Varsity 16
Alumni 13

May 2, 1953 • 2 p.m. Central
Memorial Stadium •Lincoln, NE
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Alumni070613
Varsity063716
Second quarter
A: Ray Magsamen 15 pass from Sam Vacanti (Vacanti kick)
V: Dennis Korinek 91 pass from Rex Fischer (kick blocked)
Third quarter
V: John Bordogna 20 field goal, 1:30
Fourth quarter
V: Rex Fischer 19 run (George Cifra kick)
A: Ken Fischer 55 pass from Fran Nagle (kick failed)

                       ALUM       VARS
First downs ............. 9         10
Yards rushing .......... 42        128
Yards passing ......... 133        181
  Att-Comp-Int .... 30-10-1     17-8-3
Total offense ......... 175        309
Punt average ......... 31.8       22.0

Officials: Bill Keefer, referee; Mathias Volz, umpire; Herman Rohrig, field judge; Chuck Worrall, linesman; George Binger, back judge.

Attendance: 9,000 (est.)

Coverage

Recap

Fischer sparks Varsity victory

Two big plays involving Rex Fischer sparked a Varsity victory as the 1953 Huskers wrapped up spring practices on a cold and rainy day at Memorial Stadium.

The old-timers struck first, driving 47 yards in nine plays after after Fred Metheny intercepted a John Bordogna pass. Sam Vacanti passed to Ray Magsamen to cover the final 15 yards about four minutes into the second quarter.

Five minutes later, the Varsity was operating from its own 9. Fischer fired a strike to Dennis Korinek, who caught the ball in stride at the Varsity 32 and sped the remaining 68 yards for a touchdown. The extra-point try was blocked, leaving the Alumns with a 7-6 advantage that they carried into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Varsity finally took the lead. John Bordogna picked off a Vacanti pass at the Alum 40 and lateraled to Bob Smith, who returned it to the 20. The Alumni defense stiffened inside the 5, and Bordogna booted a 20-yard field goal to put the Varsity on top, 9-7.

That’s how matters remained until the game’s final two minutes. Then came a burst of action that rewarded those fans who had stuck it out in the dreary conditions.

Fischer dropped back to pass from the Alumni 18 but came under heavy pressure. He retreated to the 35, picked up blocks from Jerry Minnick and others, and zig-zagged all the way to the end zone untouched. The Varsity now had a 16-7 lead.

The Alums weren’t done. Quarterback Fran Nagle found Ken Fischer (older brother of Rex) wide open in the secondary. Fischer caught Nagle’s pass at the Varsity 22 and trotted into the end zone to complete the 55-yard touchdown play.

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