Sept 18, 2001

By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska was one of the few college football teams to play the day after President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

On Thursday night, the Cornhuskers help welcome the country back to college football.

The fourth-ranked Cornhuskers are home against Rice on Thursday night in one of two major games to be played since last week's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

"It's been hard preparing with everything that's been going on. No doubt it's going to be emotional," offensive lineman Dave Volk said. "You've got to come out and do your job. That's pretty much what everybody's got to start doing."

No. 18 South Carolina visits 17th-ranked Mississippi State in Thursday night's only other game. No Division I-A team has played since last Tuesday's attacks, giving players, coaches and fans a sports-free weekend to start healing.

Nebraska (3-0) didn't even practice Friday or Saturday, the day they were originally supposed to play the Owls.

"It was strange. No football to watch. No game to play. It was different," Volk said. "I think it was the right thing to do in retrospect. Just let everybody get things figured out and settle down."

The American sports world resumed Monday night with six NL baseball games played in front of some surprisingly large crowds. Fans donned red, white and blue and waved flags as they returned to the ballpark.

Although Thursday's game is expected to be Nebraska's 243rd consecutive sellout, the atmosphere will be decidedly different from a normal football Saturday in Lincoln.

It's Nebraska's first home game on a weeknight, and tighter security is planned because of the attacks. Fans could be searched as the enter Memorial Stadium, which has been closed to the public since the attacks.

The Owls are adding an American flag decal to the back of their helmets.

"I know that it will be very good for people to come to a game and think about Nebraska football for three hours while we're playing and take their minds off the tragedy," Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch said. "I'm sure after the game everybody might be glued to the TV again. I'm not sure how long this is going to last."

Rice preferred rescheduling the game to Thursday instead of Saturday, which both schools had open on the schedule. The Owls visit Hawaii next weekend, and the travel after a Saturday night game would have been too much.

The Owls have also spent the delay adjusting to last week's events.

"It has been hard, but I think that it gets a bit easier each day as it goes by," coach Ken Hatfield said. "There's a time for mourning, a time for grieving, and a time for constant remembrance for all those who lost so much all over the world. I don't think we'll ever forget, and I think it will part of our lives forever."

Rice hasn't played since edging Duke 15-13 Sept. 8 in Houston, giving the Owls their first 2-0 start since 1991. Hatfield said the delay gave his team time to learn a little more offense and defense, but mostly the time needed to reflect.

Hatfield said the game itself is still probably not a high priority for most people.

"I don't think that there's any doubt that it's been diminished for everybody except the people playing. For those guys, they'll play their hearts out," Hatfield said. "After the game, we'll keep it in perspective, try to learn from the game, and go on from there."