Husker Football Tickets

Hawkeyes bring multi-level attack to finale

If you have Husker football tickets for Friday's season finale between Nebraska and Iowa, you are going to see a very talented Iowa offense take the field at Memorial Stadium.
Iowa's offense has a number of big-time players who are capable of putting up big numbers on opposing defenses, which has been a scary thought for defensive coordinators this season.
Iowa can move the ball well on the ground and through the air. They have a talented running back in Marcus Coker and a quality quarterback in James Vandenberg who knows how to find some talented receivers and get the ball up the field in a hurry.
Iowa has demonstrated that they are a team that doesn't know how to quit. They came back from a 24-point deficit earlier this year to beat Pittsburgh, and while they are 7-4 on the season, a number of their wins have been of the come-from-behind variety, which means opposing fans don't get much chance to get comfortable if their team gets a big lead on the Hawkeyes.
The Iowa offense starts with Marcus Coker, a 6-foot, 230-pound sophomore running back from Beltsville, Md. Coker broke out late last year as a freshman and had a monster game (33 carries, 219 yards) during Iowa's win over Missouri in the Insight Bowl, and that success has carried over this season. He is the team's leading rusher this year, averaging almost 118 yards a game. He has scored 14 rushing touchdowns this year, and also averages more than 10 yards a catch in the receiving department.
Iowa is led by quarterback James Vandenberg, who has thrown for more than 2,600 yards and 23 touchdowns this year. A smart quarterback, Vandenberg has completed more than 60 percent of his passes and has just five interceptions.
One of Vandenberg's favorite targets this year has been Marvin McNutt. The wide receiver has proven to be an explosive cog in the Iowa offensive machine, catching 74 passes for 1,240 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is one of three solid receivers that have shared the bulk of the pass-catching duties this season, including Keenan Davis (596 yards, four TD) and Kevon Martin-Manley (292 yards, three TD).
The Hawkeyes have shown they are capable of putting up some big numbers offensively this season. They average more than 30 points and 389 yards per game this season, and they will give the Blackshirt defense a good test in the season finale for both teams Friday at Memorial Stadium.
Don't miss out on this great border war between Nebraska and Iowa. Get your tickets to see the Huskers and Hawkeyes now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Huskers heading to Michigan, "The BIg House"

When it comes to legendary stadiums, few can match "The Big House," also known as Michigan Stadium, the site where fans with Husker football tickets will visit Saturday when Nebraska takes on Michigan.
Originally constructed in 1927 at a cost of $950,000, the stadium has grown from its original capacity of 72,000 to its present capacity, which is listed at 109,901. More than 110,000 fans are a regular occurrence at Michigan Stadium, making for one of the loudest and most intense stadium settings for visiting teams and their fans to experience.
An average of 106,300 fans have filled up Michigan Stadium since 1975, where the Wolverines have posted an impressive winning percentage of .825 (179-44-1) heading into the 2011 season.
Michigan Stadium has seen more than its share of historic football games over the years.
In 2003, the stadium held the largest crowd ever to see a Div. I college football game, as 112,118 fans filled up the place to watch the Wolverines beat arch rival Ohio State 35-21 to clinch the Big Ten Conference championship. That year, Michigan set the record for average attendance, averaging almost 111,000 fans per contest, a mark they eclipsed last year after Michigan Stadium was renovated. An average of 111,825 fans hit the turnstiles to watch the Wolverines.
The longest game in Big Ten history was played in Michigan Stadium. On Oct. 30, 2004, Michigan came back from a 17-point deficit to force overtime against in-state rival Michigan State, and eventually came away with an exciting 45-37 victory over the Spartans.
Last year, the stadium was the scene for a world record, as an outdoor hockey rink was installed to host a hockey matchup between Michigan and in-state rival Michigan State. The Wolverines prevailed 5-0 in a game called "The Big Chill at The Big House" and was played before a record crowd of 113,411.
Michigan has ranked first in attendance every year since 1974, with the exception of the 1997 season. It's guaranteed to be an intense, exciting atmosphere when the Huskers come to town, as both teams are in the hunt for the Legends Division title.
Don't miss out on what should be a great Big Ten matchup. Get your tickets to see Nebraska take on Michigan now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Northwestern football history not that rosy

