For the second-consecutive game, Nebraska football I-back Ahman Green ran for four touchdowns. And for the fourth-consecutive game, he rushed for more than 100 yards — 158 on 20 carries.
He carried only twice in the second half. Had he seen more playing time after the intermission, “Ahman would have had unbelievable numbers,” running backs coach Frank Solich said.
The numbers were fairly unbelievable anyway.
As a result of his performance in the third-ranked Huskers’ 49-21 victory against Baylor at Floyd Casey Stadium in mid-October 1997, there were post-game questions about his Heisman Trophy chances. Solich dismissed such questions to focus on the season. Baylor Coach Dave Roberts said Green could lay the foundation for a serious run in 1998. But Green would opt out of his senior season for the NFL.
In any case, what he did on that rainy night in Waco, Texas, was Heisman-worthy, as were his statistics in the first five games: 692 yards, 11 touchdowns. He ran for 99 yards and a touchdown in the opener.
Discussing Green’s Heisman candidacy was reasonable given the game’s outcome. It wasn’t as competitive as the final score might indicate. Nebraska led 42-7 at halftime and 49-7 at the end of three quarters. Even so, Coach Tom Osborne wasn’t satisfied.
“I’m not looking for a big (final) score,” he said. “I’m just kind of upset about the fact that we didn’t finish off well. Normally, our second units play better than that.”
The score was tied briefly in the first quarter, after Baylor running back Jerod Douglas offset Green’s first touchdown, from 3 yards, on Nebraska’s second possession with an 80-yard touchdown run.
The Douglas run came on the first play from scrimmage after that. He was Baylor’s leading rusher, with 84 yards on 15 carries. You can do the math. The Bears had problems running the ball.
And passing it. They finished with 46 yards passing, with one interception.
The Huskers rushed for 410 yards and finished with 548 yards of offense. Quarterback Scott Frost carried 12 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. Fullback Joel Makovicka and back-up I-back Jay Sims scored Nebraska’s other touchdowns, the last, Frost’s, with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter.
“I thought the first two and a half quarters we played pretty well,” said Osborne.
The Huskers fumbled five times, losing three, the last by reserve fullback Willie Miller in the end zone for Baylor’s third touchdown, on the final play of the game.
“We got a good chance to look at our second units,” Osborne said. “I didn’t see what I’d like to see. We were just kind of disappointed in the execution. You like to see execution.”
Except for the breakdown that allowed the 80-yard touchdown run, the Blackshirts dominated, finishing with four sacks and the interception by freshman corner Erwin Swiney. The sacks were by linebackers Tony Ortiz and Brian Shaw, defensive tackle Jason Wiltz and freshman rover Joe Walker.
Baylor punted nine times, Nebraska’s Jesse Kosch only once.
The Huskers improved to 5-0, Baylor dropped to 1-4. With No. 14 LSU’s 28-21 upset of top-ranked Florida, Nebraska moved to second in both national polls behind Penn State, which replaced the Gators after defeating No. 7 Ohio State 31-27.
Michigan junior Charles Woodson, primarily a defensive back, would win the Heisman Trophy in 1997. Green didn’t finish in the top-10 in voting, though his statistics were significantly better than three of the four running backs who were. Texas running back Ricky Williams would win it in 1998.
