Cowboys "Fought Hard,' But Not at Huskers' Level
BY Bill Haisten
Oct 8, 1993
5/17/08 at 1:14 AM
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State freshman quarterback Tone Jones
says he and his teammates weren't awed by the challenge
of holding a lead over Nebraska.
He also says the Cowboys aren't at all satisfied with playing
the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers to a 13-13 stalemate through
three quarters. Nebraska scored twice in the final period
Thursday night to prevail 27-13 and record Tom Osborne's
200th victory as Husker coach.
"Who wants to just be in the game for three quarters? You
go out to win against Nebraska or whoever it is," said
Jones, who led OSU to a 13-3, first-half lead. "We played
hard, fought hard, but Nebraska took their game to another
level in the second half. We didn't.
"This gives us confidence, but we hate to lose it."
Nebraska came in averaging nearly 500 total yards per game, but the
O-State defense limited the Huskers to 118 first-half yards. I-back Calvin
Jones, back from a knee injury, netted 26 on nine runs.
OSU countered with a run-pass mix that resulted in Lawson
Vaughn field goals of 26 and 29 yards. After a Byron Bennett
field goal cut the OSU lead to 6-3, Tone Jones directed
a masterful drive that covered 80 yards in 16 plays and
consumed eight minutes, 25 seconds.
Jones had a successful fourth-down sneak for a first down,
then connected with fullback Joe Jefferson on a screen pass
that went for 12 yards on third-and-8 from the Nebraska
25-yard line. Jefferson's hesitation move froze Husker defender
John Reece, then Jefferson raced to the 12.
Three plays later, a one-yard dive by freshman tailback
Louis Adams gave the Cowboys a 13-3 advantage.
Another Bennett field goal - this one from 26 yards on the final play
of the half - cut the OSU lead to 13-6, but the Cowboys were inspired and
riding momentum when intermission came.
"If we could've bottled the intensity from the first half
and left it out there on the field, we could've won," said
Mike Butler, OSU offensive tackle.
Instead, Nebraska played sharper, opportunistic football
in the second half. OSU hadn't allowed a rushing touchdown
this season - nearly 280 game minutes - until 5:24 remained
in the third, when versatile Husker quarterback Tommie Frazier
scored on a four-yard option keeper for a 13-13 tie.
