2023 Nebraska Season Thread

[FearlessF]

Northern Iowa has added Nebraska to its 2024 football schedule according to a report by FBSchedules.com.

The game would be at Nebraska on Sept. 14 of that year, with UNI getting a $600,000 guarantee.


Panthers will meet Cornhuskers for the first time when they meet in 2 years

[CatsbyAZ]

Saw these pics posted in pairs on twitter this week:

[Abba]

Northern Iowa has added Nebraska to its 2024 football schedule according to a report by FBSchedules.com.

The game would be at Nebraska on Sept. 14 of that year, with UNI getting a $600,000 guarantee.


Panthers will meet Cornhuskers for the first time when they meet in 2 years

Careful what you wish for there.  UNI is one of the most dangerous FCS teams to schedule.

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THIS WEEK IN HUSKER HISTORY

1957: The Touchdown Club is formed to raise money for additional scholarships in multiple sports.

1987: Wayne Meylan, two-time consensus All-America middle guard, dies at age 41 when his vintage P-51 Mustang fighter plane crashes in Michigan. Also killed is his passenger, John S. Colton III. Meylan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. | A gentle side

1997: The Sporting News' preseason yearbook ranks a Big 12 team No. 1 in the nation, but it's Colorado, not eventual champ Nebraska. The Huskers are pegged at No. 9, and TSN's Mike Huguenin explains the reasoning to the Denver Post: "Nebraska has basically a two-team schedule, at Washington and at Colorado, and we think both of those teams will beat Nebraska." Also: "We don't like Scott Frost as a quarterback. ... He's not of Tommie Frazier's caliber."

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Joint Statement from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green and Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Trev Alberts:

"This is an exciting and historic day for the Big Ten Conference and the University of Nebraska. The addition of UCLA and USC to the Big Ten is a bold, ambitious step during a time of historic change in the collegiate athletics landscape. These institutions will add two world-class athletic departments and brands to the Big Ten and stretch the Conference footprint from coast to coast. For the University of Nebraska, there are many positives associated with this expansion. UNL has a large alumni base in California that will have a great opportunity to regularly watch our teams compete in historical athletic venues in Southern California. Nebraska has had a history of success recruiting athletes from California, and this will only enhance Nebraska's profile in a fertile recruiting ground. We welcome UCLA and USC to the Big Ten Conference and look forward to competing with them in the future."

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Nebraska is 0-4-1 all time against USC and 7-6 against UCLA. For the Weekend Five, let's recall five of those matchups that come to mind.

Nebraska 21, USC 21; 1970: The only blemish of sorts for the first Nebraska national championship team, USC scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to bring a back-and-forth game at the Coliseum to a tie. A Joe Orduna 67-yard run was key for the Huskers in building a second half lead, but a bad snap caused Paul Rogers to miss a 22-yard field goal that would have given Nebraska a 10-point advantage early in the fourth.

Instead, a tie when ties were still part of the deal in college football. But Nebraska would run the table the rest of the way on its way to calling itself No. 1 in the land.

Nebraska 42, UCLA 33; 1987: This was a top-five matchup in Lincoln, with the Huskers coming in ranked second and UCLA third under head coach Terry Donahue. It was a Bruins squad that had Troy Aikman at quarterback. But it was Nebraska QB Steve Taylor's arm that stole the show with five touchdown passes as NU built a 42-17 fourth-quarter lead before some late garbage scores made it closer for a final score.


The Huskers would be undefeated until late November, when the Sooners disrupted the party in Lincoln in the game billed as Game of the Century II. Charles Thompson, father of Nebraska QB Casey Thompson, knows a little something about that one.

USC 45, Nebraska 42; 2014 Holiday Bowl: Most of the attention was off the field leading into this one, with Bo Pelini fired the weekend after the regular season ended and Mike Riley hired soon after. In the meantime, a 9-3 Husker team prepared for a bowl game under the direction of interim coach Barney Cotton. The coach of USC at the time? That'd be Steve Sarkisian, now at Texas.

It was an odd scene, with Riley actually on hand to watch the game, popping into the ESPN booth during the broadcast after doing an interview with local media in the press box before the game in which the big topic was his hiring of strength coach Mark Philipp, who was coming from ... USC.


The game itself was quite good. It looked like USC would blow the doors off Nebraska and led 45-27 late in the third quarter. But Nebraska scored on a long bomb from Tommy Armstrong to Jordan Westerkamp and then mounted another fourth quarter drive to close within three. The defense finally got a couple stops and Nebraska drove inside the USC 30 late with all the momentum. But a fourth-down stop preserved USC victory.

A year later, in another odd bowl game scenario, Riley would take a 5-7 team to the Foster Farms Bowl against UCLA, the opportunity granted to the Huskers thanks to a shortage of 6-win teams in college football that year. It turned into one of the better nights of the Riley era, with Nebraska pounding UCLA on the ground and winning 37-29.

Nebraska 14, UCLA 13; 1993: An ugly game in the Rose Bowl but an important one to the development of Nebraska's mid-90s dynasty. This one sort of set the stage for the "Refuse to Lose" mantra that would take over that Nebraska season.


NU's offense was clunky and turnover prone and trailed 10-0 before a late second-quarter touchdown by a promising young back named Lawrence Phillips, who was beginning to show how talented he was. A TD pass from Tommie Frazier to tight end Gerald Armstrong in the third quarter would prove the winning edge for a team that would find ways to pull out some tight wins en route to an 11-0 regular season and near miss of a national championship against Florida State.

The titles were just around the corner.

