nebraska has drained all the suspense out of the college football poll.

It’s the Cornhuskers and Everyone Else. Maybe the second spot in the rankings should be left vacant to accurately portray the gap that exists. Somehow, it doesn’t seem appropriate to put another team right behind Nebraska.

In a totally predictable vote, the Cornhuskers were a unanimous choice for national champion in the final Associated Press poll Wednesday. They became the first repeat champion since Alabama in 1978-79.

“This is my most complete team,” said coach Tom Osborne, whose Cornhuskers received all 62 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters after a 62-24 rout of No. 2 Florida in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday night. “We didn’t really have a close call this season, we were never seriously threatened.”

Nebraska (12-0) played four teams which finished in the Top 10 and won those games by an average score of 49-18, capped off by one of the most stunning performances in bowl history. Only one team - Texas A&M in a 65-14 victory over Brigham Young at the 1990 Holiday Bowl - has scored more points in a postseason game.

The Cornhuskers ripped through Florida’s defense for 629 yards, including 524 on the ground as quarterback Tommie Frazier ran for 199 yards and I-back Lawrence Phillips added 165. The defense sacked Florida’s Danny Wuerffel seven times (once for a safety), intercepted three passes (returning one for a touchdown) and allowed just 269 yards to take all the fun out of the “Fun ‘N Gun.”

Nebraska’s domination this season was so thorough, so complete, there was no need to even mention another team in the same breath. Don’t forget: Prior to the Fiesta Bowl, the Cornhuskers beat No. 5 Colorado 44-21, No. 7 Kansas State 49-25, No. 9 Kansas 41-3.

Indeed, Nebraska is a team for the ages.

“When you look at the kicking game, the defense, this was the best team I’ve ever coached,” said Osborne, who has coached the Cornhuskers for 23 years. “In 1983, we had a great offense but not a very good defense. Last year, we had a great offensive team that got better on defense as the year went along. But the numbers indicate this is the best.”

Despite the blowout, Florida (12-1) remained second in the final AP poll. Rounding out the Top 10 were Tennessee, Florida State, Colorado, Ohio State, Kansas State, Northwestern, Kansas and Virginia Tech.

Florida State, which beat Notre Dame 31-26 in the Orange Bowl, finished in the top four for a record ninth consecutive season.

Notre Dame was 11th, followed by USC, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia, Michigan, Oregon, Syracuse, Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Texas Tech, Toledo and Iowa.

In the USA Today-CNN coaches’ poll, Nebraska was the unanimous choice for No. 1, while Tennessee (11-1) edged Florida for second place even though the Gators routed the Vols 62-37 on Sept. 16. Colorado was fourth, followed by Florida State, Kansas State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Kansas.

Nebraska hails Huskers

Coach Tom Osborne and his Nebraska players returned home Wednesday to thunderous applause and chants of “We’re number one!” as the state celebrated the team’s second straight national football title.

Osborne led the players to the stage in the Devaney Sports Center and stood aside as spotlights bathed the platform.

Stepping to the microphone, he said: “I very proud, personally, that this team has done a great job this year.”

The state declared the day “Number 1 Nebraska Day.” In two cities far from Lincoln, frenzied football fans tore down goal posts at state colleges after the Cornhuskers defeated Florida 62-24 Tuesday night in the Fiesta Bowl. Around the state, stores reported brisk sales of Husker memorabilia.

An estimated crowd of 8,000 fans greeted the team at the Devaney Sports Center. The “whoa” sound accompanying fans doing the wave filled the arena with the cacophony of a roller coaster.

Phillips advised to leave

Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said on Wednesday he has advised tailback Lawrence Phillips to declare for the NFL draft.

Phillips was suspended from the Cornhuskers for six weeks after he pleaded no contest to a charge of beating a former girlfriend. He was restored to the team late in the season and ran for 165 yards and three touchdowns in Nebraska’s 62-24 victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl national championship game Tuesday night.

Osborne said the scrutiny of the junior running back was behind his decision to tell Phillips to enter this spring’s professional draft.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll go pro and I’ve told him to,” Osborne said. “The thing that bothers me is that there have been a lot of people on campus who have been anti-Lawrence Phillips … “

Phillips has said he will consider entering the draft if an NFL committee projects him as a first-round pick. He said he has not made his decision.

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