[Note: Last Tuesday’s Digest recounted Nebraska’s first bowl victory in the Gotham Bowl at old Yankee Stadium, the second, and most recent, time the Huskers have played in New York City. So here’s a Digest about another bowl.]
COINCIDENCE, PROBABLY
Nebraska fans would complain afterward, though the basis for their complaint wasn’t necessarily justified in the context of all four quarters of the 1982 Orange Bowl, a 22-15 loss to Clemson.
During an NBC television production meeting prior to the game, Clemson Coach Danny Ford encouraged SEC officials to pay particular attention to Nebraska for holding.
A Lincoln Journal and Star sports writer attended the meeting at the invitation of an NBC producer, as an observer not a reporter. However, the Omaha World-Herald reported the next day, during halftime NBC announcer Don Criqui said on air Ford had asked officials at the meeting to pay special attention to Husker All-America and Outland Trophy-winning center Dave Rimington.
In the context of the first half, Husker fans might have been justified in questioning the officiating. Nebraska was penalized six times for 54 yards, Clemson twice for illegal procedure. More to the point, Rimington was charged with three of the penalties, two for holding, one for clipping.
All three penalties were half-the-distance. Suspicious, right?
Consider the third quarter, though. Clemson was penalized three times—also two holding and one clipping—while Nebraska wasn’t penalized. Both teams drew two penalties in the fourth quarter, Nebraska for delay of game and holding, Clemson for delay of game twice.
The holding penalty came with 7:39 remaining, nullifying a 13-yard run by I-back Mike Rozier on first down from the Huskers’ 37-yard line as they tried to score a game-tying touchdown. Nebraska was subsequently forced to punt and wouldn’t get the ball back until 6 seconds remained.
Clemson’s two penalties came on its final 10-play drive to run down the clock.
Taken as a complete game, there was little disparity in penalties—Nebraska eight for 64 yards, Clemson seven for 57 yards—though again, Husker fans took out their frustration on the officials.
The frustration was magnified by the fact Nebraska likely would have won a national championship with a victory. Clemson, unranked to open the season, was 11-0 and No. 1, while the Huskers overcame a 1-2 start—losses to Iowa and Penn State—to win eight in a row and climb to No. 4.
Pittsburgh, No. 1 before losing to Penn State (48-14) in the final game of the regular season, defeated No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl 24-20, and No. 6 Texas upset No. 3 Alabama in the Cotton Bowl 14-12. SMU, No. 5, was 10-1 but on NCAA probation and couldn’t play in a bowl.
The Mustangs weren’t included in the coaches’ poll.
Despite the penalties on Rimington in the first half, Nebraska only trailed 12-7, with nine of Clemson’s points the result of Husker fumbles, one recovered at the Nebraska 28-yard line, setting up a 41-yard field goal, the other at the Nebraska 27-yard line, setting up a second-quarter touchdown.
The Huskers responded to the field goal with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Rozier to wingback Anthony Steels. Clemson added a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter and took the halftime lead with the touchdown. Nebraska’s undoing was Clemson’s 10-0 third quarter.
The Huskers cut into the lead with a 26-yard, Roger Craig touchdown run and two-point Craig conversion run with 9:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Clemson’s final 10-play, 34-yard drive began with 5:24 remaining.
The game’s last play was a Hail Mary pass by Mark Mauer, line of scrimmage the Nebraska 46-yard line, deflected by Clemson near its 15-yard line.
Mauer was playing because All-Big Eight quarterback Turner Gill was sidelined with nerve damage in his lower right leg, suffered in the next-to-last regular-season game against Iowa State.
Nebraska, which ranked second nationally in rushing, averaging 330.5 yards per game, managed only 193 yards on the ground and 256 total yards—after averaging 437.5 during the season.
Clemson had “the best defense we’ve faced,” Coach Tom Osborne said.
That had more to do with the outcome than the officiating.
Though some Husker fans wouldn’t agree.
Mike Babcock
