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| University of Nebraska–Lincoln football | |
|---|---|
| Team | Nebraska Cornhuskers football |
| First year | 1890 |
| Athletic director | Trev Alberts |
| Head coach | Matt Rhule |
| Stadium | Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Nebraska) |
| Capacity | 85,458 |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Location | Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Conference championships | 46 |
| Natltitles | 5 (claimed) |
| Fight song | "Beautiful Nebraska" |
University of Nebraska–Lincoln football is the varsity intercollegiate football program representing University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The team, commonly known as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, competes in the NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Big Ten Conference and plays home games at Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Nebraska). Nebraska has a long tradition of success linked to influential figures and landmark games that shaped college football history.
Nebraska traces its roots to the 1890s amid the rise of American football with early contests against teams like Doane College, Iowa State University, and University of Minnesota. The program grew under coaches such as Ewald O. Stiehm, Dana X. Bible, and Bernie Masterson before national prominence under Bob Devaney in the 1960s and 1970s, when Nebraska won multiple Orange Bowl appearances and produced future head coach Tom Osborne. Osborne's tenure yielded sustained success in the Big Eight Conference and during the era of the Big 12 Conference, including national championships that intersected with programs like Miami Hurricanes football, Oklahoma Sooners football, and Florida State Seminoles football. Conference realignment led Nebraska to join the Big Ten Conference in 2011, pitting the Cornhuskers against programs such as Ohio State Buckeyes football, Michigan Wolverines football, and Penn State Nittany Lions football. Nebraska's history includes participation in notable games like the 1937 Orange Bowl, the 1995 Fiesta Bowl, and matchups against rivals Oklahoma Sooners football and Iowa Hawkeyes football that have defined Midwestern college football.
Home games are played at Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Nebraska), a venue constructed after World War I to honor Nebraskans and expanded across decades to host crowds surpassing 85,000, creating traditions akin to the atmospheres at Camp Randall Stadium and Ohio Stadium. The program's facilities include the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex (training and administrative), Huskers Practice Facility, and weight rooms comparable to those used by Alabama Crimson Tide football and LSU Tigers football. Memorial Stadium houses the program's Hall of Fame exhibits celebrating inductees such as Tom Osborne, Barry Sanders, and Mike Rozier, and is located near campus landmarks like the University of Nebraska State Museum and Stuart Field.
Nebraska's coaching lineage features prominent figures: Tom Osborne led from the 1970s into the 1990s; predecessors and successors include Bob Devaney, Frank Solich, Bo Pelini, Mike Riley, Scott Frost, and current head coach Matt Rhule. Athletic directors such as Tom Osborne and Trev Alberts oversaw hires alongside coordinators who later moved to programs like Clemson Tigers football and LSU Tigers football. The program has produced NFL coaches and coordinators with ties to San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, and Dallas Cowboys staffs, and has featured recruiting pipelines reaching Texas, California, and the Midwest. Support staff includes strength coaches, sports medicine professionals, academic advisors with connections to NCAA compliance offices, and scouting personnel who collaborate with national scouting services and bowl committees such as the College Football Playoff selection committee.
Nebraska's season records span unbeaten campaigns, conference titles, and bowl victories. Landmark seasons include undefeated national championship years under Osborne in the early 1990s and a dominant 1995 season culminating in a win over the Florida Gators football at the Fiesta Bowl. The Cornhuskers have posted high-ranking polls in the Associated Press Poll and the Coaches Poll, and have produced seasons that impacted the Bowl Coalition and later the Bowl Championship Series. Year-to-year performance has varied from top-10 finishes to rebuilding years; season lists document matchups against Michigan Wolverines football, Oklahoma Sooners football, Texas Longhorns football, and USC Trojans football.
Nebraska's primary rivalries include the Oklahoma Sooners football series, historically contested in the Big Eight Conference and later the Big 12 Conference, and the annual Nebraska–Oklahoma rivalry classics. Other rivalries include the Iowa Hawkeyes football and the Colorado Buffaloes football series, with trophies and games that echo contests like the Red River Showdown. Traditions include the sellout streak at Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Nebraska) compared to streaks at Penn State Nittany Lions football's Beaver Stadium, the "Tunnel Walk" comparable to entrances at Michigan Stadium and the "Sea of Red" akin to fan displays at Clemson University and Alabama. Game-day rituals feature the marching band similar to Ohio State University Marching Band performances, and ceremonies honoring past teams and military service that parallel observances at Veterans Day commemorations.
Nebraska claims five consensus national championships, with teams recognized by polls and selectors during eras that involved programs like Miami Hurricanes football and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football. The Cornhuskers have numerous conference championships from the Big Eight Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Big Ten Conference. Individual awards include Heisman Trophy winners such as Johnny Rodgers and Mike Rozier, and other recipients who earned the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, and Unanimous All-American honors. Coaches and players have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Nebraska has produced NFL standouts and Hall of Famers including Ndamukong Suh, Warren Sapp, Aaron Taylor, Guy Chamberlin, Will Shields, Derek Thomas and legends such as Tommie Frazier and Mike Rozier. Other alumni who reached the NFL include Taylor Martinez, Adrian Martinez, Randy Gregory, Ameer Abdullah, and Tommie Harris, with many moving on to coaching roles at programs like Oklahoma State Cowboys football and franchises including the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. The program's pro pipeline connects to NFL Scouting Combine attendees, Pro Bowl selections, and Super Bowl participants from teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.