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College football plays a big role in this state. Most Nebraskans have never undervalued that, or taken it for granted. But if COVID-19 has shown us anything, it’s that college football cuts a lot deeper here.
It hit home when Nebraska canceled its the Red-White Spring Scrimmage, hampering the mood a little of a quarantined state. No worries, they thought. The fall and a 12-game slate beginning with Purdue on Sept. 5 was still ahead of them.
Nebraska football will return in October, and it will look different when it does. But the spirit will remain the same.
Fans will shoot the breeze over coffee on Monday mornings, discussing the walk-on who looked good on special teams. They will don red on Saturday, because they’ll tell you it’s the only option. They’ll plan weddings and hunting trips for another day. They’ll yearn for the taste of a Runza on a cold day at Memorial Stadium. They’ll wish for just one shot at Ohio State at the Big Ten title game in Indy.
We wanted to salute the Sea of Red, and take a deeper dive into what separates Nebraska football and its fans from others around the country. Sure, Nebraska’s love for football is well-known by all. But there’s more below the surface. From longtime season ticket-holders to veteran tailgaters to the classic games tattooed in the brains, you come to find out that every Husker fan has a story to tell.
Football is more than a cultural phenomenon here. It’s Nebraska’s identity.
And, boy, do Nebraskans love their Huskers.
It’s time to end this “study” of how Nebraska fans would react to hard times in the football program. To read, click here
40 reasons why you love Husker football
Memorial Stadium in 2013.
You can go on and on about what makes you a Nebraska football fan. But can you list 40 traits? We can. Take a look at the 10 we felt most encapsulate a Husker follower — and then take on our slideshow of 30 more.
Nebraska fans, from top left, Dave Cheleen, Ben Wademan, Kevin Coleman and Jim Dolezal are chronicled in a “Generational Fans” project.
Whether you were raised during the 1970s or 2000s, the Husker football connection runs deep. We pick out fans from each era, and they walk us through what it was like cheering on Nebraska during that decade. Click on one of the options below for a closer look.
Who comes to mind when you think of the Huskers? Is it Tom Osborne? Bob Devaney? Or is it a player, like Johnny Rodgers or Brook Berringer? We break out the bobbleheads as we look at 27 figures that captured the hearts of Big Red fans.
In the wildest finish in Nebraska football history, Nebraska receivers Shevin Wiggins (5) and Matt Davison (3) play ping pong on the final play of regulation in Columbia, Mo., in 1997. Scott Frost’s pass with seven seconds left bounces off Wiggins, and before Missouri’s Harold Piersey (2) can grab the ball, Wiggins kicks it into the air. Davison dove and grabbed the ball just off the turf, which helped NU tie the Tigers and send the game into overtime.
The heartwarmers … and the heartbreakers
There are countless games that will live forever in Husker football lore. We picked 16 games that Nebraska fans won’t likely forget, for one reason or another.
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