Husker Football Tickets

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.

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.

Nebraska-Iowa game to be all about the Heroes

Fans with Husker football tickets are anxious to watch Nebraska take on their new border rivals from Iowa, and the game will join a traditional list of "trophy games" that are part of the Big Ten history.
With trophies like the Little Brown Jug and Paul Bunyan's axe, the Nebraska-Iowa matchup on Friday, Nov. 25 will also have a trophy, and the game also has a name – The Heroes Game.
The announcement was made during this week's Big Ten media days in Chicago, and while a trophy has yet to be created, the logo for the game was presented during a morning meeting of reporters and conference officials.
The game will honor one citizen from each state for an extraordinary act. "Heroes" will be nominated  and will be guests of the two teams at the game, and they will have their name and hometown etched on to the Heroes Game trophy.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, the idea for the trophy was hatched by Nebraska assistant athletic director Michael Stephens, who felt it was an opportunity to elevate the game and give both schools an opportunity to honor its heroic citizens.
The first Heroes Game will be played when Iowa comes to Lincoln to take on the Huskers, and athletic director Tom Osborne hopes the Nebraska-Iowa rivalry can take on some of the characteristics of the Nebraska-Oklahoma matchup from the old Big Eight days. He hopes the rivalry doesn't take on the nastiness and bitter attitude of the one Colorado tried to develop against Nebraska during the 80's and 90's.
Husker football fans will have a great opportunity to see the first-ever Heroes Game on Friday, Nov. 25 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Get your tickets for all the Husker football games -- both home and away -- right now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Will he or won't he? Only Bubba knows

One of the big questions fans with Husker football tickets is asking about this upcoming season is the status of freshman recruit Bubba Starling.
The phenomenal multi-sport standout from Gardner, Kan., recently arrived on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln to begin voluntary football drills, but many are wondering just how long he'll stay in Lincoln.
Starling is a standout in both football and baseball, and earlier this summer he was the fifth pick overall in the Major League Baseball entry draft, taken in the first round by the Kansas City Royals.
Starling has until Aug. 15 to decide whether he wants to stay in Lincoln and play football for the Huskers, or sign a multi-million dollar deal to play baseball in the Royals farm system. And as easy a decision as that might sound, it's certainly not one that anybody involved in Starling's future is taking lightly.
Starling told the Lincoln Journal-Star earlier this year that he wasn't sure if he was ready for professional baseball, but after a tremendous spring of high school baseball, he's certainly got the Royals' attention and he has hired noted pro sports agent Scott Boras, who no doubt will broker a very nice deal for Starling if he chooses baseball over football.
There is a lot of anticipation as to how this will all play out for Starling, who looks every bit the athlete that could step into a leadership role and be an outstanding athlete for the Huskers the next four years. If he decides on college football, Nebraska fans will no doubt have a lot of exciting opportunities to watch this young man develop.
And even if he decides on baseball, there's a good chance fans living in the Lincoln and Omaha area could one day see Starling play for the Omaha Storm Chasers on his way to the big league club in Kansas City.
No matter where Starling ends up, you'll get a great chance to see Husker football in action this year with great seats from Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.

Running backs aplenty for Huskers this season

One of the traditions fans with Husker football tickets have enjoyed is Nebraska's punishing ground game.
For years, Nebraska has staked its success on its ability to move the football on the ground. With running backs like Ahman Green, Mike Rozier and many others running behind Nebraska's always-tough offensive line, it's been a key element in the Huskers' success over the years.
Coach Bo Pelini will have an interesting stable of ponies in the backfield this year, and Husker fans are anxious to see what kind of depth can be developed at the running back spot in advance of Nebraska's Sept. 3 season opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Rex Burkhead is back and has been a reliable, explosive force coming out of the backfield. He also gets some help from Nebraska native Tyler Legate, who has developed into an outstanding fullback for the Huskers.
After that, there is a lot of questions to be answered with some young backs that have shown a lot of promise, but have yet to do so on the big stage.
The Huskers have some great incoming talent this year, including true freshmen Ameer Abdullah, Bryalon Heard and Aaron Green, along with transfer Michael Marrow. They'll compete alongside some of the veterans, including Collins Okafor, Curneski Gilleylen, Austin Jones and Ty Kildow, to see who will help shoulder the load at the running back spot.
The Huskers will also have some new blood at the coaching spot at running back. Longtime receivers coach Ron Brown is bringing his talents into the backfield, and with his experience and history as part of the Husker program, you can bet this year's group of running backs will be well-versed, not only in the Huskers' offense, but in the history that they carry with them each time they step into the Husker backfield.
You can see the Husker running backs do battle during the 2011 with great Husker football tickets. Get yours now at Ticket Express -- where no Husker football game is ever sold out.