Link: https://www.landof10.com/nebraska/nebraska-footballs-b1g-100-the-rivalry-circus
Nebraska Football's B1G 100: The Rivalry Circus
by Erin Sorensen, Land of 10
Editor's Note: In June 1917, the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives invited Michigan back into the league, increasing membership to 10 and eventually spawning the iconic "Big Ten" nickname. One hundred years later, Land of 10 will spend the summer looking at the history of America's legendary conference and its teams.
When you think of the best rivalries in college football, what schools come to mind? And if you were asked specifically about Nebraska, who would you pick as the Huskers' rival?
Depending on how long you've been a fan of college football, you may have said Oklahoma. You also may have suggested Colorado or Iowa. There's even a chance you consider the Huskers' biggest rival today to be Wisconsin. With so many options on the table, it's enough to make anyone's head spin.
Identifying Nebraska's true rival has become a subjective exercise over the last 21 years. When the Big Eight collapsed, the Huskers found themselves without what many consider to be their true rival in Norman, Oklahoma. Instead, with the creation of the Big 12, they were given Colorado as a replacement for the Sooners. Things got messier in 2011 when the Huskers departed for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten Conference is filled with programs that have longstanding relationships and rivalries. Famous trophies have been passed back and forth for decades, such as the Old Brass Spittoon (Michigan State-Indiana) and the Little Brown Jug (Michigan-Minnesota).
For Nebraska, the opponent in its usual rivalry spot on Thanksgiving weekend is now Iowa. The game even comes with the Heroes Trophy for the winner. But are the Hawkeyes and Huskers really rivals? That's the question that has plagued the matchup since its inception in 2011.
Here is a look back at Nebraska's rivalries and the current state of affairs. We even try to answer what's next in the Huskers' rivalry circus.
OKLAHOMA
Nebraska and Oklahoma met for the first time on November 23, 1912. The Huskers won 13-9 in Lincoln. The two wouldn't meet again for seven years, tying 7-7 on Oct. 25, 1919.
The Huskers and Sooners became an annual game starting in 1921, and they played every year until 1997. There are memorable moments that are discussed to this day. One of those is the "Game of the Century".
The Game of the Century took place on Nov. 25, 1971. The week prior to the matchup, Sports Illustrated featured the two programs on the cover of its Nov. 22 issue. Nebraska linebacker Bob Terrio and Oklahoma running back Greg Pruitt faced off below the headline, "Irresistible Oklahoma Meets Immovable Nebraska."
The Huskers had defeated the Sooners in 1969 (44-14) and 1970 (28-21). Back in Norman, Oklahoma hoped to get back on track against Nebraska.
Adding to the drama, both teams were undefeated prior to meeting on Thanksgiving Day. Nebraska was ranked No. 1 in the AP and coaches polls, while Oklahoma was ranked No. 2. The winner would not only walk away with the No. 1 ranking, but also the Big Eight title.
The game lived up to expectations. At halftime, the Huskers trailed for the first time all season. During the second half, the lead would flip back and forth three times before Nebraska finally secured a 35-31 victory.
One of the most memorable moments of the game was Johnny Rodgers' 71-yard punt return for a touchdown. Lyell Bremser's radio call of the return is still used in pregame videos by the Huskers.
"Man, woman and child did that put 'em in the aisles!" Bremser called. "Johnny 'The Jet' Rodgers just tore 'em loose from their shoes!"
That call is considered one of the best sports calls in history by NBC Sports.
The moments that defined the rivalry between Nebraska are Oklahoma are extensive. Mention the Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass play to a Husker or a Sooner and they'll know instantly what you're talking about. It dates back to Oct. 27, 2001. Oklahoma made the trek to Lincoln that year and both teams were highly rated. The Huskers were No. 2 in the AP poll, while the Sooners were No. 3.
It all happened in a flash, as Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch found himself on the receiving end of the trick play for a touchdown.
Barry Switzer also means a great deal to the rivalry between the Huskers and Sooners. During his time as Oklahoma's coach, Switzer held a 12-5 record over Nebraska. You'd think that'd be enough for any coach, but Switzer still thinks about his loss to Nebraska and Tom Osborne in 1978.
While Nebraska always firmly believed its main rival was Oklahoma, the Sooners also had the Red River Showdown with Texas. The matchup dates back to 1900. Osborne always understood and respected Oklahoma's rivalry with Texas, but he also saw just as much importance in the Sooners' game against the Huskers.