Northwestern football history is a stark contrast to the history Husker football fans are used to experiencing, and Husker football tickets will be available for this week's matchup between Nebraska and the Wildcats.
When you think about the history of Northwestern, several things come to mind. The school boasts one of the top journalism programs in the nation, a program that has given us such notable sports journalists as Brent Musberger and Michael Wilbon. Several Hollywood legends have degrees from Northwestern, including Cloris Leachman, Shelley Long and Nebraska native Marg Helgenberger. Richard Stolley, the founding managing editor of People magazine, also is a Northwestern graduate.
When it comes to football, though, Northwestern is known more for its failures than its successes.
For many years, Northwestern has been better known as one of the doormats of the Big Ten Conference. Although the program won several conference titles in the early part of the 20th century, but the 1970's they were about as easy a win as an opponent could ask for. Three times in a four-year period between 1978-1981, the Wildcats were 1-42-1. Between 1978-1982, Northwestern lost 38 consecutive Big Ten Conference games. The school's high academic standards, for many years, compromised their ability to field a competitive football program against traditional powers such as Michigan and Ohio State.
In 1992, Northwestern hired Gary Barnett as its head coach, and he quickly turned the program's fortunes around. By his fifth season, Northwestern had suddenly gone from being the conference's whipping boy to the one carrying the whip. After upsetting Notre Dame in the opening game of the 1995 season, the Wildcats went 10-1 and were a perfect 8-0 in Big Ten Conference play, knocking off ranked conference foes in Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State to earn the team's first conference title and first Rose Bowl appearance since 1948. The followed that up in 1996 by winning a share of the conference title, finishing 9-3 overall.
While Northwestern is not known for its gridiron success, it does have some championship lineage within its program. In the 1940's, Otto Graham broke every existing conference record for passing during his three years as a Wildcat. He came to the school on a basketball scholarship, but was talked into trying out for football. He went on to become one of the all-time NFL greats, leading the Cleveland Browns to six straight championship games in the All-American Football League and the National Football League, retiring after leading the Browns to the 1955 NFL title.
Northwestern has also had its share of All-Americans, with recent names like Pat Fitzgerald, a two-time All-American at linebacker, among the names on the list. Ara Parseghian, one of the many legendary coaches at Notre Dame, was 36-35-1 as Northwestern's coach from 1956-1963.
Northwestern and Nebraska will be meeting for the fifth time on Saturday. Nebraska holds a 3-1 lead in the series history. The last time they met, Northwestern, the Big Ten co-champions, were throttled by the Huskers in the Alamo Bowl, as Nebraska rang up a 66-17 victory. The last time Northwestern visited Lincoln was Sept. 28, 1974, when the then-No. 10 Huskers took care of the Wildcats in a 49-7 decision.
You can get great Husker football tickets to see Northwestern take on Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Get your tickets now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Division leader likely to come from Michigan State game Saturday

