Big Ten Meet n’ Greet: Getting to know Nebraska with Cornhuskers Wire
With the news that both the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are going to be leaving the Pac-12 Conference a year from now and joining the Big Ten Conference, we decided that it is time for Oregon fans to learn a bit more about their future home.
Not only do Duck fans need to know a bit more about the history of the Big Ten, but they also need to learn about the teams that occupy the conference.
Fortunately, the USA TODAY College Wires’ network is ripe with journalists who cover the Big Ten. Whether it’s the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, or Penn State Nittany Lions, we have access to some of the top reporters in the region who know their teams inside and out. To help learn about each team, we sat down for a Q&A with the numerous site editors in the Big Ten.
When it comes to blue bloods in the world of college football, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have a seat at the table. They may not have the success over the past two decades that makes them come to the top of mind when thinking about national powers, but with five national championships from 1970 to 1997, there are few teams as engrained in the history of the sport as the Cornhuskers.
The Ducks have a rich history against Nebraska, but they’ve got the short end of the stick when it comes to that matchup over the years, holding just a 2-6 all-time record against the Cornhuskers. Most recently, Oregon picked up a win over Nebraska in 2016, winning 42-35 in an Autzen thriller. Hopefully, with the hiring of Matt Rhule, the Cornhuskers will soon be back on the way to national relevance, and these two teams can get back to having a strong rivalry, this time in the Big Ten Conference.
To help give us a better sense of who the Cornhuskers are, and what some of the Nebraska fans think about the Oregon Ducks, we sat down with Evan Bredeson, the managing editor of USA TODAY’s Cornhuskers Wire. Here is that conversation:
Nebraska Pride and History
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Question; Nebraska is among the more historic teams in the world of college football. For Oregon fans who know little about the Cornhuskers, what makes them such a storied program, and why do Nebraska fans rightfully have so much pride in their team?
Bredeson: There are multiple stats I could quote to try and convey the history of the program:
9th All-Time in Wins with 912
46 Conference Championships
Five National Championships (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997)
Three Heisman Trophy Winners
But the stat that best conveys Husker fans’ support for their team would be the sellout streak. Nebraska has sold out 389 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium — the longest streak in any collegiate sport. In good times and in bad (and it’s been more bad recently) the support of the fans never wavers.
Best Nebraska Players
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Question: Who are the best players that the Wolverines have ever had? Obviously, Eric Crouch, Johnny Rodgers, and Mike Rozier are the three Heisman winners, but who do Cornhuskers’ fans think of as the best to ever do it in Nebraska?
Bredeson: As you mentioned, Eric Crouch and Mike Rozier, along with Johnny Rogers, are the three Heisman Winners. Two fan favorites are Ndamukong Suh and Dave Rimmington. Suh was a defensive lineman who played at Nebraska from 2005-09. In his senior season, he would become the first defensive player ever to win AP Player of the Year as well as fourth in voting for the Heisman. Rimmington was a center at Nebraska from 1979-1982. He finished fifth in voting for the Heisman in 1982. The Rimington Trophy is named in his honor and since 2000, it’s handed out to the nation’s top college center.
Best Nebraska Coach
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Question: Who would you say is the best coach that Nebraska has ever had? How confident or hopeful are fans that Matt Rhule can eventually claim that top spot?
Bredeson: Dr. Tom Osborne. While Bob Devaney helped create a winning culture at Nebraska, Tom Osborne created and maintained the Nebraska dynasty for almost 25 years. With a career record of 255-49-3, he won three National Championships as a head coach, two as a coordinator, and 13 conference titles. He would also be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He also created college football’s first strength and conditioning program, which was a major turning point in the development of collegiate athletes.
Nebraska's Biggest Rival
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Question: Rivalries rule this sport. Who is currently the biggest rival for Nebraska? I’ve seen some fans say Northwestern, or Minnesota, or Oklahoma. Who do you think it ultimately is that the Cornhuskers want to beat the most?
Bredeson: In the Big Ten, it’s Iowa, no question. But Nebraska’s ultimate rival is the Oklahoma Sooners. Nebraska and Oklahoma will always have a connection dating back to their days when they both ran the Big Eight conference. That rivalry will always have a special place in Husker fans’ hearts. Their nonconference games each of the last two years show that there is still an appetite for this rivalry.
Biggest Sore Spot
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Question: Every college football fan has a sore spot. In other words, if you bring up *this one thing* they are likely to get defensive or upset. What is that for Nebraska fans?
Bredeson: The 2009 Big 12 Championship Game. Every Husker still thinks that Nebraska won that game.
*For reference, the Texas Longhorns beat Nebraska 13-12 on a last-second field goal. On the play prior to that, the game clock ran out as QB Colt McCoy threw the ball downfield and out of bounds. Nebraska fans were celebrating a 12-10 victory, but rules officials overturned the call and said that a clock error occurred and ordered one second left on the game clock.
Nebraska vs. Oregon
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Question: I don’t know if you could go as far as to say that Oregon and Nebraska have a “rivalry” with one another, but there is certainly some history there. The two teams have traded punches over the last decade in some thrilling games, but the Cornhuskers have a big lead in the overall series history, 6-2. How do you think Nebraska fans feel about the Ducks?
Bredeson: I think Nebraska fans are excited. Husker fans love to travel, and they love taking over opponents’ stadiums, especially if it is a great venue. I think Big Red fans are looking forward to regular trips to Autzen Stadium and the Big Ten Conference.
Nebraska Fans' Expansion Thoughts
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Question: There seemed to be a lot of mixed feelings from Big Ten schools and fans about the idea of bringing Oregon and Washington into the conference. How do you think Nebraska fans felt about this?
Bredeson: The more, the merrier. I think Husker fans will be excited about a new look at the conference. At the end of the day, we all want to see great football games in the best venues. Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA all make great additions.
2023 Expectations
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Question: Give me a quick overview of the upcoming season. It will be a success if Nebraska does BLANK.
Bredeson: Makes a bowl game. The Cornhuskers played in an NCAA-record 35 straight bowl games from 1969 to 2003. They haven’t made one since 2016.