"Well, I think losing the Oklahoma game on a yearly basis was difficult from the standpoint of tradition," Osborne told Land of 10. "Of course, I could understand their viewpoint, because most of their recruiting was either in Oklahoma or Texas -- they didn't recruit nationally as much as we did, and so playing Texas every year was important to them, more so than Nebraska. However, [Oklahoma athletic director] Joe Castiglione did reach out to me when I was still athletic director and we scheduled a home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022, so we at least give a nod to the past there.
"But we do miss that. Because that was always a very -- I think, over a 30-year stretch, 27-28 times, that game determined the Big Eight championship, or the Big 12. And also, most of the time, had pretty serious national implications, so there's where [you] clearly, truly become a rival."
It's been seven years since Oklahoma and Nebraska last met on a football field. But it's battles like the Game of the Century that keep fans of both programs longing to meet again. The good news is that they will. The two programs reached an agreement on Nov. 29, 2012, to play in 2021 and 2022.
The 2021 matchup will take place in Norman, just like it did 50 years prior for the Game of the Century.
COLORADO
Nebraska began its rivalry with Colorado in 1996 when the former Big Eight added four Texas teams to become the Big 12. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor, who hailed from the collapsing Southwest Conference, were joined with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to form the Big 12 South. Nebraska was placed in the Big 12 North with Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri and Colorado.
With Nebraska and Oklahoma separated by divisions, their annual late-November matchup dissolved. As a result, the Nebraska-Colorado rivalry was officially born on Nov. 29, 1996.
The question is whether the matchup ever was a rivalry. When Osborne was asked about the Buffaloes in 1994, he seemed skeptical even then to place the rivalry label on the game.
"There are certain games like Harvard and Yale, USC and UCLA, and maybe Michigan and Ohio State that have geographical and historical backgrounds that no matter how the teams are playing or what their records are, they're still so-called big games," Osborne said. "I don't think Nebraska and Colorado have that kind of history."
Nebraska and Colorado had history, but that's not what Osborne was necessarily referencing. While the history between the two programs dates back to 1898, it was lopsided. The series, as it stands today, is 49-18-2 in Nebraska's favor.
Osborne made his comments on the rivalry two years before the end of the Big Eight. Would he have felt differently in 2010 after the Huskers and Buffaloes played on Thanksgiving weekend for 15 seasons? Would he have had a change of heart after the Buffs gashed the Huskers 62-36 on Nov. 23, 2001?
If rivalries are marked by big moments, the contest in 2001 was one for the books. Nebraska was on its way to the Big 12 title game until Colorado decided otherwise. This should have been a much more defining moment in the growth and history of the rivalry, but it was overshadowed by what happened next.
Despite the blowout loss, the Huskers went to the national title game, thanks in part to the Buffs' upset of Texas in the Big 12 title game. Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy. All was looking up until Miami routed Nebraska 37-14 at the Rose Bowl, dropping the Huskers to No. 8 in the final AP poll.
By that point, the sting of the Colorado loss was lessened due to the sting of the Miami loss. It was a moment that could have been much bigger for the rivalry if the season had played out differently.
There were other moments worth reliving, of course, such as Alex Henery's 57-yard field goal in 2008.
But they were just that: moments. True rivals? Osborne's still not convinced, even 23 years after his original comments.
"The Colorado thing was a little bit more artificial and, you know, they got good," Osborne told Land of 10. "And certainly, at that point, there was some rivalry, too. But it wasn't like Oklahoma, which really has stood the test of time."
The two will meet again soon. Nebraska and Colorado agreed to a four-game series to be played between 2018 and 2024.
IOWA
The last time Nebraska faced Iowa prior to 2011 was 1999 and 2000. The Huskers won both games 42-7 and 42-13, respectively. Eleven years later, the two met as part of a newly established Big Ten rivalry and "Heroes Game". Since then, Nebraska and Iowa fans have gone back and forth on whether the matchup really is a rivalry.
When asked which program they hated most, Land of 10 Iowa fans solidly selected Nebraska Does hatred and dislike equal a rivalry? Not entirely, but it doesn't hurt the cause.
Nebraska won its first two Big Ten games against Iowa in 2011 and 2012. The Huskers have beaten the Hawkeyes just once since 2013.
Despite the even record, there has yet to be that defining moment between the two programs, although there have been close calls. Land of 10's Scott Dochterman pointed out that Nebraska had a chance to really fuel the fire in 2015 when Iowa was undefeated. The Hawkeyes were gunning for a perfect regular season and the Huskers could have ended it, creating plenty of drama between the two. Nebraska was in good position to win, playing at home.
