Mike Brown and Frank Solich hoist the Fiesta Bowl trophy.

Nebraska 31
Tennessee 21

Jan. 2, 2000 • 7 p.m. Central
Fiesta Bowl • Tempe, AZ • ABC
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Tennessee077721
Nebraska1437731
First Quarter
NEB: Alexander 7 run (J Brown kick) 11:34
NEB: Newcombe 60 punt return (J Brown kick) 3:21 
Second Quarter
NEB: J Brown 31 field goal, 1:37
TEN: D Stallworth 9 pass from T Martin (A Walls kick) 0:18
Third Quarter
TEN: Henry 4 run (A Walls kick) 13:03
NEB: Golliday 13 pass from Crouch (J Brown kick) 4:44
Fourth Quarter
NEB: Buckhalter 2 run (J Brown kick) 12:01
TEN: D Stallworth 44 pass from Wilson (A Walls kick) 7:25

                       TEN      NEB
First downs             17       23
Rushed-yards         26-44   56-321
Passing yards          267      148
  Comp-Att-Int     20-35-2   9-15-0
Sacked-yards lost      3-7     2-12
Return yards            64       76
Punts               7-43.1   6-39.5
Fumbles-lost           1-0      1-1
Penalties-yards       5-41     8-59
Possession time      26:05    33:55

RUSHING
TEN: Henry 10-31, Lewis 8-19, T Martin 8-minus 6.
         
NEB: Alexander 21-108, W Miller 8-87, Crouch 17-64, Buckhalter 8-59, Applegate 1-5, Team 1-minus 2.

PASSING
TEN: T Martin 19-34-2-223, Wilson 1-1-0-44.
NEB: Crouch 9-15-0-148.

RECEIVING
TEN: D Stallworth 8-108, Wilson 7-75, Parker 3-32, D Martin 1-49,Johnson 1-3.  

NEB: Davison 2-68, Bowling 2-45, Golliday 2-25, Newcombe 2-5, Buckhalter 1-5.

Att: 71,526

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Ground assault finishes off Vols

With lightning-quick Eric Crouch at the controls of a relentless option attack, the third-ranked Cornhuskers beat Tennessee 31-21 in the Fiesta Bowl on Sunday night.

After the Volunteers (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) rallied from a 17-0 deficit to cut it to 17-14 early in the second half behind the passing of Tee Martin, the Huskers (12-1) finished Tennessee off with second-half touchdown drives of 96 and 99 yards.

“It was an excellent performance,” Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. “There were moments when things got a little rough.”

Cedric Wilson’s 44-yard pass touchdown pass to Donte’ Stallworth, his second TD catch of the game, came on a Tennessee trick play that reduced the lead to 31-21 with 7:25 to play.

But the Vols never got the ball again. Nebraska, which finished the game with 23 consecutive rushing plays for 156 yards, drove downfield and Tennessee (9-3) could do nothing to stop the clock from running out.

It was all too familiar for the Volunteers, who wore down in the second half two years ago in a 42-17 loss to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The Huskers have won their last 11 bowl matchups against Southeastern Conference teams.

Postgame notes

Omaha World-Herald
Grand Island Indep.
More Neb. Sources
Knox. News-Sentinel
Chat. Times & Free Press
More Sources
Photos/Audio/Video
Pregame & team info
Sporting News | Game preview
Knoxville News-Sentinel | Vols, Huskers run different ways
Chattanooga Times & Free Press | Vols Stirred Up by Underdog Status
Coach’s Edge | Game preview
Grand Island Independent | NU, Vols set for Fiesta showdown
Colonel Mustard | Pregame column

 

Pregame notes: NU | UT
Rosters: NU | UT

 

1999 schedule
04/17Red 27, White 12
09/04@ IowaW 42-7
09/11CaliforniaW 45-0
09/18S. MissW 20-13
09/25@ MissouriW 40-10
10/02Oklahoma St.W 38-14
10/09Iowa St.W 49-14
10/23@ TexasL 20-24
10/30@ KansasW 24-17
11/06Texas A&MW 37-0
11/13Kansas St.W 41-15
11/26@ ColoradoW 33-30
12/04TexasW 22-6
01/02TennesseeW 31-21

Commentary

Colonel Mustard

It is nice to know that we can still physically pound someone.

Shatel

The Huskers ran and ran and ran. They looked as if they could have run all the way to Miami, site of next season's national championship game.

Omaha World-Herald
Red Clad Loon

’Tis true, the Vols have beefed up in the last two years. But when it comes to physical football, the Huskers still stand biceps and pectorals above the rest.

Douglass

The key for Nebraska now is to roll the momentum they gained here in the Valley of the Sun over into next season.

Grand Island Independent
Adams

This game arguably was decided in the first 10 minutes when Nebraska scored a pair of touchdowns.

Knoxville News-Sentinel
Climer

The Vols ... had spent the past few days talking about a ‘statement game.’ Well, when push came to shove, it was Nebraska - not Tennessee - that stated its case.

The Tennesseean
Lopez

If another game could be played between the winner of Tuesday's Sugar Bowl and Nebraska, I take the men of corn.

Houston Chronicle
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