Badgers stun Huskers with late TD bomb
Playing without star quarterback Dave Humm for over half the game, Nebraska’s bubble burst earlier than expected as the Huskers fell to the Wisconsin Badgers 21-20.
Playing before a regional ABC-TV audience and 73,381 in Camp Randall Stadium, the Huskers, playing without Humm, who suffered a hip pointer in the first quarter, battled courageously to a 17-14 fourth-quarter lead against the fired-up Badgers.
Then with 4:21 left in the game, Mike Coyle successfully kicked a 22-yard Husker field goal, giving Nebraska a 6-point lead with little time remaining. But catastrophe was about to strike.
Badger quarterback Gregg Bohlig, faced with a second and 16 from his own 23, rolled right and hit flanker Jeff Mack with a 77-yard TD pass, and with the successful kick, Wisconsin led Nebraska 21-20. It was also to be the final score.
Humm’s injury proved costly for the Huskers. Nebraska outrushed the Badgers 258 to 77, but Wisconsin outpassed the Huskers 242-47.
H’MAX NOTES: Coyle’s field goal with 4:21 remaining came after the Huskers had picked up a first down at the Wisconsin 2 yard line. NU’s offense was stymied on its three plays before the kick. … The Badgers sealed the victory when safety Steve Wagner intercepted an Earl Everett pass with 2:40 left. … The Huskers entered the game as 15-point favorites.
