Link: Complete Game Notes (Huskers.com)
Nebraska opens the 2015 season on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against BYU at Memorial Stadium. The game will mark the Cornhuskers' debut under head coach Mike Riley. Riley will guide a team that returns 16 starters from a team that finished 9-4 in 2014. Nebraska will also be looking to win its season opener for the 30th straight season, a streak that leads the nation.
BYU finished the 2014 campaign with an 8-5 record, but was a perfect 3-0 against Power Five opponents, including victories at Texas and California. The Cougars are one of 10 programs in the country to have appeared in a bowl game each of the past 10 seasons.
Saturday's meeting will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools, which rank first and fifth, respectively, in victories the past 40 seasons. Saturday's game will be the 341st consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff
Saturday, September 5 | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Location
Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
Broadcast Information
Television: ABC (Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Todd McShay)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Lane Grindle)
National Radio: Westwood One (Chuck Cooperstein, Derek Rackley)
Satellite Radio: (Sirius Ch. 84 | XM Ch. 84)
Internet Broadcast: Huskers.com
Numbers
1 - Mike Riley will coach his first game as Nebraska's head coach on Saturday. Riley is the 29th head coach in Husker history. Nebraska coaches are 20-7-1 in their first game, including 5-0 since 1962.
29 - Nebraska has won its season opener for 29 consecutive years dating back to 1986. The streak is the longest in the nation, four longer than Florida (25).
11 - Nebraska plays 11 consecutive games without a bye to start the season. The Huskers are one of 12 FBS teams who will play 11 or more consecutive weeks without a bye in 2015.
Coaches
Nebraska's Mike Riley is entering his first game as Nebraska's head coach. This is his 15th year overall as a college head coach and Coach Riley sports a career record of 93-80. He is 1-2 all-time vs. BYU.
BYU's Bronco Mendenhall is in his 11th year as a head coach and 11th year as the head man of the Cougar football program. Mendenhall is 90-39 over that time span.
Statistical Comparison (from 2014 Final Stats)
Total Offense
BYU - 460.5 ypg
NU - 452.3 ypg
Rush Offense
NU - 240.2 ypg
BYU - 181.8 ypg
Pass Offense
BYU - 278.7 ypg
NU - 212.1 ypg
Scoring Offense
NU - 37.8 ppg
BYU - 37.1 ppg
Total Defense
NU - 383.7 ypg
BYU - 391.5 ypg
Rush Defense
BYU - 121.8 ypg
NU - 177.8 ypg
Pass Defense
NU - 205.8 ypg
BYU - 269.7 ypg
Scoring Defense
NU - 26.4 ppg
BYU - 27.5 ppg
Total Turnover Margin
BYU - (-1)
NU - (-2)
Scouting BYU
BYU went 8-5 in 2014, which included two overtime losses. The Cougars were 3-0 against Power Five teams in 2014. The Cougars began the year 4-0 last year and climbed to No. 18 in the national polls before a season-ending injury knocked starting quarterback Taysom Hill out for the year. BYU returns eight starters and 22 letterwinners from a year ago on offense and seven starters and 23 letterwinners on defense. BYU returns 62% of its receiving yards and 59% of its scoring. The Cougars return more than 60% of its tackles, sacks and TFL's from last season.
As mentioned above, this will be the first-ever meeting between BYU and Nebraska in football. BYU is one of 39 FBS opponents that Nebraska has never faced.
BYU is in its 94th season of football and owns an all-time record of 546-398-26. The Cougars won a national championship in 1984. Over the last 40 years, BYU is fifth all-time in wins with 354, trailing only Nebraska (389), Ohio State (366), Florida State (365) and Oklahoma (365).
BYU Players to Watch
QB Taysom Hill
- 2015 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
- 2015 Maxwell & Davey O'Brien Award Watch Lists
- Missed final eight games of 2014 season due to injury
- 4,338 career passing yards, 2,140 career rushing yards
WR Mitch Mathews
- 2015 Biletnikoff Watch List
- Led BYU with 73 catches, 922 receiving yards and 9 TDs in 2014
- Ranked 25th nationally with 9 receiving TDs in 2014
- Has caught a pass in 22 straight games (96 total receptions in that stretch)
DL Bronson Kaufusi
- 2015 Bronko Nagurski Watch List
- 2015 Chuck Bednarik Watch List
- Team high 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2014
- Father Steve is BYU's defensive line coach
Returning BYU Statistical Leaders
Rushing
Taysom Hill (87 car, 460 yds, 5.3 ypc, 8 TD)
Algernon Brown (68 car, 324 yds, 4.8 ypc, 0 TD)
Nate Carter (46 car, 290 yds, 6.3 ypc, 1 TD)
Passing
Taysom Hill (88-of-132, 66.7%, 975 yds, 7 TD, 3 INT)
Receiving
Mitch Mathews (73 rec, 922 yds, 12.6 ypc, 9 TD)
Mitch Juergens (28 rec, 424 yds, 15.1 ypc, 4 TD)
Terenn Houk (21 rec, 241 yds, 11.5 ypc, 2 TD)
Tackles
Manoa Pikula (30 UT, 49 TT, 2.0 TFL)
2014 BYU Results (8-4)
at Connecticut (W 35-10)
at Texas (W 41-7)
Houston (W 33-25)
Virginia (W 41-33)
Utah State (L 20-35)
at Central Florida (L 24-31 OT)
Nevada (L 35-42)
at Boise State (L 30-55)
at Middle Tennessee State (W 27-7)
UNLV (W 42-23)
Savannah State (W 64-0)
at California (W 42-35)
Miami Beach Bowl
vs. Memphis (L 48-55 2OT)
Nebraska opens the 2015 season on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against BYU at Memorial Stadium. The game will mark the Cornhuskers' debut under head coach Mike Riley. Riley will guide a team that returns 16 starters from a team that finished 9-4 in 2014. Nebraska will also be looking to win its season opener for the 30th straight season, a streak that leads the nation.