The Hawkeyes won, 28-20.
Time should help this rivalry. It feels forced at times, but Nebraska and Iowa fans clearly dislike each other. That's helpful in building something permanent. It's best to give this series the time it deserves to build into something worth looking forward to each November.
Osborne feels the same. He's not ready to call it a full-fledged rivalry just yet, but it's getting there.
"I think there has become somewhat of a rivalry [there]," Osborne told Land of 10. "It's kind of grown over the last few years. It's been fairly even in terms of whichever team has won, you know, so they are fairly close."
"But I think....we'll see. I always felt that the rival we had was the next team we were playing. I never pointed to any one game. I always felt you better have your focus on next Saturday."
What's Next?
What's next for Nebraska in the rivalry department? Will the Hawkeyes-Huskers game grow into a bigger rivalry in time, or will another program swoop in and take the honor?
If a program other than Iowa becomes Nebraska's true Big Ten rival, many assume it would be Wisconsin. As ESPN's Jesse Temple pointed out last fall, the Huskers and Badgers have checked all the boxes on the rivalry form to date.
"Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, the teams have met five times," Temple said. "In four of those games, at least one school was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25."
Temple also pointed out additional similarities between the two programs.
"Nebraska and Wisconsin share an obvious similarity in that each is the only FBS school in the state and therefore retains an especially high number of in-state products," Temple continued. "Nebraska has 57 in-state players on its roster, while Wisconsin has 54. But the parallels run even deeper. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, the Badgers' Hall of Fame former coach, played linebacker at Nebraska under Bob Devaney from 1966 to 1968. He even recorded an interception during Nebraska's 31-3 victory against Wisconsin in 1966."
The Huskers and Badgers did not disappoint in 2016. The game in Madison, Wisconsin went into overtime and had plenty of dramatic moments. Wisconsin ultimately got the 23-17 win, but it was a game that could easily help fuel a growing rivalry.
None of that is to say Wisconsin is it for Nebraska. There's potential, but nothing is set in stone. That's been the story for the Huskers since 1996: plenty of rivalry options, but no true fit.
Nebraska football enters its seventh season in the Big Ten this fall. Do the Huskers have a Big Ten rival? It doesn't feel like it, but the possibilities are narrowing. Time will help sort it out.
Until it does, the circus continues.
Nebraska Football's B1G 100: The Rivalry Circus
by Erin Sorensen, Land of 10
Editor's Note: In June 1917, the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives invited Michigan back into the league, increasing membership to 10 and eventually spawning the iconic "Big Ten" nickname. One hundred years later, Land of 10 will spend the summer looking at the history of America's legendary conference and its teams.
When you think of the best rivalries in college football, what schools come to mind? And if you were asked specifically about Nebraska, who would you pick as the Huskers' rival?
Depending on how long you've been a fan of college football, you may have said Oklahoma. You also may have suggested Colorado or Iowa. There's even a chance you consider the Huskers' biggest rival today to be Wisconsin. With so many options on the table, it's enough to make anyone's head spin.
Identifying Nebraska's true rival has become a subjective exercise over the last 21 years. When the Big Eight collapsed, the Huskers found themselves without what many consider to be their true rival in Norman, Oklahoma. Instead, with the creation of the Big 12, they were given Colorado as a replacement for the Sooners. Things got messier in 2011 when the Huskers departed for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten Conference is filled with programs that have longstanding relationships and rivalries. Famous trophies have been passed back and forth for decades, such as the Old Brass Spittoon (Michigan State-Indiana) and the Little Brown Jug (Michigan-Minnesota).
For Nebraska, the opponent in its usual rivalry spot on Thanksgiving weekend is now Iowa. The game even comes with the Heroes Trophy for the winner. But are the Hawkeyes and Huskers really rivals? That's the question that has plagued the matchup since its inception in 2011.
Here is a look back at Nebraska's rivalries and the current state of affairs. We even try to answer what's next in the Huskers' rivalry circus.
OKLAHOMA
Nebraska and Oklahoma met for the first time on November 23, 1912. The Huskers won 13-9 in Lincoln. The two wouldn't meet again for seven years, tying 7-7 on Oct. 25, 1919.
The Huskers and Sooners became an annual game starting in 1921, and they played every year until 1997. There are memorable moments that are discussed to this day. One of those is the "Game of the Century".
