Nebraska football bowl history: Every bowl game the Huskers have played in
By Josh Yourish
Orange Bowl (8-9)
1955: Duke 34 Nebraska 7
1964: Nebraska 13 Auburn 7
In Bob Devaney’s second season at the helm in Lincoln, he led the Cornhuskers to their second bowl win in school history. He also brought the first the year prior. Nebraska finished the season at 10-1 and ranked sixth in the AP Poll.
1966: Alabama 39 Nebraska 28
1971: Nebraska 17 LSU 12
The 1971 Orange Bowl was played at night on New Year’s Day and the 10-0-1 No. 3 Nebraska Cornhuskers were well aware that the No. 1 Texas Longhorns had lost the Cotton Bowl and No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes lost the Rose Bowl.
That opened the door for Nebraska and Boby Devaney to win the first national championship in school history. Nebraska jumped out to a 10-1 first-quarter lead but relinquished it in the third. Trailing 12-10, Jerry Tagge led Nebraska on a 67-yard drive, capped off by a Tagge touchdown run from two yards out.
This was the first of back-to-back national championships for Devaney.
1972: Nebraska 38 Alabama 6
This was the second of back-to-back national championships for Devaney. Nebraska came into the matchup with 11-0 No. 2 Alabama, ranked No. 1 in the country with a 12-0 record.
The Big 8 champs had won 31 straight games and jumped out to a 28-0 first-half lead. Alabama managed six points in the second half, but that was all. The Cornhuskers and quarterback Jerry Tagge were national champions again.
1973: Nebraska 40 Notre Dame 6
In the 1972 season, Nebraska finally lost a few games. With Jerry Tagge gone, the No. 9 Cornhuskers leaned on their Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Johnny Rogers. Rogers ran for three touchdowns in the third straight Orange Bowl win.
The Huskers finished the season 9-2-1 in Bob Devaney’s final season.
1979: Oklahoma 31 Nebraska 24
1982: Clemson 22 Nebraska 15
1983: Nebraska 21 LSU 20
Tom Osborne kept Nebraska in the national championship conversation after taking over for Devaney in 1973, but it took him a while to break through. In his first nine seasons he never won fewer than nine games, but also never finished in the top 5 of the AP Poll.
The Cornhuskers traveled to Miami at 11-1, with no shot at the national title. No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Penn State were playing in the Sugar Bowl at the same time. The Cornhuskers beat LSU but finished third in the AP Poll. Their only loss was to Penn State 27-24 in September.
1984: Miami 31 Nebraska 30
After narrowly falling short the year before, Nebraska went to the Orange Bowl in Miami unbeaten in 1984 and ranked No. 1 in the country. The Cornhuskers were led by Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier at running back, future No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Irving Fryar at wingback, and All-American quarterback Turner Gill.
The “Triplets” backfield ultimately left the game in the hands of Tom Osborne. Down 31-17 in the fourth quarter, Nebraska rallied back to pull within one point on Jeff Smith’s second touchdown of the quarter. Instead of kicking the extra point and settling for a tie, Osborne left his offense out there to go for two.
With losses by No. 2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl and No. 4 Illinois in the Rose Bowl, Miami jumped everyone to win the national championship.
1989: Miami 23 Nebraska 3
Miami beats Nebraska again, but Notre Dame claims the national title.
1992: Miami 22 Nebraska 0
1993: Florida State 27 Nebraska 14
1994: Florida State 18 Nebraska 16
Nebraska came into the game as the No. 2 team in the country but were over two-touchdown underdogs to Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles after losing to Florida State in the Orange Bowl the year prior.
Nebraska kept the game close and had an opportunity for a game-winning field goal as time expired, but it sailed wide.
1995: Nebraska 24 Miami 17
In Osborne’s 22nd year as head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, he finally got over the hump and won the national championship. Even with a 13-0 record and an Orange Bowl win over No. 3 Miami, Nebraska’s title still came with some controversy.
No. 2 Penn State was obligated to play in the Rose Bowl and won to finish 12-0 and making a strong case to be crowned the champs. Nebraska was awarded the title and Penn State finished No. 2, the BCS National Championship game was introduced in 1998.
1996: Nebraska 41 Virginia Tech 21
Like his predecessor, Osborne went back-to-back with national championships in 1994 and 1995, but in 1996 Nebraska finished No. 6 at 11-2.
1998: Nebraska 42 Tennessee 17
Nebraska finished the 1997 campaign with a resounding win in the Orange Bowl over Tennessee but finished second in the AP Poll in the final season before the BCS National Championship game.
The Cornhuskers claim a share of the 1997 national title with Michigan after Scott Frost outdueled Peyton Manning and No. 3 Tennessee, while Michigan won the Rose Bowl.
This was Tom Osborne’s final game and third national title as head coach, fifth overall, and fifth in Nebraska history.