By Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine Senior Writer
Sept. 26, 1998

LINCOLN, Neb.-- Please hold all calls from Columbus, Knoxville and Los Angeles. In Nebraska they could care less about Ohio State's romps, Tennessee's post-Peyton party or UCLA's day off.

Bobby Newcombe and Nebraska are quietly getting the job done. (Allsport)

IF ANY OF THE POLL RESIDENTS FORGOT, the road to the national championship still runs through the Corn Belt. Presidents might be impeached and Roger Maris might be lapped but some things remain constant. Things like sunrise, a mother's love and Nebraska blowouts.

The latest, in case your calculator broke down, was No. 2 Nebraska's 55-7 decision over No. 7 Washington. The opponent should sound familiar, if not the score. The Huskies (2-1) were the last team to beat the 'Huskers at home, 45 games and seven years ago.

It wasn't revenge with Nebraska being a two-touchdown favorite, but a lot has changed since 1991. Nebraska has upgraded its speed, become the program of the '90s and now pounces on pro-style quarterbacks the way a mosquito attacks a vein. Washington's Brock Huard felt the wrath Saturday throwing two interceptions and losing three fumbles.

"Today," rush end Michael Rucker said while considering the gravity of the outcome, "I think we could have played with some of the weaker pro teams, we were clicking so good."

When usually closed-mouth Nebraska (4-0) starts taunting the Philadelphia Eagles, you know things are getting serious. Let's not forget this is the program that has won at least a share of the national title three of the past four years.

The 'Huskers certainly haven't forgotten even if others have. It seems Nebraska always has this chip on its shoulder about respect. For good reason, in some cases. Last year, it dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in the polls after beating Missouri. It had to listen to critics babble about how it gained the No. 1 ranking in the coaches poll out of pity because of the retiring Tom Osborne.

"WE WANTED TO SHOW EVERYONE that Nebraska is back," cornerback Ralph Brown said. "I think every year people forget about us. But I think we've been the most consistent college in the country when it comes to wins. We like to show them we are up there."

Where they're at is No. 2 with a bullet. I-back DeAngelo Evans returned from 22 months of inactivity to rush for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Bobby Newcombe returned from a short two-game absence because of a sore knee and rushed for three touchdowns himself.

More importantly, the game marked the full-fledged return of Nebraska's I- option. Newcombe ran it so smoothly that he could have been mistaken for Turner Gill or Tommie Frazier.

"It's not what too many people want to watch," Brown said of Nebraska's offense. "They want to see the Floridas and Florida States and Pac-10 teams. We just run the ball. It's not too exciting."

But it works. Nebraska was a shockingly low No. 6 in rushing offense coming into the game averaging only 259.7 yards a contest. The 'Huskers got back on track with 434 yards including a 6.4-yard average.

"A lot of people want to see controversy," Evans said. "We probably would have had a lot of people coming in wanting to talk to us if we would have started off Coach Solich's era with a loss. People basically want to see more negative things than positive things.

"But this is the most consistent offense. I'll put it up against any. Running the football is safe."

Safe? Winning with such regularity turns otherwise normal, wild-eyed college students into Young Republicans. Saturday reminded quarterbacks everywhere of the defensive unit that bludgeoned opponents on its way to last year's title. It forced six turnovers, including the five by Huard, who was forced from last season's 27-14 loss with a sprained ankle.

This time Huard left midway through the third quarter because, well, what was the point of leaving him in?

"He's not the kind of quarterback who's going to sit back and feel safe with a lot of bodies flying around," said Chad Kelsay, Nebraska's other rush end. "It's nice to know he's not concentrating on his receivers. He started whining a little bit but his offensive line didn't protect him."

Washington had little reply for such postgame smack. How could it? A poor offensive performance against Brigham Young last week was only foreshadowing.

"It's one thing to lose, it's another thing to get blown out," Huskies center Brad Hutt said. "It's pretty embarrassing. You look in the fourth quarter and they're killing us. Almost all their fans are still in the stands."

IT'S ABOUT STREAKS FOR the fans who linger: Forty-five consecutive at home, the fifth- longest streak in NCAA history; 16 consecutive games with at least one sack; the longest winning streak in the country, 18 in a row.

It's about numbers: The 55 points were the most against the Huskies since UCLA hung 62 on them in 1973. It was the eighth-worst loss in Washington history. The 48-point margin was Nebraska's widest ever against an AP Top 10 team.

"This stings, this hurts," Huard said. "You just want to crawl in a hole. You can't believe this happened on national television."

There was more at work here than Nebraska just savoring a victory over a name opponent. Nebraskans everywhere wanted to see how the celebrated knees of Evans and Newcombe would hold up. Evans hurt his knee in August after sitting out the entire 1997 season because a painful abdominal injury. Newcombe strained his right posterior cruciate ligament in the opening victory over Louisiana Tech.

"I think he had a lot of stuff built up that he let go today," Rucker said of Evans. "He caught some bad breaks. I've just got a small minute (injury), I've been out a week or two. He's been out a year. It's very frustrating. I can't even imagine how frustrating it was for him for a year."

Then there was the respect thing again. No doubt this victory will get Nebraska more first place votes as it tries to inch closer to Ohio State. If it can't overtake the Buckeyes, at least there is a venue for the two teams to finally settle the issue. Tostitos anyone?

There are better stories, of course. The Buckeyes haven't won a title in 30 years. Tennessee finally overcame Phlorida Phobia. UCLA has lefty quarterback (Cade McNown) gunning for the Heisman. The Huskers? Forget about them, until January.

"I don't know if people are jealous sometimes," Rucker said. "When it comes down to the end of the year, we're always up there. As long as we keep getting those rings they can say all they want. ...At the end of the year it's either put up or shut up."

Dennis Dodd is a senior writer in CBS SportsLine's Kansas City bureau.