The Game of the Century took place on Nov. 25, 1971. The week prior to the matchup, Sports Illustrated featured the two programs on the cover of its Nov. 22 issue. Nebraska linebacker Bob Terrio and Oklahoma running back Greg Pruitt faced off below the headline, "Irresistible Oklahoma Meets Immovable Nebraska."
The Huskers had defeated the Sooners in 1969 (44-14) and 1970 (28-21). Back in Norman, Oklahoma hoped to get back on track against Nebraska.
Adding to the drama, both teams were undefeated prior to meeting on Thanksgiving Day. Nebraska was ranked No. 1 in the AP and coaches polls, while Oklahoma was ranked No. 2. The winner would not only walk away with the No. 1 ranking, but also the Big Eight title.
The game lived up to expectations. At halftime, the Huskers trailed for the first time all season. During the second half, the lead would flip back and forth three times before Nebraska finally secured a 35-31 victory.
One of the most memorable moments of the game was Johnny Rodgers' 71-yard punt return for a touchdown. Lyell Bremser's radio call of the return is still used in pregame videos by the Huskers.
"Man, woman and child did that put 'em in the aisles!" Bremser called. "Johnny 'The Jet' Rodgers just tore 'em loose from their shoes!"
That call is considered one of the best sports calls in history by NBC Sports.
The moments that defined the rivalry between Nebraska are Oklahoma are extensive. Mention the Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass play to a Husker or a Sooner and they'll know instantly what you're talking about. It dates back to Oct. 27, 2001. Oklahoma made the trek to Lincoln that year and both teams were highly rated. The Huskers were No. 2 in the AP poll, while the Sooners were No. 3.
It all happened in a flash, as Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch found himself on the receiving end of the trick play for a touchdown.
Barry Switzer also means a great deal to the rivalry between the Huskers and Sooners. During his time as Oklahoma's coach, Switzer held a 12-5 record over Nebraska. You'd think that'd be enough for any coach, but Switzer still thinks about his loss to Nebraska and Tom Osborne in 1978.
While Nebraska always firmly believed its main rival was Oklahoma, the Sooners also had the Red River Showdown with Texas. The matchup dates back to 1900. Osborne always understood and respected Oklahoma's rivalry with Texas, but he also saw just as much importance in the Sooners' game against the Huskers.
"Well, I think losing the Oklahoma game on a yearly basis was difficult from the standpoint of tradition," Osborne told Land of 10. "Of course, I could understand their viewpoint, because most of their recruiting was either in Oklahoma or Texas -- they didn't recruit nationally as much as we did, and so playing Texas every year was important to them, more so than Nebraska. However, [Oklahoma athletic director] Joe Castiglione did reach out to me when I was still athletic director and we scheduled a home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022, so we at least give a nod to the past there.
"But we do miss that. Because that was always a very -- I think, over a 30-year stretch, 27-28 times, that game determined the Big Eight championship, or the Big 12. And also, most of the time, had pretty serious national implications, so there's where [you] clearly, truly become a rival."
It's been seven years since Oklahoma and Nebraska last met on a football field. But it's battles like the Game of the Century that keep fans of both programs longing to meet again. The good news is that they will. The two programs reached an agreement on Nov. 29, 2012, to play in 2021 and 2022.
The 2021 matchup will take place in Norman, just like it did 50 years prior for the Game of the Century.
COLORADO
Nebraska began its rivalry with Colorado in 1996 when the former Big Eight added four Texas teams to become the Big 12. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor, who hailed from the collapsing Southwest Conference, were joined with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to form the Big 12 South. Nebraska was placed in the Big 12 North with Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri and Colorado.
With Nebraska and Oklahoma separated by divisions, their annual late-November matchup dissolved. As a result, the Nebraska-Colorado rivalry was officially born on Nov. 29, 1996.
The question is whether the matchup ever was a rivalry. When Osborne was asked about the Buffaloes in 1994, he seemed skeptical even then to place the rivalry label on the game.
"There are certain games like Harvard and Yale, USC and UCLA, and maybe Michigan and Ohio State that have geographical and historical backgrounds that no matter how the teams are playing or what their records are, they're still so-called big games," Osborne said. "I don't think Nebraska and Colorado have that kind of history."
Nebraska and Colorado had history, but that's not what Osborne was necessarily referencing. While the history between the two programs dates back to 1898, it was lopsided. The series, as it stands today, is 49-18-2 in Nebraska's favor.
Osborne made his comments on the rivalry two years before the end of the Big Eight. Would he have felt differently in 2010 after the Huskers and Buffaloes played on Thanksgiving weekend for 15 seasons? Would he have had a change of heart after the Buffs gashed the Huskers 62-36 on Nov. 23, 2001?
