Sunday, January 2
Freshmen TEs come up big for 'Huskers
By Doug Alden
Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Nebraska tight end Aaron Golliday thought
Tennessee was prepared, maybe too prepared, for the Cornhuskers'
option offense.
|  |
| Although Nebraska's tight ends were clutch, this second-quarter interception by Mike Brown, left, also helped the 'Huskers' efforts. |
The Volunteers seemed to forget about Golliday and fellow
redshirt freshman Jon Bowling, who caught several key passes while
filling in for injured All-Big 12 tight end Tracey Wistrom in
Nebraska's 31-21 victory in the Fiesta Bowl on Sunday night.
"They prepared hard for our option. When the guys start keying
on our I-back or our fullback it's easy to slip a receiver down
field -- especially a big fat one who looks like a lineman," said
Golliday, who caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Eric Crouch in
the third quarter.
Golliday and Bowling gave Crouch an extra target when he needed
it.
The Volunteers (9-3) scored two straight touchdowns
to cut Nebraska's lead to 17-14 and had the Huskers facing a
third-and-13 at their own 23-yard line. But Crouch found Bowling alone
near the sideline for a 17-yard gain and a first down.
Third-ranked Nebraska (12-1) got a 47-yard run from fullback
Willie Miller then Golliday caught a 13-yard pass from Crouch to
put the Huskers up 24-14 with 4:44 left in the third. Golliday's
catch capped a 9-play, 96-yard drive.
Nebraska, which added a 99-yard touchdown drive on its next
possession, didn't throw another pass in the game after Golliday's
TD.
"They had all the momentum," Bowling said. "It took all the
air out of them. They couldn't stop us."
Wistrom, who was third on the Huskers with 16 catches, has been
out since Nov. 29, after partially tearing a knee ligament during
practice.
Golliday caught two passes for 45 yards, giving him five catches
for the season.
Bowling, who didn't have a catch this season until making two
while playing for Wistrom in the Big 12 championship against Texas
on Dec. 4, had two catches for 25 yards. He caught a 28-yard pass
from Crouch in the first quarter.
Nebraska didn't score on that
drive, but pinned Tennessee at the 5-yard line. The Volunteers went
three-and-out and Nebraska's Bobby Newcombe returned the punt 60
yards for a touchdown, giving the Huskers a 14-0 lead.
"The tight end is an important position in this offense, so we
knew we were going to have the chance to make some big plays,"
Bowling said. 
Eric Crouch connects with Aaron Golliday in the end zone.