Davis 'all cried out'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The week before Clemson's regular season finale against South Carolina, Tigers running back James Davis was an emotional wreck.

The hard-nosed running back was brought to tears during a press conference four days before the showdown with the Gamecocks when he started talking about his final game at Death Valley.

With his final collegiate game less than 24 hours away Davis was much more composed.

"I'm all cried out after the South Carolina game," Davis said Wednesday afternoon. "I know the end is near, but I'm looking forward to it. Against South Carolina, I wasn't sure if I was going to play again in a Clemson uniform. We had to win that game to become bowl eligible.

"I think everything will probably hit me after the game is over. I'm trying not to think about it right now. I'm just trying to stay focused on Nebraska and finishing my career with a win."

Davis, who turns 23 today, needs just 112 yards to become the school's all-time leading rusher.

"If we can get James his yards within the context of the game, within the context of our offense, we're going to get it done," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We're not going to go out of our way to get him the record, but James is a big part of this offense, so if he's near it, we'll make sure he gets it."

Davis can't think of a better birthday present.

"The best present would be a win in the Gator Bowl," Davis said. "That's the most important thing to me."

The 30-year punch

Monday was the 30th anniversary of Woody Hayes' infamous punch of former Clemson middle guard Charlie Bauman at the 1978 Gator Bowl.

On Dec. 29 1978, Bauman intercepted an Art Schlichter pass late in the fourth quarter and Hayes punched Bauman on the Buckeyes sidelines. Hayes, who won three national championships and 13 Big Ten titles, was fired shortly after hitting Bauman.

Bauman recently told the Florida (Jacksonville) Times-Union that he'd like people to forget about his role in Hayes' demise.

"Why can't people let this rest? After all, it's been 20-something years," Bauman told The Florida Times-Union. "If nothing else happened after the interception, nobody would have ever remembered it. It's really no big deal. It wasn't a big deal for me then; it's not a big deal now."

Some former Ohio State players are still upset Hayes got fired after slugging Bauman. "First of all, he didn't punch Charlie," linebacker Tom Cousineau told the Times-Union in 1998. "He pushes him and gives him a forearm. Clearly wrong. Nobody is ducking that. Whether that rises to the level of an impeachable offense ... If what happened at the Gator Bowl is the worst thing he ever did, then he lived a pretty good life.

"There is so much more about him than that final incident. While he never ducked, he never made an excuse, and he was eventually held accountable for that action. I think it could have been held a little differently. For us, that was an extremely sad outcome."

National title game

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is very familiar with both teams — Oklahoma and Florida — in this year's BCS national championship game.

The Cornhuskers were routed, 62-28, by the Sooners this season and Pelini was the defensive coordinator for LSU before coming to Nebraska.

"Two great football teams," Pelini said. "I could see a really close game or a blowout."

Swift close encounter

When a reporter asked Nebraska's Nate Swift what his most memorable moment of the week was, the senior wide receiver responded, "seeing the ocean for the first time in my life. I'd never seen the ocean before."

Despite the warm weather in Jacksonville, Swift said he didn't get to go swimming.

"Got up to my knees, that was as far as I went," he said.