The Nebraska football team has had a history of success in the Big 12 Conference, and one of the keys to that success is getting conference play off to a good start.
In the 13-year history of the conference, Nebraska has won its conference opener 11 times. In 2002, Iowa State pulled off an upset of the Huskers posting a 36-14 win. Nebraska won its conference opener each of the next five years, but last year the Missouri Tigers treated Nebraska rudely on the Huskers' homecoming, pasting Nebraska with a 52-17 defeat.
Oddly enough, those same Missouri Tigers will help the Nebraska football team kick off its Big 12 Conference agenda with a rare Thursday night game, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 at Faurot Field.
The Huskers haven't beaten Missouri on their home field since a 36-3 win on Sept. 29, 2001. In 2003, the Tigers outscored Nebraska 41-24, beat them again in 2005 by the same score, then dominated the Huskers 41-6 to help begin a five-game losing streak, the first by a Nebraska team in more than half a century.
Fortunately, the Huskers are playing at a higher level than they have in those previous meetings. They come into the game with a 3-1 record and are one play away from being undefeated after a tough 16-15 loss at Virginia Tech. Missouri comes into the game 4-0, which is a small surprise considering the Tigers lost so much talent from a team that won the North Division title and finished among the top teams in the nation in 2008.
The Huskers have some key injuries on defense, including Ricky Thenarse and Larry Asante, but coach Bo Pelini said the Nebraska football team has been practicing well in preparation for their matchup with Missouri.
Get tickets to see Nebraska take on Missouri in a Thursday, Oct. 8 matchup at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. You can get good seats now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker home game is ever sold out.
Comments