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Monday, November 21, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Sports
Tigers' running game rolls over KU 55-17
Season-ending loss to Missouri drops Jayhawks' record to 1-10
By Jeff Euston
Kansan sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas freshman strong safety King Dixon tries to stop Missouri sophomore fullback Tom White Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
It was a long end to a long season for the Kansas Jayhawks football team Saturday.
The Missouri Tigers rushed for nearly 500 yards and defeated Kansas 55-17 in Memorial Stadium.
The Jayhawks finished the season with a record of 1-10, while the Tigers finished 3-7-1 and were unsure if they would body indefender would return next season.
"This was a big game," Widenhofer said. "It was good for the alumni, fans and the students. It was a nice way to end the season. I have no idea how this game will affect me."
Missouri's 55 points were the most scored by the Tigers during Widehofer's four seasons as coach, but the performance may have come too soon.
Speculation began two weeks ago that Bob Stull, head coach at the University of Texas-El Paso, would replace Widenhofer.
The Tigers' rushing attack worked nearly to perfection Saturday. Missouri controlled the ball for more than 60 minutes and rolled up 41-74 yards on the ground.
Pleased up the Kansas defenders, who spent much of the game on the field, said they were impressed.
"Missouri has talent," Kansas linebacker Mike Long said. "They have no business being 3-7-1. WWith the talent they had, they should have been in the running for bowl games." Jason
Kansas freshman safety Jason Priest was more direct.
"They drove it down our throats," he said.
Missouri twice scored on drives of more than seven minutes. The Tigers' workhorse was sophomore halfback Michael Jones, who was averaging just 30 yards rushin-
through the first 10 games of the season.
Jones ran for 110 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the first quarter Saturday. He finished with 172 yards on 24 carries.
"Our offensive line did a great job and we can't do a thing without them," Jones said. "We saw what we can do as a team."
The Kansas defense, as a team, ended the season with a dubious record. The Jayhawks finished the season with an 11-game total of 5,896 yards allowed. That average of 536 yards per game broke the NCAA Division I record of 532.5 set by Northwestern in 1981.
Northwestern in 1958.
The Jayhawks defense also surrendered an average of 45.1 points per game, breaking the previous school record of 37.7 set by the 1954 team that finished 0-10.
"We've been overmatched in every game we've played this season," Mason said. "We had to get ready to play every game this season because if we didn't, we得 glown right out of the stadium."
Just as they have many times this season, the Jayhawks appeared ready to play in the first quarter.
Ready to After Missouri took a 7-0 lead, Kansas started a crisp drive of its own
Sophomore tailback Frank Hatchett, continuing his early-game heroics, picked up 43 yards on two carries, including a 15-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7-7.
Last week at Oklahoma State,
Hatchett scored on an 84-yard touchdown
run on Kansas' first possession.
And Nov. 5 against Kansas State,
Hatchett ran for 78 yards in a Kansas
score driving that opened the game.
Kansas then briefly appeared to take control of the game when Missouri senior Craig Lammers fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Kansas freshman King Dixon recovered the loose ball at the Missouri 24 yard line.
But the Jayhawks did not capitalize.
Kansas wasted a first-and-goal
opportunity from the three yard line. Hatchett and freshman tailback Tony Sands both were stopped short of the goal line, and on third down, quarterback Kelly Donoho's pass to Willie Vaughn fell incomplete.
The Jayhawks were forced to settle for Brad Fleeman's 20-yard field goal and did not score again until they trailed 31-10 in the second quarter.
The inability of the Kansas offense
to control the ball hurt the Jayhawks, Kansas center Chip Budde said.
"We didn't control the ball near what we're capable of," he said. "I think that was probably the biggest factor in their offense being so successful. The defense was out there almost 30 minutes nonstop."
"I didn't play well," Donohoe said. "I wasn't on page with my receivers some of the time and they messed up coverage-wise.
Donohoe shouldered some of the blame for the ineffectiveness of the offense.
"It's really painful and really embarrassing to finish out a year like this, but we've got a lot coming back and I'm excited about our chances next year."
ahead.
"I think you always have to weigh the positives against the negatives," he said. "This game was a negative. But that doesn't totally negate the things we accomplished.
"We have a number of problems.
With every step we take forward, we take a step backward. We knew coming in it would be a tough go but we played hard and didn't give up."
Seniors close out careers on losing note
Mason, too, said he was looking
Associate news editor
Bv Elaine Sung
mixing the ball again, but managed to recover it.
It wasn't a glorious ending to the college careers of 13 Kansas seniors in the Jayhawks 55-17 loss to Missouri on Saturday.
For wide receiver Villeman Vaughn, it was a terrible way to end a distinguished career at Kansas. He fumbled twice in the second quarter, and his team's touchdown that gave the Tigers a 28-10 lead.
