Long Live University of Nebraska Football

The athletic program of the University of Nebraska enters a different environment next year, and leaves behind the sweet aroma of a legacy of success. I like college football and basketball, but lean more towards football. (Although, for excitement and meaningful games, I’ll take March Madness over the present ridiculous bowl game set up college football uses.)

Anyway, next year Nebraska goes to the Big 10, a league with 12 schools (what do you expect from academia), and new challenges. I’m going to devote this article to Nebraska football, because Nebraska basketball does not have a legacy that begins with a “W,” except for a few years when Danny Nee was coach. I follow NU basketball, and think Coach Sadler is the coach to bring Nebraska winning teams, once he has the new basketball facilities to recruit to.

Nevertheless, at the present time we’re a football school and always have been, but not always winners. I can remember the pre-Devaney era, so remember what it was like to consistently lose, i.e. Bill Jennings, the coach immediately before Devaney was 15-34-1 from 1957- 1961. However, that is a bygone era, thus I’m going to list some of Nebraska’s more recent football facts and accomplishments, mostly from the Devaney-Osborne era of 1962-1997.

 Nebraska football began in 1890, and the team went 10-0.
 Nebraska became the Cornhuskers around 1900.
 Nebraska has won 46 conference championships.
 Nebraska has won or been part of five National Championships.
 Nebraska won three National Championships in the 1990’s.
 Nebraska went 60-3-0 from 1993-97.
 ESPN named the 1971 Huskers the greatest college football team of all time.
 Nebraska has three Heisman trophy winners.
 Nebraska has 25 players in the College Football Hall of fame.
 Nebraska has a long and intense football rivalry with Oklahoma.
 Out of the 89 years of the Big Eight, either Nebraska or Oklahoma was the conference champion 71 times.

Yes, we leave a legacy, but Nebraska’s legacy is in the Big 8, or Big 12, and we’ll be in the Big 10. In 2011, we face one of the toughest football schedules in college football, and it’s time to start a new winning legacy. Go Big Red!