Joseph Makes Good on Grant’s Potential : Nebraska: Cornhuskers rout Missouri, 69-21, on starting quarterback’s four touchdown runs, one touchdown pass.

Mike Grant opened the season as the quarterback who inspired high expectations from Nebraska fans, but Mickey Joseph is the one fulfilling them.

In his third start this season, Joseph ran for four touchdowns and passed for another Saturday to lead the No. 7 Cornhuskers to a Big Eight Conference victory, 69-21, over Missouri.

Joseph’s touchdown runs of 15, five, two and three yards--all in the first half--tied a school record for quarterbacks set by Gerry Gdowski against Iowa State last season. Joseph also connected with Jon Bostick on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Nebraska, 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Eight, is assured of an NCAA-record 29th consecutive winning season. Missouri dropped to 2-4 and 0-2.

“I hope it answers some questions, but we’re not worried about the critics,” Joseph said. “We really put it together.”

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne elected to start Joseph over Grant after the Grant-led offense sputtered in the first half the past two weeks against Oregon State and Kansas State.

Joseph started for the injured Grant in Nebraska’s most convincing victories--60-14 over Northern Illinois and a 56-0 rout of Minnesota.

Joseph, a junior, completed four of eight passes for 65 yards and rushed for 95 yards in nine carries against Missouri as Nebraska rolled up 622 yards, including 500 rushing.

“I think this year (Joseph) is more determined to do well and it shows,” said Cornhusker running back Leodis Flowers, who gained 111 yards by halftime and did not play in the second half because of a bruised knee. “He’s more of a leader out there. Mickey’s not a big talker, he just goes out there and shows it athletically. When you have his speed, you don’t have to say much.”

Flowers, who became the first Nebraska player to rush for 100 yards in four consecutive games since Doug DuBose in 1984, scored Nebraska’s first touchdown on a one-yard run.

Kent Kiefer and Michael Jones tried to keep Missouri in the game by connecting on touchdown pass plays of 10 and four yards in the first half.

Kiefer completed 16 of 31 passes for 202 yards against Nebraska’s nation-leading pass defense but was intercepted twice. Jones had six receptions for 118 yards.

Gregg Barrios kicked field goals of 31 and 38 yards for the Cornhuskers, and freshman running back Derek Brown, from Servite High in Anaheim, scored on a 23-yard run in the third quarter.

Grant connected with freshman tight end Johnny Mitchell on a 15-yard touchdown pass play with 14 minutes left that gave Nebraska a 62-14 lead.

A Missouri fumble led to Tom Haase’s six-yard touchdown run two minutes later.