Vaughn ended his career with school records for career receptions at 133 and career receiving yardage at 2,266, which is also good for third place on the all-time Big Eight list. Vaughn finished the day with three receptions for 42 yards.
Vaughn didn't appear at the post-game press conference.
Brehm run straight for the first-down marker 24 yards away and barely made it before being
For punter John Brehm, one of the highlights of the game came late in the second quarter. Kansas was facing a fourth-and-long situation, and Brehm was sent in to punt. But when he took the snap, he looked up, looked around, saw that he was wide open and he ran.
pushed out of bounds.
"We watched the special teams films on Thursday, and Coach Mason pointed out how their defense just turned around and didn't wait to see the kick. Coach told us that if we got the chance to run, let's run." Brehm said.
Brehm, who has also seen some action at Kansas as a wide receiver, said he wanted to do his part in helping the young team grow in its first year under Mason.
"You could tell from the beginning that it was going to be a rebuilding year for us," Brehm said. "I wanted to make sure I could contribute in any way so that we improved."
"Personally, I felt I contributed today. As a team, I know we didn't play as well as we could have. But I think the guys will come back strong in a year or two."
Brehm's fake punt gave Kansas a first-down opportunity and resulted in the Jayhawks' second and final touchdown, courtesy of senior tailback Arnold Snell.
Snell ran the last seven yards on a first-and-goal with 1:22 left in the half. It was the last touchdown of his collegiate career and the last time the Jayhawks would score in the game.
tell the day why he had won. "We would have liked to win." Snell said. "We went out there and made a whole lack of mistakes. I think it was just a lack of concentration."
tion. Teams get like that."
"I'd like to try and get to the next higher level," Snell said. "Hopefully, I'll get my chance somewhere and I'll make it."
Senior inside linebacker Mike Long, a Rockhurst High School graduate, was a walk-on in 1984. He got the starting job when sophomore Tony Barker was sidelined with an injury in early October.
On Saturday, he finished up his career with 12 tackles against Missouri.
Snell said he has hopes of getting drafted and playing for a professional football team.
"It's weird. I kind of feel like I made it through here in five days and kept my head up." Long said. "I feel like I really accomplished something. Things didn't always go so good, losing year in and year out like we have.
I think we made progress this season. If you look at the youngsters we've got out there, the size, what can you say? All you can ask is that they ask best. And I think they've done that all season.
Also finishing their careers with Kansas were cornerbacks Peda Samuel, Tony Gregory and Rodney Harris; safety Rob Newson; wide receiver Byron Hornung; guards Dave Grattan and Ken Trossen and tackle Chris Nielsen.
Fiesta Bowl to decide who's No.1, provided Notre Dame beats USC
The Associated Press
Southern California and Nebraska settled two conference titles and four bowl matchups Saturday, while Notre Dame moved one step closer to a possible national title and a Fiesta Bowl showdown with West Virginia.
tung against Cleveland, hoping to play for the national championship when it it faces West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 2, ran its record to 10-2 by crushing Penn State 21-3. The Irish will wind up the regular season next Saturday at Southern California, which clinched a Rose Bowl berth against Michigan by defeating UCLA 31-22 for the Pac-10 title.
title.
UCLA will go to the Cotton Bowl against Southwest Conference champion Arkansas. The Southern Cal victory also means that Florida State will go to the Sugar Bowl against the Southeastern Conference host, either Louisiana State or Auburn.
Nebraska defeated Oklahoma 7-3 to capture the Big Eight Conference crown and clinch a berth in the Orange Bowl against Miami, the defending national champion. Oklahoma will head to the Citrus Bowl for a Jan. 2 meeting against Clemson.
Bowl bids were officially extended Saturday evening. Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said he was trying not to think about the Mountaineers yet.
think about the Mountaineers. "They seem to be a very good team, better than us right now," Holtz said from South Bend, Ind. "The primary thing on our mind at this time is Southern Cal. We have to play against a great team out there and beat them."
College Bowls
Nebraska and Oklahoma lead four Big Eight teams
Despite suffering a 38-24 loss to Boston College in a game played in Dublin, Ireland, Army will take its 8-2 record to the Sun Bowl Dec. 24 to meet Alabama.
The bowl season begins Dec. 12 when Western Michigan plays Fresno State in the California Bowl. On Dec. 23, Southern Mississippi and Texas-El Paso will battle in the Independence Bowl.
Colorado, a 56-14 winner over Kansas State Saturday, will go to the Freedom Boom Dec. 29 to meet Brigham Young, Oklahoma State, which defeated Iowa State 49-28 Saturday, will face Wyoming in the Holiday Boom Dec. 30.
On Christmas Day, Washington State will play Houston in the Aloha Bowl. Houston, 8-2, defeated Texas Tech 30-29 on Saturday.
playing in bowl games this season.
