Arizona 23
Nebraska 20

Dec. 30, 1998 • 7 p.m. Central
Holiday Bowl • San Diego, CA • ESPN
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska0130720
Arizona6301423
First Quarter
UA: McDonald 38 field goal, 11:10.
UA: McDonald 25 field goal, 0:52
Second Quarter
UA: McDonald 48 field goal, 13:41
NU: K.Brown 25 field goal, 4:58
NU: Wiggins 25 pass from Crouch (Brown kick) 1:53
NU: Brown 23 field goal, 0:00
Fourth Quarter
UA: Brennan 15 pass from Smith (McDonald kick) 14:56
NU: Wistrom 4 pass from Crouch (Brown kick) 10:55
UA: Eafon 1 run (McDonald kick) 6:08

                       NU       UA
First downs .......... 12       16
Rushed-yards ...... 34-87   44-107
Passing yards ....... 193      158
  Comp-Att-Int .. 12-28-2  12-23-0
Sacked-yards lost... 3-24      2-4
Return yards .......... 6       70
Total offense .... 62-280   67-265
Punts ............ 6-39.2   7-36.0
Fumbles-lost ........ 4-2      4-3
Penalties-yards ..... 2-6     7-59
Possession time.... 27:26    32:34
Third down conv. ... 2/15     5/17

Embed from Getty Images

RUSHING
NU: Crouch 15-28, Makovicka 5-26, Buckhalter 8-22, Christo 2-11, Evans 4-0.

UA: Canidate 22-101, Smith 11-25, Eafon 5-14, Northcutt 1-(-15), Jenkins 5-(-18).

PASSING
NU: Crouch 12-28-2-193.
UA: Smith 11-19-0-143, Jenkins 1-4-0-15.

RECEIVING
NU: Davison 3-64, Wistrom 3-41, Cheatham 2-16, Wiggins 1-45, Makovicka 1-22, Haafke 1-8, Buckhalter 1-minus 3.

UA: Northcutt 4-47, Brennan 2-78, Shields 2-12, Lucky 1-15, McDaniel 1-9, B Nash 1-4, Eafon 1-minus 7.

Att: 65,354

Coverage

Game recap
RESPONSIVE IMAGE HERE

PHOTO CAPTION HERE | Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

Huskers fall just short against ‘Cats

Keith Smith, half of Arizona’s two-quarterback system, threw for a fourth-quarter touchdown and his scrambling set up the game-winning, 1-yard plunge by Kelvin Eafon with 6:08 to go as the No. 5 Wildcats beat No. 14 Nebraska 23-20.

Arizona added to its school-record victory total by finishing 12-1, while Nebraska dipped to 9-4.

Chris McAlister, Arizona’s All-America cornerback, capped a big game with a leaping interception of Eric Crouch’s pass with 3:03 left. McAlister jumped in front of Shevin Wiggins at about the 8-yard line and returned it 22 yards.

Nebraska had one final desperation shot, but McAlister deflected Crouch’s pass as time expired.

The Cornhuskers’ option game struggled, and their 87 rushing yards was their second-lowest total of the season.

IMAGE HERE
Neb. sources
Lincoln Journal Star
Grand Island Independent
Daily Nebraskan
Omaha World-Herald
More sources
Arizona Daily Star
Arizona Athletics
San Diego Union-Tribune
Kansas City Star
Los Angeles Times
CNN/SI
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Photos/Audio/Video
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Pregame & team info
1998 schedule
04/25 White 24, Red 21  
08/29 La. Tech   W 56-27
09/05 Ala.-Birm. W 38-7 
09/12 Cal        W 24-3 
09/26 Washington W 55-7 
10/03 Okla. St.  W 24-17
10/10 Texas A&M  L 21-28
10/17 Kansas     W 41-0 
10/24 Missouri   W 20-13
10/31 Texas      L 16-20
11/07 Iowa St.   W 42-7 
11/14 Kan. St.   L 30-40
11/27 Colorado   W 16-14
12/30 Arizona    L 20-23

Commentary

Colonel Mustard

What’s toughest to take is that we just can’t run the ball. And our play-calling was without rhythm.


Colonel Mustard
HuskerMax
Shatel

Some good, some bad, but not enough to get the job done.

Tom Shatel
Omaha World-Herald
McKeever

Neither team showed the kind of discipline and organization that it takes to get to the national championship.

Curt McKeever
Lincoln Journal Star
Douglass

Wednesday night’s events in the Holiday Bowl were just another turn in what has been one of the wildest seasons in Nebraska football history.

Terry Douglass
Grand Island Independent
McKewon

Looking at Nebraska in its 23-20 loss to Arizona, I didn’t see the silver lining in the dark cloud of NU’s season.

Sam McKewon
Daily Nebraskan
Canepa

The most promising of all Holiday Bowls turned into the sloppiest.

Nick Canepa
San Diego Union-Tribune
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