If rivalries are marked by big moments, the contest in 2001 was one for the books. Nebraska was on its way to the Big 12 title game until Colorado decided otherwise. This should have been a much more defining moment in the growth and history of the rivalry, but it was overshadowed by what happened next.
Despite the blowout loss, the Huskers went to the national title game, thanks in part to the Buffs' upset of Texas in the Big 12 title game. Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy. All was looking up until Miami routed Nebraska 37-14 at the Rose Bowl, dropping the Huskers to No. 8 in the final AP poll.
By that point, the sting of the Colorado loss was lessened due to the sting of the Miami loss. It was a moment that could have been much bigger for the rivalry if the season had played out differently.
There were other moments worth reliving, of course, such as Alex Henery's 57-yard field goal in 2008.
But they were just that: moments. True rivals? Osborne's still not convinced, even 23 years after his original comments.
"The Colorado thing was a little bit more artificial and, you know, they got good," Osborne told Land of 10. "And certainly, at that point, there was some rivalry, too. But it wasn't like Oklahoma, which really has stood the test of time."
The two will meet again soon. Nebraska and Colorado agreed to a four-game series to be played between 2018 and 2024.
IOWA
The last time Nebraska faced Iowa prior to 2011 was 1999 and 2000. The Huskers won both games 42-7 and 42-13, respectively. Eleven years later, the two met as part of a newly established Big Ten rivalry and "Heroes Game". Since then, Nebraska and Iowa fans have gone back and forth on whether the matchup really is a rivalry.
When asked which program they hated most, Land of 10 Iowa fans solidly selected Nebraska Does hatred and dislike equal a rivalry? Not entirely, but it doesn't hurt the cause.
Nebraska won its first two Big Ten games against Iowa in 2011 and 2012. The Huskers have beaten the Hawkeyes just once since 2013.
Despite the even record, there has yet to be that defining moment between the two programs, although there have been close calls. Land of 10's Scott Dochterman pointed out that Nebraska had a chance to really fuel the fire in 2015 when Iowa was undefeated. The Hawkeyes were gunning for a perfect regular season and the Huskers could have ended it, creating plenty of drama between the two. Nebraska was in good position to win, playing at home.
The Hawkeyes won, 28-20.
Time should help this rivalry. It feels forced at times, but Nebraska and Iowa fans clearly dislike each other. That's helpful in building something permanent. It's best to give this series the time it deserves to build into something worth looking forward to each November.
Osborne feels the same. He's not ready to call it a full-fledged rivalry just yet, but it's getting there.
"I think there has become somewhat of a rivalry [there]," Osborne told Land of 10. "It's kind of grown over the last few years. It's been fairly even in terms of whichever team has won, you know, so they are fairly close."
"But I think....we'll see. I always felt that the rival we had was the next team we were playing. I never pointed to any one game. I always felt you better have your focus on next Saturday."
What's Next?
What's next for Nebraska in the rivalry department? Will the Hawkeyes-Huskers game grow into a bigger rivalry in time, or will another program swoop in and take the honor?
If a program other than Iowa becomes Nebraska's true Big Ten rival, many assume it would be Wisconsin. As ESPN's Jesse Temple pointed out last fall, the Huskers and Badgers have checked all the boxes on the rivalry form to date.
"Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, the teams have met five times," Temple said. "In four of those games, at least one school was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25."
Temple also pointed out additional similarities between the two programs.
"Nebraska and Wisconsin share an obvious similarity in that each is the only FBS school in the state and therefore retains an especially high number of in-state products," Temple continued. "Nebraska has 57 in-state players on its roster, while Wisconsin has 54. But the parallels run even deeper. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, the Badgers' Hall of Fame former coach, played linebacker at Nebraska under Bob Devaney from 1966 to 1968. He even recorded an interception during Nebraska's 31-3 victory against Wisconsin in 1966."
The Huskers and Badgers did not disappoint in 2016. The game in Madison, Wisconsin went into overtime and had plenty of dramatic moments. Wisconsin ultimately got the 23-17 win, but it was a game that could easily help fuel a growing rivalry.
None of that is to say Wisconsin is it for Nebraska. There's potential, but nothing is set in stone. That's been the story for the Huskers since 1996: plenty of rivalry options, but no true fit.
Nebraska football enters its seventh season in the Big Ten this fall. Do the Huskers have a Big Ten rival? It doesn't feel like it, but the possibilities are narrowing. Time will help sort it out.
Until it does, the circus continues.
