It certainly wasn’t easy, but ninth-ranked Nebraska football managed a win against UCLA in the third game of the 1993 season, defeating the 0-1 Bruins 14-13 at the Rose Bowl.
Maybe fan support made a difference. An estimated 12,000 in the crowd of 50,299 were Husker fans. Whatever it was, “I feel we are fortunate to get out of here with a win,” Coach Tom Osborne said. “UCLA played well, and they have a fine team. UCLA’s running game kept us on the ropes the entire game.”
On the ropes? UCLA kept Nebraska from increasing its lead late in the fourth quarter. The Huskers had first-and-goal at the UCLA 9-yard line, but two plays later, split end Corey Dixon lost a fumble, recovered by the Bruins at the 14-yard line with 4:34 remaining.
Dixon’s lost fumble was Nebraska’s third. Quarterback Tommie Frazier lost two and also threw an interception. “With four turnovers, I feel we are fortunate to win,” said Osborne.
UCLA managed only one first down following Dixon’s fumble, however, before punting. Nebraska took over at its 46-yard line with 2:23 remaining, picked up a first down and ran out the clock.
With the Bruins out of timeouts, linebacker Marvin Goodwin faked injury to stop the clock with 25 seconds remaining. But by rule, the time and play clocks resumed when he left the field.
“We had our chances,” UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said. “It’s a shame the damn thing got away.”
Nebraska’s running game “is what kept us in the ‘bacon,’” said Osborne.
The Huskers rushed for 208 yards, including 131 in the second half. Freshman I-back Lawrence Phillips, who replaced Damon Benning 3 minutes into the second quarter, led the way, gaining 137 yards on 28 carries. Frazier, still dealing with ankle issues, ran for 33 yards on nine carries.
Phillips scored Nebraska’s first touchdown on a 5-yard run, late in the first half. Frazier passed to tight end Gerald Armstrong 11 yards for the second, with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter. UCLA took a 10-0 lead before Phillips scored. The Bruins cut the lead to one with 12:22 left in the game.
“I definitely think we escaped today,” said Frazier, who completed 13-of-19 passes for 145 yards.
Frazier’s counterpart, Wayne Cook, went 11-for-22 for 134 yards. Freshman running back Skip Hicks carried 19 times for 148 yards and the Bruins’ lone touchdown.
Hicks credited UCLA’s offensive line for his success. But the line had trouble protecting Cook, who took six sacks, raising Nebraska’s season total to 20.
Senior outside linebacker Trev Alberts had two sacks, 12 tackles, a forced fumble, a pass break-up and two quarterback hurries to earn recognition as the Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Week.
Outside linebacker Bruce Moore and nose tackle Terry Connealy each had a sack-and-a-half. Linebacker Ed Stewart had the other sack. Rover Toby Wright led the Huskers with 13 tackles.
Armstrong’s touchdown catch was the ninth of his career, in 12 receptions. Nebraska’s “Itty Bitty Committee,” Dixon, Abdul Muhammad and Reggie Baul, had a combined eight catches for 65 yards.
Receivers coach Ron Brown gave the trio the nickname. All were 5-foot-9 or shorter.
The game was a homecoming of sorts for Phillips, who came from Baldwin Park High School in West Covina, California. He was the third in three games to lead the Huskers in rushing. Calvin Jones, the first, didn’t make the trip because of injury. Benning was the second.
Despite having to escape with a victory, Nebraska climbed to sixth in the Associated Press poll. Even so, “I’m not sure we’re the same team that started the season,” Osborne said.
