Nebraska Cornhuskers	Washington Huskies ©
Played September 20, 1997 at Husky Stadium Seattle, Washington

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Nebraska	1	0	2	0	.000					0	2	0	.000
Washington ©	10	27	11	0	.711	16	4	0	.800	11	6	0	.647	0	1	0	.000

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

 

The 7^th ranked, 2-0 Nebraska Cornhuskers of coach Tom Osborne traveled to Seattle for a match-up with the 2^nd ranked, 2-0 Washington Huskies of coach Jim Lambright.  Nebraska was a star-studded team featuring All-Americans in OG Aaron Taylor (the Outland Trophy winner), DT Grant Wistrom (the Lombardi Award winner), & DT Jason Peter as well as All-Big XII players OT Eric Anderson, CB Ralph Brown, & RB Ahman Green.  With QB Scott Frost running the offense, this was a classic Cornhuskers’ ground attack.  Nebraska rushed for 384 yards & the Blackshirts, Nebraska's defense, held Washington to just 43 yards rushing on their way to a 27-14 victory to claim The Belt for the first time since 1972 when the Cornhuskers were the original Belt champions.  After Washington's PK Randy Jones missed a 20-yard field goal attempt on the Huskies opening drive, Frost scored twice in the 1^st quarter on runs of 34 & 30 yards as the Cornhuskers took a 14-0 lead.  Of more concern to the Huskies was the loss of QB Brock Huard on the last play of the 1^st quarter due to a sprained ankle & QB Marques Tuiasosopo, a true freshman, replaced Huard.  Green added a 4-yard touchdown run in the 2^nd quarter as Nebraska pushed the lead to 21-0.  After Nebraska failed to gain a first down on a fake field goal attempt, Tuiasosopo drove the Huskies for a score, connecting with All-Pac 10 TE Cam Cleeland on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 1:38 left in the half to keep the Huskies close but still trailing 21-7 at halftime.  After Nebraska's PK Kris Brown missed a 41-yard field goal attempt on the Cornhuskers' opening drive of the 2^nd half, Tuiasosopo’s capped a 66-yard drive with 2-yard touchdown pass to RB Mike Reed that sent the game to the 4^th quarter with Nebraska holding a 21-14 edge.  In the 4^th quarter, Brown connected on a field goal of 20 yards that made him the Cornhuskers all-time leader in field goals.  Nebraska's RB Joel Makovicka helped get the Cornhuskers in position for another score with a 44-yard run after a Huskies' punt had pinned Nebraska at their own 2-yard line.  Brown's 31-yard field goal came after a holding call nullified a Nebraska touchdown to finish the scoring for the Cornhuskers.  Green & Makovicka both rushed for 129 yards with Green adding a touchdown while Frost threw for 88 yards as well as added 97 yards rushing with 2 touchdowns.  For the Huskies, Tuiasosopo threw for 270 yards with 2 touchdowns & All-Pac 10 WR Jerome Pathon added 5 catches for 195 yards in the losing effort.  The Huskies finished the season 8-4; ranked 18^th nationally while the Cornhuskers finished 13-0, Big XII Champions & ranked 2^nd nationally in Osborne’s final season.  Washington would play for The Belt again in 1998.