Special Dispatch to the World-Herald.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 30—Fighting desperately with Spartan heroism for a good but hopeless cause, the Illinois warriors went down to defeat before Booth’s Cornhuskers here today, losing by the score of 24 to 6.
Nebraskans now consider the football season of 1905 a glorious one, despite overwhelming losses at the hands of Yost’s and Dr. Williams’ giants, but they will make no attempt this year to gain entrance to the big nine conference.
From the depths of a deep despair the spirits of the 5,000 wearers of the scarlet and cream tided slowly upward as the game progressed until they perched on the heights of victory.
Nebraska’s spirit, douched with the appearance of the sturdy, well-conditioned Illinoisans last evening, was flooded with fear in the first moments of the play. In less than three minutes after play began a Cornhusker fumbled the ball on Nebraska’s 50-yard line and captain Moynihan, pouncing upon it, made a wild flight for the Nebraska goal, going over without meeting the least resistance. He kicked goal an instant later. Then the chagrined Cornhuskers awoke and by straight, hard line smashing marched down the field time after time and over for the touchdowns. The score at the end of the first half stood 12 to 6 and the second half wasn’t repetition of the first, save the disastrous fumbling that gave Illinois her only touchdown.
Moynihan’s run was the longest or the game and Illinois never made more than six yards on any other play of the combat, Johnson and Benedict made Nebraska’s longest gains, each going 15 or 20 yards on end runs once or twice.
Fumbling by Illinois
Two of Nebraska’s touchdowns were due indirectly to the fumbling of punts by quarterback Brooks of Illinois. On these occasions the Cornhuskers fell on the ball in Illinois territory after Nebraska had been unable to gain ground on her own side of the field. Then Cotton, Mason, Little and Wilson hammered the tackles and guards repeatedly for gains of two to six yards, until the ball finally went over.
Cotton, the big tow-headed right guard, kicked every goal. He tried two place kicks, but failed in both.
There was nothing to choose between the two teams in point of weight, yet the Cornhuskers proved conclusively that their defense was much stronger than the offense of the Illinoisans.
The visitors plugged the tackles, their strongest points, unceasingly when on offense, but never carried the ball more than 15 yards before being forced to punt after the first three minutes of play. Their longest gain, outside Moynihan’s run, were for six yards, made twice around Nebraska’s right end, They were on the defense most of the time and their center positions proved the most vulnerable points. Mason was called on repeatedly to make three and four yards on the third down and his low, battering charges between the guards and center never failed.
The bright sun shone today on a gridiron that was in the worst condition a Cornhusker team has ever played on. A freezing east wind whisked over the surface of Nebraska field, where the rain of a few days ago had been frozen, transforming the gridiron to a checkerboard that was as hard as pavement and far rougher.
Benedict kicked off south for Nebraska and the visitors crashed down the field by straight, hard line plunges, aimed at the tackles, to Nebraska’s 46-yard line. Here they met the Cornhusker type of adamantine and surrendered the ball on downs.
Miss a Good Chance
The Nebraskans were returning the ball by small gains when the disastrous fumble occurred on Nebraska’s 50-yard line. Mason was sent through the line, but failed to catch the ball and it bounced back without a Cornhusker within reach. Moynihan had broken through the line. He snatched the oval and sprinted down the field, with one or two comrades following in his wake as interference.
Benedict again kicked off and Illinois, failing to gain, Kirk punted to Benedict on Illinois’ 42-yard line. The Cornhuskers advanced to Illinois’ 20-yard line, but were stopped, and Cotton tried a place kick from the 30-yard line. The ball went high and wide of the uprights and Kirk punted out from the 25-yard line. The Cornhuskers marched without hesitation down to Illinois’ 2-yard line, only to lose it on a fumble. Kirk punted to Benedict on the 25-yard line and he ran it back 10 yards before being downed. A few moments later Cotton was crowded over for Nebraska’s first touchdown. He kicked goal and the score stood Nebraska 6, Illinois 6.
Moynihan kicked off north over the goal line, but Mason carried the oval back to Nebraska’s 15-yard line. After marching about 30 yards, Benedict punted to Brooks on Illinois’ 20-yard point. Brooks fumbled and Johnson fell on the ball on Illinois’ 25-yard line. Then the Cornhuskers’ machine tore through the line in irresistible fashion for the second touchdown, Wilson going through left tackle for the score.
Some time after this Nebraska, failing to gain in Illinois’ territory, Cotton was given another chance to place kick from the 40-yard line. His attempt was a failure and the half ended with Nebraska in possession of the leather on Illinois’ 50-yard line.
In the Second Half
Illinois kicked off in the second half and on Nebraska’s first play, in which Benedict ran 18 yards, the Cornhuskers were penalized 15 yards for holding, taking the ball to Nebraska’s 20-yard line. On the next play Johnson went 20 yards around right end, but a few moments later Little lost the ball on a fumble at Illinois’ 37-yard line. The visitors advanced only 12, when they repeated Nebraska’s fumbling error and lost the ball. After an exchange of punts, in which Benedict easily outclassed Kirk, Booth’s men secured the oval on Illinois’ 37-yard line and, by repeated line smashing, carried it over for the third score. Cotton made the required two yards and a moment later kicked goal.
Toward the latter part of the half Brooks again fumbled Benedict’s punt in the center of the field and Denslow fell on the leather. Then, by terrific plunges, aimed almost wholly at Illinois’ left side, the Nebraska scoring machine advanced, with gains of four to 12 yards, to the fourth and final touchdown. In the last few minutes of play Illinois made a final desperate effort to score. Moynihan tried a place kick from Nebraska’s 44-yard line, but the ball fell far short and Benedict returned it five yards to Nebraska’s 20-yard line. At this moment the final whistle blew.