The front-runner in the Big Ten's Legends Division will likely come out of Saturday's 11 a.m. matchup between Nebraska and Michigan State, and Husker football tickets will be a hot item this week as the Huskers and Spartans hook up in a battle of rated teams.
Michigan State moved into the top 10 this week on the strength of an amazing upset win over then-No. 4 Wisconsin. The Spartans led by as many as 14 points in the second half before the Badgers came back to tie the game, only to see Michigan State win on a Hail Mary pass play on the final play of regulation to post a 37-31 victory.
The Spartans are off to a good start this season, posting a 6-1 record and outscoring their opponents by almost 16 points per game. Their only stumble so far this season has been a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame, as Michigan State is undefeated so far in Big Ten competition.
Michigan State runs a pretty balanced attack, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has thrown for more than 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns, including the game-winner to Keith Nichol, who caught a deflection out of the end zone and dragged at least three Wisconsin players far enough to break the plane of the goal line with the ball to give Michigan State the amazing upset win.
Edwin Baker is the Michigan State's leading rusher, gaining 434 yards and averaging more than four yards per carry, but Le'Veon Bell has been getting a lot of the glory so far this season, rushing for six touchdowns and averaging about five yards a carry.
Cousins has a solid corps of receivers to throw to, as Michigan State has done very well in the passing department this season. B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Dion Sims have each caught three touchdown passes on the season, and Cunningham and Nichol are both threats to break off big gainers, as both average more than 15 yards per reception.
Defensively, look for Max Bullough and Chris Norman to lead a salty Michigan State defense. Both are averaging about seven total tackles a game, and the defense has forced 13 turnovers and 24 quarterback sacks on the season. Their special teams has been dominant as well and showed what they are capable of against the Badgers, blocking a field goal and taking a blocked punt back for a touchdown.
Historically, Nebraska has dominated the series with Michigan State. Their most recent meeting came in the 2003 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, where the Huskers outlasted the Spartans 17-3 behind a solid defensive effort. Oddly enough, the current coach at Nebraska, Bo Pelini, was the team's defensive coordinator that season and served as interim coach after Frank Solich was fired at the end of the 2003 regular season.
This is not Michigan State's first trip to Lincoln, but it's a good beat Spartan fans are hoping for a better outcome than the last time Michigan State visited Nebraska. In that game, the Huskers' dominating ground game served them well as they pounded the Spartans 55-14 in their first game after winning the team's second straight national title.
The winner of Saturday's 11 a.m. game is likely to step into the captain's chair in the Legends Division standings, as Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa are all undefeated in the division. The Spartans are 3-0 overall in the conference, compared to 2-1 marks for the Huskers and Hawkeyes. Nebraska is riding some momentum after a dominating effort in a 41-14 win at Minnesota last weekend.
Don't miss out on what should be a fantastic Big Ten clash between Michigan State and Nebraska, two teams ranked in the upper half of the latest rankings. Get your tickets now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Northwestern comes to Lincoln Nov. 5

The 2011 season will be winding down when Northwestern visits Lincoln to take on Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 5, and fans with Husker football tickets will get to see a program that has had some success after many years of failure.
Northwestern actually won its first meeting with Nebraska, back in 1902 when they ended the season with a 12-0 loss to the Huskers in Lincoln. The two teams wouldn't meet again until 1931, when the Wildcats posted a 19-7 upset win against the Dana X. Bible-coached Huskers.
It would be 1974 before the two teams met again. Northwestern was the middle game of a three-game run of Big Ten teams Nebraska played that season, and the Huskers shut down the visiting Wildcats in a 49-7 win in Memorial Stadium. The team's last meeting came on neutral turf, as Nebraska blasted Northwestern 66-17 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.
Northwestern has had some ups and downs during the course of its history. Most notable was a 34-game losing streak in the early 1980's when the Wildcats were at their lowest point. They experienced a revival in the mid 1990's when Gary Barnett and his team shocked the college football world by winning back-to-back Big Ten titles in 1995 and 1996 and appearing in the Rose Bowl. Northwestern has continued to have limited success on the gridiron, despite being the smallest school in the conference, as well as the toughest to get into because of its high educational standards.
This season, the Wildcats got off to a good start with wins over Boston College and Eastern Illinois. Northwestern came from behind to beat Boston College on the road and dominated in their home opener against EIU before losing at Army.
The Big Ten schedule hasn't been all that charitable for Northwestern so far this year. They lost a dramatic game to Illinois 38-35, then let a lead get away from them against visiting Michigan, dropping a 42-24 decision. They play at Iowa this week and face games against Penn State and Indiana before they come to Lincoln.
Northwestern likes to do a little of everything on offense. They run the ball fairly well, led by Kain Colter and Mike Trumpy (each running at 5.2 yards per carry). Colter has also done fairly well at quarterback, taking over after Dan Persa went down with an injury. Colter has completed 66 percent of his passes on the season.
Bryce McNaul and David Nwabuisi lead the Northwestern defensive attack. The WIldcats have forced 10 turnovers in five games this season, with Ibraheim Campbell and Brian Peters each picking off two passes.
This will be a Legends Division matchup in the Big Ten Conference for Nebraska and Northwestern, and the outcome of this game should give fans a pretty good idea where both teams stand in the chase to be one of the first teams to play in the Big Ten Championship Game this December in Indianapolis.
You can get great Husker football tickets to see Nebraska taken on Northwestern in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 5. Get your tickets now at Ticket Express – where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Ohio State to mark historic occasion in Lincoln

