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MnB B1G Preview: Know Your Foe - Nebraska Edition

The Cornhuskers may be the Big Ten's westernmost member, but they're not lacking in tradition or angry Bo Pelini faces. It has seemed as if they were destined to join the conference all along based on how well they've competed against Michigan, and how pleasantly their fans behave. This week MnB's preview has been all about Nebraska, and this is Know Your Foe: Nebrasketball Edition.

By Kevin Bunkley
Eric Francis

NEBRASKA IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL: The school was founded as the lone public university in the whole state, earning their land-grant in 1869. Years ago the state legislature consolidated a few smaller schools in to satellite campuses of Nebraska, and it's only gotten larger. Surprisingly, Tom Osborne hasn't yet been declared a satellite campus, but there's always hope. I mean, the guy did win three national championships.

THAT TIME THEY CRUSHED NORTHWESTERN RIGHT IN THE FEELS:

Winning or losing as the result of a hail mary is kind of a Big Ten rite of passage, as Michigan knows all too well. Look at Coach Pelini, he's so stunned and/or happy, his brain failed to come up with any expletives. Don't worry, he's fine:

AND THAT TIME TOM OSBOURNE FAILED BUT ALSO SUCCEEDED: Coach Osbourne is the most legendary figure in Nebraska's whole athletic existence, but he failed to beat Miami in the 1984 Orange Bowl for a national championship. Down 31-24 late, Osbourne chose to go for two after Nebraska scored a touchdown. This was 1984. after all, and overtime wouldn't exist for 12 more years. Ties were common, and lose or tie, Nebraska probably gets leapfrogged in the final poll. As the essay concludes, it took Osbourne's decision and failure to get the rest of college football to buy into the notion of upsetting the status quo that had long-existed.

SOME VERY RICH MEN ATTENDED NEBRASKA LONG AGO: Warren Buffett graduated from there, and could probably buy the school on a whim, but more importantly, Johnny Carson was a Nebraska alumnus. Before the football team got awesome, Husker fans likely needed nightly amusement.

GREAT MOMENTS IN HUSKER ATHLETICS HISTORY: The most interesting has nothing to do with action on the field. Nebraska has bested Michigan in number of ongoing football game sellouts. Dating to November 1, 1962, there have been 220 sellouts and counting.

The Cornhuskers didn't always go by that nickname, either. A sportswriter at a local paper came up with the name and it stuck. Prior to that, nicknames were "Bugeaters," "Tree Planters," "Nebraskans," "Rattlesnake Boys," "Antelopes," and "Old Gold Knights."

Also, in 1997, a Nebraska student bowled three perfect games in a bowling tournament. Yes, bowling is a sport.

It'd be silly not to mention the new sensation gripping the nation, Nebrasketball. Not only did their women's basketball team win the Big Ten tournament, but the men made the NCAA Tournament via some pretty fantastic victories. Don't ever say anything bad about Tim Miles, because he's the best:

THE LINCOLN CAMPUS WAS BRIEFLY FAMOUS FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN FOOTBALL: NBC produced a reality show in 1995 called "Tommy Lee Goes to College," in which the rock star attended Nebraska. The show lasted for six episodes, and created a minor stir around the campus. Imagine if the show featured Tommy Frazier instead.

The lone evidence of a movie being shot on Nebraska's campus appears to be Terms of Endearment. And it only happened because another university changed their mind when they read the script of the film.