Nebraska Streak Stopped by Texas

Texas is back, Nebraska is lost and Ricky Williams is still running toward the Heisman Trophy.

Major Applewhite’s two-yard touchdown pass to Wayne McGarity with 2:47 to play gave the revived Longhorns a 20-16 upset of the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers on Saturday, ending Nebraska’s 47-game winning streak at Memorial Stadium.

“I am absolutely thrilled with this win,” first-year Texas Coach Mack Brown said. “It’s hard to find words to explain it.

“When you come in here . . . to be the first team in [48] games to beat Nebraska at home is simply a major accomplishment.”

The Cornhuskers’ home winning streak was the fifth-longest in NCAA history.

Williams enhanced his Heisman chances by running for 150 yards in 37 carries, and the Longhorns, 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12 Conference, handed the Cornhuskers (7-2, 3-2) their first home loss since Sept. 21, 1991, when Washington beat them, 36-21.

“I’m going to say it now, and it’s early, but if he doesn’t win the Heisman Trophy I don’t know who the heck should,” Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said. “At times, it was a man against boys. He’s the real deal. I don’t know how many things good you can say about him.”

Williams picked up the most yards against Nebraska by an opposing runner since Barry Sanders had 189 yards in a 63-42 Cornhusker victory over Oklahoma State in 1988. Sanders won the Heisman that season.

As he departed, Williams got a standing ovation from several hundred Nebraska fans who had gathered near the tunnel leading to the Texas locker room.

“Most places you go, the fans boo you,” Williams said. “But here, it’s nothing but cheers. This is the most fun I’ve ever had playing a game.”

And the most fun Texas fans have had in a long time. But the Longhorns seem to have the Cornhuskers figured out. They beat them in the 1996 Big 12 title game the last time the teams played--a loss that ended Nebraska’s bid for a third consecutive national championship.

Saturday’s game also ended any further talk in Lincoln of another national title this season.

“It’s deja vu of what happened the last time,” Nebraska linebacker Jay Foreman said. “They got a lot of big calls going their way and big plays when they needed them.”

Earlier this season, Texas A&M; beat the Cornhuskers to end their 19-game winning streak as well as their 40-game conference winning streak. Losing again, this time at home, stunned some Cornhuskers.