Anytime you get a chance to witness history, like fans with Husker football tickets will get to do Saturday when Nebraska faces Ohio State, it's a really big deal.
Interest in the Huskers' first-ever Big Ten home football game – and the first-ever trip to Lincoln for Ohio State –- is at a fever pitch heading into Saturday night's matchup at Memorial Stadium. And football fans are going to be in for a treat as two of college football's titans knock helmets in this Big Ten showdown.
The Buckeyes come into Saturday's matchup with a 3-2 record. Like Nebraska, Ohio State lost their Big Ten Conference opener, dropping a close 10-7 decision to Michigan State at home. They also lost at Miami (Fla.) 24-6, and own wins over Akron, Toledo and Colorado.
And while Ohio State has been near the top of the ratings for much of the last decade, this year's team is one of transition and turmoil.
Last year, Ohio State players were found to have traded memorabilia for such items as tattoos and money, which is a violation of NCAA rules. Coach Jim Tressell originally distanced himself from the issue, saying he had no knowledge, but reports surfaced that an OSU alum had actually notified the coach of the violations several months earlier. Eventually five players –- including All-American quarterback Terrell Pryor –- were suspended. The coach was suspended, and later resigned, as a result of the allegations.
Those problems have continued for Ohio State this season. In fact, three Buckeye players – including last year's leading rusher (Dan Herron) and returning receiver (DeVier Posey) were ruled ineligible for Saturday's game with Nebraska as a result of taking too much money for too little work in their summer jobs. Both players have yet to play this season, as they were among the players who were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. An offensive lineman, Marcus Hall, was also suspended for Saturday's matchup between the Huskers and the Buckeyes.
As far as the on-the-field events, Ohio State will bring in an offense that, even with the two suspended players in the lineup, is not nearly as potent as it was last year. The Buckeyes rank 111th in the FBS division in passing yards per game and a middle-of-the-road 54th in rushing. They are also low in points scored, averaging just under 24 points per game.
Defensively, however, is another story. The Buckeyes have always taken pride in their ability to drive opposing offenses crazy, and Ohio State is among the nation's best in points allowed per game, giving up just over two touchdowns per contest.
That should make things interesting as Nebraska looks to bounce back from a subpar performance in last week's Big Ten debut, a 48-14 shellacking at the hands of fourth-ranked Wisconsin. Nebraska has averaged more than 37 points per game so far this season with an offense that is ranked in the top 10 in rushing yards per game (249.8). Defensively, however, the Huskers are still a work in progress. They sit in the middle of the pack in points per game among FBS schools, and Ohio State will test the Nebraska secondary with its passing game when they meet for the first time in Lincoln on Saturday.
This will be the first time Nebraska and Ohio State have faced one another since the 1955 and 1956 seasons. Both games were played in Columbus, Ohio, and in both games the Buckeyes were nationally ranked while the Huskers were deep in the heart of a 20-year case of the doldrums. Consequently, the Buckeyes won both games, 28-20 in the 1955 matchup and 34-7 the following year.
However, this will be Ohio State's first-ever trip to Memorial Stadium, where the Huskers will play before their 317th consecutive sellout crowd, a streak that dates back all the way to November of 1962. More than 84,000 fans are expected to witness history in Lincoln, as Ohio State gets the honor of being the first Big Ten team to play a conference game on the Huskers' home turf.
You can be a part of this historic occasion. Great seats are available for Saturday night's showdown between Nebraska and Ohio State. Get great tickets for this Big Ten showdown now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Some Nebraska flavor in Wisconsin football program

