1994 Game 1
Nebraska 31
West Virginia 0

East Rutherford, N.J. - Aug. 28, 1994 - Nebraska, rated No. 3 by the Coaches and No. 4 in the AP Poll, won its third Kickoff Classic with a 31-0 shutout over No. 23/24 West Virginia.

The Huskers scored just three points in the first quarter on senior Tom Sieler's 32-yard field goal, the first of his career. Nebraska erupted for 21 second-quarter points to take a 24-0 halftime lead. The Nebraska scoring included three runs of 25 yards or more by QB Tommie Frazier (25 yards, 27 and 42) and a 12-yard pass from Frazier to split end Reggie Baul, who led the team and bettered his career high with 46 yards on three catches.

The defense, which allowed just 89 total yards and nine first downs and forced a Kickoff Classic high nine punts, was led by the New Jersey contingent of first-year starting linebacker Doug Colman (Ventnor, N.J., eight tackles, 2-11 yards lost, one fumble caused and recovered); first-year starting defensive tackle Christian Peter (Locust, N.J., seven tackles, 2.5 sacks) and returning starting cornerback Barron Miles (Roselle, N.J.), who snagged his third career interception and also had a breakup. Butkus candidate Ed Stewart of Chicago, Ill., had seven tackles.

At the end of the third quarter, West Virginia had just 22 yards passing, was 0-9 on third-down conversions and had minus 12 rushing yards. In addition to holding West Virginia to 1.6 yards per play, the Blackshirts had eight sacks, allowed only six pass completions, forced three turnovers and held the Mountaineers to less than four plays on 11 of 14 drives. None of WVU's drives in the first half were over four plays, and only the last two (of seven and 14 plays) were longer than five snaps.

Frazier catapulted himself into the Heisman race as he was named the ABC Chevrolet MVP and the William J. Flynn MVP after he accounted for 230 total offense yards (fourth best in career), including 130 rushing (on 12 carries with three TDs, second best career total) and an even 100 passing (8-16).

In his first career start, Nebraska sophomore I-back Lawrence Phillips rushed for 126 yards on 24 carries.

Rover Kareem Moss set a Kickoff Classic record for punt return yards with 81 on four returns. NU totaled 100 yards passing, 368 rushing for 468 total, to West Virginia's 81 passing, 8 rushing and 89 total. NU improved to 3-0 in the Classic, winning three games by a combined score of 98-20.

SOURCE: 1995 NU MEDIA GUIDE