BYU finished the 2014 campaign with an 8-5 record, but was a perfect 3-0 against Power Five opponents, including victories at Texas and California. The Cougars are one of 10 programs in the country to have appeared in a bowl game each of the past 10 seasons.
Saturday's meeting will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools, which rank first and fifth, respectively, in victories the past 40 seasons. Saturday's game will be the 341st consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff
Saturday, September 5 | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Location
Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
Broadcast Information
Television: ABC (Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Todd McShay)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Lane Grindle)
National Radio: Westwood One (Chuck Cooperstein, Derek Rackley)
Satellite Radio: (Sirius Ch. 84 | XM Ch. 84)
Internet Broadcast: Huskers.com
Numbers
1 - Mike Riley will coach his first game as Nebraska's head coach on Saturday. Riley is the 29th head coach in Husker history. Nebraska coaches are 20-7-1 in their first game, including 5-0 since 1962.
29 - Nebraska has won its season opener for 29 consecutive years dating back to 1986. The streak is the longest in the nation, four longer than Florida (25).
11 - Nebraska plays 11 consecutive games without a bye to start the season. The Huskers are one of 12 FBS teams who will play 11 or more consecutive weeks without a bye in 2015.
Coaches
Nebraska's Mike Riley is entering his first game as Nebraska's head coach. This is his 15th year overall as a college head coach and Coach Riley sports a career record of 93-80. He is 1-2 all-time vs. BYU.
BYU's Bronco Mendenhall is in his 11th year as a head coach and 11th year as the head man of the Cougar football program. Mendenhall is 90-39 over that time span.
Statistical Comparison (from 2014 Final Stats)
Total Offense
BYU - 460.5 ypg
NU - 452.3 ypg
Rush Offense
NU - 240.2 ypg
BYU - 181.8 ypg
Pass Offense
BYU - 278.7 ypg
NU - 212.1 ypg
Scoring Offense
NU - 37.8 ppg
BYU - 37.1 ppg
Total Defense
NU - 383.7 ypg
BYU - 391.5 ypg
Rush Defense
BYU - 121.8 ypg
NU - 177.8 ypg
Pass Defense
NU - 205.8 ypg
BYU - 269.7 ypg
Scoring Defense
NU - 26.4 ppg
BYU - 27.5 ppg
Total Turnover Margin
BYU - (-1)
NU - (-2)
Scouting BYU
BYU went 8-5 in 2014, which included two overtime losses. The Cougars were 3-0 against Power Five teams in 2014. The Cougars began the year 4-0 last year and climbed to No. 18 in the national polls before a season-ending injury knocked starting quarterback Taysom Hill out for the year. BYU returns eight starters and 22 letterwinners from a year ago on offense and seven starters and 23 letterwinners on defense. BYU returns 62% of its receiving yards and 59% of its scoring. The Cougars return more than 60% of its tackles, sacks and TFL's from last season.
As mentioned above, this will be the first-ever meeting between BYU and Nebraska in football. BYU is one of 39 FBS opponents that Nebraska has never faced.
BYU is in its 94th season of football and owns an all-time record of 546-398-26. The Cougars won a national championship in 1984. Over the last 40 years, BYU is fifth all-time in wins with 354, trailing only Nebraska (389), Ohio State (366), Florida State (365) and Oklahoma (365).
BYU Players to Watch
QB Taysom Hill
- 2015 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
- 2015 Maxwell & Davey O'Brien Award Watch Lists
- Missed final eight games of 2014 season due to injury
- 4,338 career passing yards, 2,140 career rushing yards
WR Mitch Mathews
- 2015 Biletnikoff Watch List
- Led BYU with 73 catches, 922 receiving yards and 9 TDs in 2014
- Ranked 25th nationally with 9 receiving TDs in 2014
- Has caught a pass in 22 straight games (96 total receptions in that stretch)
DL Bronson Kaufusi
- 2015 Bronko Nagurski Watch List
- 2015 Chuck Bednarik Watch List
- Team high 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2014
- Father Steve is BYU's defensive line coach
Returning BYU Statistical Leaders
Rushing
Taysom Hill (87 car, 460 yds, 5.3 ypc, 8 TD)
Algernon Brown (68 car, 324 yds, 4.8 ypc, 0 TD)
Nate Carter (46 car, 290 yds, 6.3 ypc, 1 TD)
Passing
Taysom Hill (88-of-132, 66.7%, 975 yds, 7 TD, 3 INT)
Receiving
Mitch Mathews (73 rec, 922 yds, 12.6 ypc, 9 TD)
Mitch Juergens (28 rec, 424 yds, 15.1 ypc, 4 TD)
Terenn Houk (21 rec, 241 yds, 11.5 ypc, 2 TD)
Tackles
Manoa Pikula (30 UT, 49 TT, 2.0 TFL)
2014 BYU Results (8-4)
at Connecticut (W 35-10)
at Texas (W 41-7)
Houston (W 33-25)
Virginia (W 41-33)
Utah State (L 20-35)
at Central Florida (L 24-31 OT)
Nevada (L 35-42)
at Boise State (L 30-55)
at Middle Tennessee State (W 27-7)
UNLV (W 42-23)
Savannah State (W 64-0)
at California (W 42-35)
Miami Beach Bowl
vs. Memphis (L 48-55 2OT)
