Dallas, Texas, Jan. 1, 1980--Reserve quarterback Terry Elston threw a 6-yard fourth-down touchdown pass to Eric Herring with just 12 seconds left in the game as Houston handed Nebraska a heart-breaking 17-14 loss in the 44th Cotton Bowl game--another in a six-year string of incredible finishes in Husker bowl games.
Before a CBS-TV national audience and 72,032 on hand in Dallas' famous oval, the Huskers and Cougars battled tooth-and-nail for a full 60 minutes. The goal-line situation at the end was a fitting finale.
Nebraska struck first as I-back Jarvis Redwine scored on a 9-yard run late in the first period, but Houston came back to tie, 7-7, at halftime on an 8-yard Elston run early in the second period.
After a scoreless third period, Southwest Conference champion Houston took its first lead of the game, 10-7, on a 41-yard field goal by Ken Hatfield with 8:25 left in the game. The Huskers made little headway against the Cougar defense in the second half, but took advantage of a Houston fumble to drive 31 yards in six plays to take a 14-10 lead on Jeff Quinn's 6-yard touchdown pass with 3:56 left.
The next 3:44 were all Terry Elston, as the junior accounted for all but 11 yards in the Cougars' winning 66-yard drive, completing five of seven passes for 45 yards, including three for crucial first downs and rushing three times for 10 yards.
1980 Cotton Bowl
|
Teams |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
|
Nebraska |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
|
Houston |
0 |
7 |
0 |
10 |
17 |
|
Statistics |
NU |
UH |
|
First Downs |
13 |
18 |
|
Rushing, Net |
136 |
206 |
|
Passes Att., Comp., Int. |
22-11-1 |
19-9-0 |
|
Passing, Net |
91 |
119 |
|
Total Offense |
227 |
325 |
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
NU-Jarvis Redwine 9 run (Dean Sukup kick), 5:13
Second Quarter
UH-Terry Elston 8 run (Ken Hatfield kick), 12:17
Fourth Quarter
UH-FG Hatfield 41, 8:25.
NU-Jeff Finn 6 pass from Jeff Quinn (Sukup kick), 3:56
UH-Eric Herring 6 pass from Elston (Hatfield kick), 0:12
