Tommie Frazier

Tommie Frazier, after struggling early in his debut as a pro-style quarterback, led the West to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and a 34-18 victory in the East-West Shrine Game. The victory also enabled former UCLA Coach Terry Donahue, who guided the West, to go out on a winning note. Frazier, who led Nebraska to the national championship this month, threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to UCLA's Kevin Jordan and scored on a five-yard run.

Andy Colbert was on the field for all 79 of UCLA's defensive plays Saturday against Southern Methodist, but that was a special case. The Mustangs play a four-receiver, run-and-shoot type of offense. Nebraska is another story. Colbert, the fifth defensive back in a five-back set, figured to play little on Saturday against the No. 2 Cornhuskers, who are basically a team that runs the ball and dares you to beat them.

Tommie Frazier and Calvin Jones powered the Nebraska ground attack and the Cornhuskers defeated Iowa State, 49-17, Saturday. The victory clinched Nebraska's third consecutive trip to the Orange Bowl and gave the Cornhuskers a 10-0 start for the first time since 1983. "I'm glad that's over," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. "This is our third straight Big Eight championship. That's quite an accomplishment. At least I think it is."

Last year, quarterback Brook Berringer led Nebraska to the promised land in place of the injured Tommie Frazier and then was asked to step aside when Frazier returned for the national championship game. This year, tailback Ahman Green is in a similar fix. Green, who set a Nebraska freshman rushing record with 1,086 yards in place of suspended back Lawrence Phillips, will return the starting tailback position to Phillips in Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl. Raw deal?

Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, treated more carefully than Waterford crystal this week, has just about had it with anyone who thinks second-ranked Colorado will beat the third-ranked Cornhuskers today. The way Berringer figures it, the edge should go to Nebraska. After all, the game is at Memorial Stadium, site of 200 consecutive sellouts and home of 21 consecutive Nebraska victories.

At a school that begins every season with the highest of expectations, this wasn't exactly the start Nebraska had in mind. The No. 4 Cornhuskers looked unstoppable at times and immobile others as they held off Texas Christian, 21-7, Saturday in the Pigskin Classic. "All areas need some work. That was one of the reasons we took this game," Nebraska Coach Frank Solich said. "Certainly we'll be a better football team as a result of the game today."

So confident were USC coaches that those assigned to watch the game from the Cotton Bowl press box left their seats with six minutes to play in the third quarter to join the team on the sidelines. IN THEIR CORNER Phil Grosz, Penn State's biggest fan, has been railing away at pollsters this season in his column, "Phil's Corner," in Blue White Illustrated. He has nothing against Nebraska, but . . .

With Nebraska's offense so often stealing the show, Coach Tom Osborne was especially happy to see his defense record its first shutout. So what if it came against a struggling Missouri team that is last in the Big Eight in total offense and scoring? The 57-0 victory Saturday was still a dominating performance and the 17th victory in a row against the Tigers. "There was a good pass rush and they were very sound," Osborne said.

One week after struggling against Kansas State, No. 5 Nebraska returned to peak form by defeating Missouri, 49-7, Saturday. "Now, that's a little more like it," Coach Tom Osborne said after Calvin Jones ran for two touchdowns and caught one of Tommie Frazier's two touchdown passes to lead the Cornhuskers. "We probably played our most complete game of the year," Osborne said. "That was something we were concerned about. I thought the defense played a great ballgame.

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said the decision on who will start at quarterback for Sunday's game--Tommie Frazier or Brook Berringer--was made after Wednesday's practice. But Osborne said he won't make a public announcement until today. Osborne said Frazier and Berringer will play against the Hurricanes. Frazier, who hasn't played since Sept. 24 because of a blood clot in his right calf, is 4-0 as a starter. Berringer, his replacement, is 7-0. Matt Turman, who filled in for Berringer, is 1-0.