Even before fans with Husker football tickets got a chance to warm up to their new Big Ten Conference, they will get a taste of their own medicine when they open up conference play this Saturday as the Huskers take on the top ten-ranked Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Nebraska fans will find some eerily similarities to the program they have come to love and share so much passion for, from the team's colors to some of its offensive traditions.
The kinship starts at the top with the school's athletic director, Barry Alvarez. Longtime Husker football fans will remember Alvarez, who is a 1969 graduate of the University of Nebraska. He played his college football under legendary coach Bob Devaney, and was an assistant and head football coach at two Nebraska high schools before he entered the college ranks as an assistant to Hayden Fry at Iowa in 1979.
Alvarez was a part of the coaching staff at Notre Dame during their national championship season in 1988 before he moved to Wisconsin, where he turned the Badgers into a Big Ten powerhouse and a perennial nationally-ranked program. Before his arrival, the Badgers had gone 9-36 in their previous four seasons. In the next 16 years, he went 118-73-4, won eight of 11 bowl games and coached three Big Ten and Rose Bowl champions. His back-to-back Big Ten championship teams in 1998-1999 were the school's first in more than a century, and he is one of 10 coaches in conference history to have won 100 games at one institution.
While not as prevalent in the history books, Wisconsin has had more than its share of high-profile award winners. Ron Dayne won the Heisman Trophy at Wisconsin, one of three Badger  players to win major awards during the Alvarez era.
As far as the history between Alvarez' alma mater and his current employer, the two teams have played each other five times, with Nebraska holding a 3-2 edge. Wisconsin won the first meeting between the teams in 1901 (18-0), but Alvarez' former coach beat Wisconsin in 1965 (37-0) and 1966 (31-3). Current Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne split two games against Wisconsin during his first two years as head coach, beating the Badgers 20-16 in 1973 and losing a 21-20 heartbreaker in Madison the following year. Saturday's matchup between Wisconsin and Nebraska will be the first meeting between the two teams in 37 seasons.
A lot of experts have designated this matchup as the potential matchup for the first Big Ten Conference Championship game this December in Indianapolis. Both teams will be playing their first conference games of the season in this Saturday's matchup, and the two teams are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in the latest AP top 25 poll.
Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema has the Badgers playing at a very high level after taking over for Alvarez as head coach five years ago. He won his 50th game as head coach in last week's win over South Dakota, and his 50-16 record is among the top five winning percentages among active coaches with at least four seasons of experience in the FBS division.
The Badgers are capable of putting up a ton of points. Last year, they finished the season by scoring 201 points in their final three regular season games, including an 83-20 pasting of Indiana and a 70-23 walloping of Northwestern. They finished the season last year with an exciting matchup against TCU in the Rose Bowl, coming up short as the Horned Frogs rallied for a 21-19 win.
Don't miss out on what will be a historic and exciting first Big Ten Conference matchup for the Husker football team. Get your tickets to see Nebraska take on Wisconsin this Saturday afternoon in Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisc. Great seats are available for the Nebraska vs. Wisconsin game now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Abdullah gives kick return game a lift

