Tuesday, October 13, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Kansas' late-game woes continue
By Jodi M. Smith
Kansan sportswriter
Last season when the Kansas defense was stopping the opponents, it was the Kansas offense that couldn't produce points.
Well, the tables have turned.
when the tapes have turned.
The Jayhawks' defense, which intercepted Baylor quarterbacks four times Saturday night,
failed to stop the Bears when they needed stopping the most.
With Kansas and Baylor tied, 24-24, the Bears began a late fourth-quarter drive that took them 90 yards in 1:09. They scored with 49 seconds remaining and won the game 31-24.
"I've seen this game like four times this year," cornerback Muhammad Abdul-Rahim said. "Being up or being tied in the fourth quarter, and we just can't reach down and get a victory."
Last-minute drives cost the Jayhawks the game against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Bavlor.
"If you look at the beginning of each of the games, it's obvious we're not a bad team," linebacker Pat Brown said. "I know we can play with any team, but
Abdul-Rahim each intercepted a Baylor pass.
we're not proving it, and we've not proven it over and over again."
A spectator watching the earlier part of Saturday's game would probably never have thought that the Kansas defense would fail in the end.
The Baylor offense crushed the Kansas defense for 457 yards — 169 rushing and 288 passing.
"If someone had told me before the game that every one of us was going to get a pick, I knew we would have a victory then." Abdul-Rahim said. "You can expect a win with four turnovers."
FOOTBALL ON TV
Kansas expected it, but the team did not produce.
Twice when the Kansas defense had forced the Bears to a third down and nearly 30 yards to go, Baylor quarterback Jermaine Alfred threw hall
Kansas will play Nebraska this Saturday in a televised game. The game will be at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports Net.
In four quarters of play, every starter on the Kansas secondary had forced a Baylor turnover.
Fox Sports Net will televisi Kansas vs. Colorado on Oct. 24. Game time has been moved to 6 p.m.
The game will be the Jayhawks' fifth televised game this season.
Chad Coellner, Michael Allen, Quincy Roe and
mary passes of 39 and 40 yards.
underruns Broome first down.
producing Baylor first downs. "Their big plays outweighed the four interceptions," Abdul-Rahim said.
So why can't the Jayhawks go the distance?
"There was no drop-off in effort whatsoever," Brown said. "We just weren't executing like we were, say a couple of minutes ago or whatever the case may be."
in the nation. The Cornhuskers lost their first game in more than two seasons to the Texas A&M Aggies.
Kansas plays Nebraska this weekend, one of the best teams
"I think, as a group, we just need to have a turnaround," Abdul-Rahim said. "We played really good defense against A&M. If we go up to Nebraska, I'm not guaranteeing a win, but we're going to go up there and accomplish something up there, make something happen up there."
Cornerbach Muhammad Abdul-Rahim intercepts a Jermaine Alfred pass attempt. Abdul-Rahim's third-quarter interception Saturday against Baylor was his third of the season. Photo by Dan Elevsky/KANSAN
Cornhusker loss takes heavy toll on Nebraska
The Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — You'll have to forgive Nebraska football fans if they're a tad grumpy this week.
of the football universe."
You see, Saturday's 28-21 loss to Texas A&M was Nebraska's first regular-season conference defeat since 1992, when No. 7 Nebraska stubbed its toe against lowly Iowa State.
The A&M loss was THE topic of conversation yesterday around the state, where there is no other major college football program or professional sports team and a billboard across from Memorial Stadium proclaims "Welcome to the center
Heck, even Gov. Ben Nelson weighed in on the matter at his weekly telephone conference call with reporters.
"The year is not gone. All is not wasted," said Nelson, a Nebraska alumnus and big football fan. "There is
still a lot of opportunity out there." Saturday's loss snapped Nebraska's nation-leading, 19-game winning streak and dropped the Cornhuskers, who had been ranked
second in both major polls, to No. 8.
second in both major polls, to No. 8. Simply being ranked in the Top 25 would be cause for giddiness in most programs. But this is Nebraska, which hasn't had a losing season since 1961 and has won or shared five national championships since 1970 — an average of about one every five years or so.
Gums were flapping at the Lincoln Straight Edge Barber Shop.
"We've got a good group of guys, but the leadership isn't where it was the past few years," said barber Dick Olson.
It was the first loss for new coach Frank Solich, who took over this season for the revered Tom Osborne.
Some went right to the top and directed their bilious venom toward the coaches.
Some fans blamed the defense; others sniped about the offense.
Solich made no excuses
"They beat us because they played better," he said.
Many fans were philosophical.
Many lans were philosophical. Salesman Joe Crosswhite said the Cornhuskers probably would use the setback as a springboard, just as they did after the 1929 loss.
"You get used to winning — everything," he said. "Maybe this will get them focused."
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