Welcome to installment No. 12 of ‘The Cob’s Archive Dive’, where each week, I’ll share headlines and excerpts from past articles printed in the Falls City Journal. Hopefully you’ll find a piece of Husker football history that makes you feel the sights and sounds of gameday.

On this day in Cornhusker Football History:

October 26, 1970 – Headline: Husker Fans get Offensive Treat

Nebraska football fans whose taste runs to scoring spectaculars may have to wait a long time before they are treated to a smorgasbord like the one dished out Saturday in Nebraska’s 65-31 conquest of Oklahoma State. As Nebraska coach Bob Devaney put it, “Anyone who likes offense should have been ecstatic.”  Not since 1922 when Nebraska blanked South Dakota 66-0 have the Huskers scored as many points in one game. Not since 1946, when high riding Oklahoma clobbered Oklahoma State, 73-12 have as many points been scored against the Cowboys. “They’ve got a fine football team,” OSU coach Floyd Gass said of Nebraska. “That’s the best football team we’ve played this year.” The Cornhuskers have brushed aside all three of their Big Eight foes with such impressive impact that it would take the next thing to a miracle to deny Nebraska at least a tie in the title race.

(Devaney did have a fine team and they seemed to get more confident and stronger as the season went on. Momentum is a powerful thing and something Matt Rhule has been unable to establish since his arrival.)

October 20, 1980 – Headline: Huskers Overcome Four Lost Fumbles to Thump Cowboys

Oklahoma State’s Jimmy Johnson said Saturday he’s not the first coach who’s been down in the dumps after tangling with Nebraska’s Cornhuskers. “I’m sure there have been a lot of coaches who have sat right here and felt just like I feel right now,” Johnson said following a 48-7 loss to 10th ranked Nebraska. The Huskers fumbled seven times, losing four, but managed 560 yards of total offense in the lopsided homecoming win. Nebraska improved its record to 5-1 with a swarming defense making up for the offensive mistakes.

(Nebraska ran the option out of the I-formation and the Power-I, Oklahoma ran the option out of the wishbone, the option requires repetition in practice, making the right reads, and perfect pitches. When the Huskers and Sooners were on, they were almost unbeatable, when they weren’t, they beat themselves. They were lucky to win this one with 7 fumbles.)

October 1, 1990 – Headline: Osborne Raises Voice, NU Wins

Cool, calm, soft spoken coach Tom Osborne raised his voice at halftime to his eighth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, something he seldom does. Nebraska was trailing a 51-point underdog 7-to-3 and Osborne felt the need to get his team’s attention. It worked in a 31-7 come-from-behind win over winless Oregon State. “I think it’s the highest he’s raised his voice this year,” said offensive tackle Tom Punt. “It was obvious coach was upset with our play.” 

“You can tell because the veins in his neck stick out,” said defensive coordinator Charlie McBride. I-back Leodis Flowers raced 66 yards on the second play of the second half to set up Scott Baldwin’s 1-yard touchdown to put Nebraska ahead to stay just over a minute into the third quarter. Nebraska ended up with 428 yards rushing and 508 yards in total offense, compared with 133 total yards for Oregon State.

(With a 3-0 start and a couple of shutouts, it was probably a good thing for Nebraska to get a wake-up call. When you are ranked in the top ten, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot. It’s been a while since Nebraska has had to worry about such things.)

October 1, 2000 – Headline: No. 1 Nebraska Too Much for Tigers, As MU Falls 42-24

Eric Crouch needed a little help this time. Crouch threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, but No.1 Nebraska needed scoring returns by Bobby Newcombe and Jamie Burrow to hold off Missouri 42-24 on Saturday night. Newcombe’s 94-yard return put Nebraska up 21-7 and broke Johnny Rodger’s school record of 92 yards set against Oklahoma State in 1971. “Anytime you get a record it’s pretty exciting. But this was Johnny Rodger’s record, so it makes it even more special,” Newcombe said. Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December, was honored in a pregame ceremony. The Huskers allowed a season high 492 yards to the Tigers, who scored their most points in Lincoln since winning 35-31 in 1978 – Missouri’s last victory in the series. The Huskers needed Newcombe’s return late in the second quarter and a fumble recovery that linebacker Jamie Burrow ran 28 yards for a touchdown in the third. “The big difference came down to two plays. The punt return and the fumble return. Those were the difference and we were never able to make that up,” Missouri coach Larry Smith said. Crouch’s 283 total yards of offense, (118 rushing and 173 passing) was a single game best for the Junior.

(Crouch may have had help in this game, but in 2000 Nebraska’s offense revolved around him. “The difference was the guy running the option,” said Smith. “We came in with a plan to force him to pitch, and we made him pitch twice, which tells you how effective we were.”)

Be sure to look for next week’s edition as the ‘Cob’ dives into each week’s headlines as they once appeared in the Falls City Journal.

GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST VIOLENT!!

All headlines and excerpts were gathered from Associated Press articles, and most but not all were published in the Falls City Journal. Home - Falls City Journal - Falls City, NE

Photographs were gathered from multiple sources.

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