One of the pleasant surprises on this year's Husker football team has been the play of kick return specialist Ameer Abdullah, who brought fans with Husker football tickets to their feet in Saturday's 42-29 win over Fresno State with a key 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder from Alabama had originally had his sights set on playing college football for his favorite team growing up, the Auburn TIgers. Auburn did show interest in him as a safety, but a mid-winter trip to Nebraska convinced him to choose the Huskers over a school that was his favorite team growing up. Auburn played its home games just two miles from his home, so it seemed only natural that he would play safety for the TIgers, who recruited him for his defense.
Fortunately for Nebraska fans, he felt he needed to do something different, so he bypassed the hometown team and found his way to Nebraska, where he is developing into an outstanding all-around player for the 2-0 Huskers.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Abdullah is taking some lessons from a guy who knows a thing or two about returning kicks. New Orleans Saints specialist Darren Sproles has worked out with Abdullah, as the kick returner took advantage of a connection he had with a trainer he knows back home. Abdullah said he's learned a lot from Sproles' expertise, and it has helped make him an even bigger threat to take one all the way back every time he touches the football.
You can see Abdullah in action this week, as the Husker football team hosts Washington in what should be an entertaining non-conference matchup this Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Get your Husker football tickets now at Ticket Express – where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Four Huskers earn football scholarships

Fans with Husker football tickets know all about Nebraska's walk-on program. The opportunity for a hometown boy to don the pads and play for the Huskers is part of the charm that makes Nebraska football such an endearing tradition to Nebraskans all over the state.
When one of those walk-ons gets a chance to shine, it can lead to an unexpected honor – a football scholarship. And coach Bo Pelini recently bestowed the honor on four current players who came to the program as a walk-on and have proven their worthiness of the honor.
Seniors Austin Jones (I-back), Tyler Legate (fullback) and Lance Thorell (defensive back) and junior P.J. Mangieri (long snapper) were presented their scholarships last week by Pelini, who said all four are deserving of the opportunity.
"They come from different backgrounds and different circumstances, but each of them represents what Nebraska football is all about. They have worked hard and done the right things on and off the field," he said.
The four join current Huskers Mike Caputo (center) and Austin Cassidy (safety) as walk-ons who have earned scholarships.
You can catch these outstanding young student-athletes in action this season with great tickets from Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Huskers start year ranked No. 11

Fans with Husker football tickets will get a chance to see one of the top college football teams battle it out for a Big Ten and possible national championship title during the 2011 season.
Nebraska begins the season ranked No. 11 in the USA Today coaches poll, one of five Big Ten teams that were tabbed by 59 national coaches in the first major poll of the year.
Nebraska is ranked right behind No. 10 Wisconsin, who is the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the preseason poll. Nebraska plays all four of the Big Ten teams ranked with them in the preseason poll, including home games with No. 16 Ohio State and No. 17 Michigan State, and road tests against the 10th-ranked Badgers and No. 25 Penn State.
Three former Big 12 foes are ranked in the top 10, lead by top-ranked Oklahoma. Oklahoma State is ranked No. 8, while Texas A&M is ninth. Missouri (No. 21) and Texas (No. 24) are also preseason ranked in the coaches poll, giving the Big 12 five teams.
The Southeast Conference has the most teams ranked in the preseason with eight – Alabama (2), LSU (4), South Carolina (12), Arkansas (14), Auburn (19), Mississippi State (20), Georgia (22) and Florida (24).
The USA Today coaches top 25, with first-place votes in parenthesis, is as follows:
1. Oklahoma (42), 2. Alabama (13), 3. Oregon (2), 4. LSU (2), 5. Florida State,
6. Stanford, 7. Boise State, 8. Oklahoma State, 9. Texas A&M, 10. Wisconsin,
11. Nebraska, 12. South Carolina, 13. Virginia Tech, 14. Arkansas, 15. TCU,
16. Ohio State, 17. Michigan State, 18. Notre Dame, 19. Auburn, 20. Mississippi State,
21. Missouri, 22. Georgia, 23. Florida, 24. Texas, 25. Penn State.
Great tickets to watch the 11th ranked Huskers battle in their first season in the Big Ten Conference are available now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.