Indiana, which swamped Purdue 52-7 Saturday to run its record to 7-3-1, will face South Carolina, a 29-10 loser to Clemson, in the Liberty Bowl Dec. 28.
Illinois, 6-4-1 after defeating Northwestern 14-9, will take on Florida in the All American Bowl at Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 29.
The only game to be played on New Year's Day, a Sunday, is the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia will take on Michigan State, which swamped Wisconsin 36-0 Saturday to increase its record to 6-4-1.
On Jan. 2, the bowl games overflow, capped by the Nebraska-Miami contest in Miami's Orange Bowl.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TOP COLLEGE TEN FOOTBALL
Points
1 Notre Dame (8) 10-0-0 89
2 USC (1) 10-0-0 81
3 West Virginia 11-0-0 69
4 Miami(Fla.) 11-1-0 63
5 Nebraska 11-1-0 49
6 Florida State 9-1-0 47
7 Auburn 9-1-0 33
8 UCLA 9-2-0 25
9 Arkansas 10-0-0 23
10 Oklahoma 9-2-0 8
() nume voles
The weekly top 10 poll is voted on by the sports staff of the University Daily Kansan.
Nebraska beats Oklahoma, takes conference title
The Associated Press
"our defense just stuffed them when we had to," said Huskers coach Tom Okorine, who will take 11-10 against play Miami in the Orange Bowl.
Nebraska just wouldn't let Okla home turn the corner.
The seventh-ranked Cornhuskers stopped the Oklahoma wihbone cold Saturday, taking a 7-3 victory in Norman to buy an Orange Bowl ticket with the Big Eight Conference championship.
Elsewhere in the Big Eight, No. 13 Oklahoma State stunned Iowa State in the fourth quarter 49-28, and Colorado kept Kansas State winless 56-14.
the weekend left Oklahoma in the Citrus Bowl against Clemson, Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl against Wyoming and Colorado in the Freedom Bowl against Brigham Young.
Nebraska, 7-0 in the Big Eight, beat Oklahoma for the first time in four years to win its first outright Big Eight title since 1883. A 31-game conference winning streak was ended for the ninth-ranked Sooners, who finished 9-2 and 6-1 in the league.
"We couldn't do anything offensively, that's the trouble," Sooners coach Barry Switzer said. "Our inepneity on offense didn't allow us to compete in the ballgame.
"Our defense played well enough to win. If you had told me we were only going to score three points, I'd have gotten them, I've got have gotten the hell out of us."
Nebraska took the opening kickoff 80 yards for the only score of the game, played through intermittent rain in 35-degree weather. Quarterback Steve Taylor scored from 1 yard away.
Oklahoma, averaging 368 yards rushing per game, was held to 86 yards on the ground and 137 total yards. The Sooners failed to score a touchdown for the first time in 62 games, getting only a 29-yard field goal from R.D. Lashar.
Oklahoma State 49
Iowa State 28
Sanders rushed for 293 yards on 32 carriers to set a Big Eight record with 2.296 yards this season, scored four touchdowns to extend his NCAA sea
Barry Sanders took his show to Ames as Oklahoma State turned back Iowa State.
Big 8 Football
son record to 35 and established another NCAA record with 2,897 all-purpose yards for the season.
The Cowboys, 8-2 and third in the Big Eight at 5-2, trailed 28-21 in the fourth quarter when Sanders ripped off an 80-vard downtown run.
The Cowboys then added three more scores, including another Sanders touchdown, to subdue Iowa State. 5-6 and 3-4.
"I think the turning point was when the best player in college football made an 80-yard touchdown run." Cowbys coach Pat Jon Jones said. Barry Sanders told them take three open.The team would defense 4-ydared us to death most of the game, but then the decision-makers decided the game."
Colorado 56 Kansas State 14
"Our game plan was to take time off the clock while moving the ball up the field." Cyclones coach Jim Walmiland. "The only time I have seen Barry Sanders stopped is when he is sitting on the bench."
The Cyclones actually outgained Oklahoma State by a yard, 417-416, and held the ball for 18 minutes longer.
Kansas State coach Stan Parrish survived to go on to other things, but just barely. Parrish, who announced his resignation a month ago, closed out an 11- season and will leave Kansas State with a 2-3-1 record.
"I put an incredible amount of effort into just keeping us going, but keeping us goin' isn't the name of the person arraised said after the trip to Boulder.
"I'll miss the kids, my staff more than anything in the world, but the rest I won't miss a lick." Parrish said.
Colorado coach Bill McCarthy said the Buffs had reached a plateau with their 8-3 season, 4-3 and fourth in the Big Eight.
"We did what good football teams do; we got better as the season went on." McCartney said. "I think we've laid the foundation for future CU teams to win eight or nine games every year."