Nebraska 40, UCLA 13; 1973: The first game of the Tom Osborne era as Nebraska's head coach. And it was dominating even with the Huskers playing their backup quarterback. Randy Borg had a 77-yard punt return for a score. Tough Tony Davis ran for 147 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown to ensure a rout in the fourth quarter.

This Osborne guy just might turn out OK.

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2022 Californians for Nebraska Annual Picnic
WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 2022
TIME: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: William R. Mason Regional Park, 18712 University Drive, Irvine, Calif.
COST: $5 suggested donation; $5 per car Orange County park entry fee.

Join fellow friends, fans and Alumni of the University of Nebraska for our annual Californians for Nebraska picnic. Food and soft drinks will be provided. The menu is hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages and a variety of snacks. Bring your family and friends for a day of talking football and getting acquainted with your fellow Nebraskans. For more details, Check out our Facebook page or email.

An Opportunity Drawing for official Husker gear will be held at ~2:00. The Grand Prize will be a pair of tickets to a Husker home game.

Californians for Nebraska, Official University of Nebraska Alumni ChapterCalifornians for Nebraska, Official University of Nebraska Alumni Chapter
Pre-Order Your Runzas
Place your advance orders for frozen Runzas that will be available at the Picnic on July 16th. The Runzas will be already baked and hard frozen.
1 for $7.00 or $6 for $35

[utee94]

I have still never had a runza.

[FearlessF]

come on up for a visit while it's hot down there and cooler here

Vine Street Bomber makes them from scratch in his kitchen in Lincoln

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THIS WEEK IN HUSKER HISTORY


1937: Sam Francis, Nebraska's All-America fullback, signs with the Chicago Bears.

1942: Butch Wertman, a tackle on Nebraska's Rose Bowl team, is killed when his Army pursuit plane crashes in Connecticut. | Earlier feature story

1952: Plans are announced for the Huskers to eat postgame meals with visiting teams at the Student Union.

1962: Tom Osborne explains his decision to give up pro football and join Bob Devaney's staff as a graduate assistant.


1967: Coach Bob Devaney's underdog West squad domin­ates stat­istic­ally, but QB Steve Spurrier rallies the East to a 12-9 win in the Coaches All-America game in Atlanta. In photo, Ne­bras­ka's Larry Wach­holtz makes a futile dive at Michigan State's Gene Washington on the East's game-winning play. Also on the West roster were NebraskaU’s Kelly Petersen and Harry Wilson.

1972: Big Eight schools report brisk ticket sales after the league's unprecedented 1-2-3 finish in the final 1971 AP poll.

1982: After winning the Outland Trophy and being named the Big Eight’s offensive player of the year in 1981, Nebraska center Dave Rimington says he won't be resting on his laurels during his senior season.

1987: It is announced that the Farm Aid III concert will take place at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 19. That is a bye week for the Huskers, but it is understood there will be some disruptions in the team's practice routine. Coach Tom Osborne receives assurances that the turf will be protected.

1997: Former Husker Trev Alberts’ latest injury problem draws the scorn of his Indianapolis Colts teammate Jim Harbaugh. (Alberts, the No. 5 pick in the 1994 NFL draft, would retire from football a week and a half later.)

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Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson has been named SBLive’s National Football Player of the Year.

Johnson committed to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in December 2021.

Johnson had a huge senior season at the Academy of Holy Angels in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 11 games, he rushed for 2,484 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Johnson also played a large role on the defensive side of the ball. As a safety, he racked up 71 total tackles, ten tackles for loss, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Johnson was named Minnesota’s Mr. Football by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.

Despite his on-the-field production, Johnson flew somewhat under the radar during the recruiting process. 247 Sports ranked him as the 68th-best running back in the 2022 class.

Johnson could prove to be a steal for the Cornhuskers.

[ELA]

Careful what you wish for there.  UNI is one of the most dangerous FCS teams to schedule.

I mean NIU didn't go so well, might as well try UNI

[FearlessF]

Nebraska will make its appearance at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis next Tuesday, and the players repping the Huskers have been picked.

Husker edge defender Garrett Nelson, cornerback Quinton Newsome and tight end Travis Vokolek will join Scott Frost on the trip.

[FearlessF]

Preseason practice dates and times, plus who will be available to the media afterward, are listed below. Asterisk indicates no media availability. All times Central.

Wednesday, July 27
8:45-10:20 a.m.*
Thursday, July 28
8:45-10:55 a.m.*
Friday, July 29
8:45-10:55 a.m.
Defensive coaches & players
Saturday, July 30
OFF DAY
Sunday, July 31
8:45-10:20 a.m.*
Monday, Aug. 1
8:45-10:55 a.m.
First 20-30 minutes open to media
Offensive coaches & players
Tuesday, Aug. 2
8:45-11:10 a.m.*
Wednesday, Aug. 3
OFF DAY
Thursday, Aug. 4
8:45-10:55 a.m.
Coach Bill Busch, more coaches & players
Friday, Aug. 5
8:45-10:20 a.m.
Coach Frost
Saturday, Aug. 6
8:45-11:10 a.m.*
Sunday, Aug. 7
OFF DAY
Monday, Aug. 8
8:45-10:20 a.m.
Defensive coaches & players
Tuesday, Aug. 9
8:45-10:55 a.m.*
Wednesday, Aug. 10
8:45-11:10 a.m.
First 20-30 minutes open to media
Offensive coaches & players
Thursday, Aug. 11
OFF DAY
Friday, Aug. 12
8:45-10:55 a.m.*
Saturday, Aug. 13
8:45-10:55 a.m.
Coach Frost
Sunday, Aug. 14
8:45-11:10 a.m.*