2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

American college football season February 2026 March 2012 football 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers Nebraska Cornhuskers logo.svg 100 Logo of the Nebraska athletic teams 2004– Big 12 Conference North Division Big 12 5–7 2–6 Bill Callahan 4th Shawn Watson 1st Kevin Cosgrove 4th West Coast 4–3 Memorial Stadium The 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before the season The Nebraska football team's schedule was rated the toughest in the Big 12 Conference, and the 12th toughest in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season.Rivals.com Top 25 Schedules: Nos. 11–15 https://web.archive.org/web/20070817030755/http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=681879 August 17, 2007 Retrieved on August 22, 2007 The team had predictions to win the Big 12 North division.Stassen.com 2007 Preseason Consensus Retrieved on August 22, 2007 After a tight competition with two-year backup Joe Ganz, former-Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Keller won the starting position; Keller had spent the previous season on the scout team as per NCAA transfer rules. Schedule 2007 AP Central September 1 2:30 pm w y 20 Nevada Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE ABC 52–10 84,078 September 8 11:00 am w y y 16 Wake Forest BB&T Field Winston-Salem, NC ESPN 20–17 32,483 September 15 7:00 pm l y 14 USC 1 College GameDay Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE ABC 31–49 84,959 September 22 11:30 am w y 24 Ball State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE FSN 41–40 84,294 September 29 1:05 pm w 25 Iowa State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE rivalry 35–17 84,703 October 6 8:15 pm l y 25 Missouri 17 rivalry Faurot Field Columbia, MO ESPN 6–41 70,049 October 13 11:30 am l y Oklahoma State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE PPV 14–45 84,334 October 20 1:05 pm l Texas A&M Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE 14–36 84,473 October 27 2:30 pm l y Texas 17 Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX ABC 25–28 85,968 November 3 11:30 am l y Kansas 8 rivalry Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS FSN 39–76 51,910 November 10 11:30 am w Kansas State rivalry Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE Versus 73–31 84,665 November 23, 2007 11:00 am l y Colorado rivalry Folsom Field Boulder, CO ABC 51–65 51,403 Roster and coaching staff 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers y Cruz Barrett 66 OL RF Chris Brooks 1 WR SO Brett Byford 59 C S C Wes Cammack 82 WR SO Mike Caputo 58 C F Quentin Castille 19 IB F Andy Christensen 62 OL J Major Culbert 6 IB SO y Beau Davis 15 QB J Dan Erickson 26 WR S Joe Ganz 12 QB J Aaron Gillaspie 41 FB RF Curenski Gilleylen 11 WR F Dan Glassman 39 TE RF Cody Glenn 34 IB J y Victory Haines 75 OL S Frantz Hardy 7 WR S y Mike Hays 30 FB F Roy Helu Jr. 10 RB F y Roy Helu Will Henry 8 WR RF Jacob Hickman 67 OL SO Ryan Hill 80 TE F Sean Hill 86 TE S Menelik Holt 4 WR SO Mike Huff 61 OL J Austin Jones 31 IB F D.J. Jones 73 OL RF Marcel Jones 78 OL F y Sam Keller 9 QB S y Thomas Lawson 36 FB J Zac Lee 3 QB SO Ben Lester 88 WR F Marlon Lucky 5 IB J y Mike Masin 71 OL F Mike McNeill 44 TE RF Marcus Mendoza 32 IB F Josh Mueller 81 TE S Lydon Murtha 76 OL J y Carl Nicks 77 OL S y Carl Nicks (American football) Terrence Nunn 83 WR S y Niles Paul 24 WR F y Todd Peterson 17 WR J J.B. Phillips 85 TE S Jordan Picou 69 OL S Maurice Purify 16 WR S y Andy Sand 48 FB S Matt Slauson 70 OL J y Mike Smith 65 OL RF Nate Swift 87 WR J y Hunter Teafatiller 89 TE J Kevin Thomsen 37 FB F Lance Thorell 39 WR F Keith Williams 68 OL RF y Keith Williams (offensive lineman) Kenny Wilson 27 IB S Patrick Witt 2 QB F Dreu Young 49 TE RF Pierre Allen 95 DE RF Prince Amukamara 21 CB F y Larry Asante 4 S SO y Shukree Barfield 56 DT J Anthony Blue 14 CB F Zackary Bowman 1 CB S C Lance Brandenburgh 40 LB S Austin Cassidy 8 S F Nick Covey 31 LB SO Jared Crick 94 DE F y Phillip Dillard 52 LB SO y Ben Eisenhart 46 S S Tyrone Fahie 92 DL RF Tierre Green 30 S S Cortney Grixby 2 CB S y Thomas Grove 41 LB F Eric Hagg 28 S F y David Harvey 80 DE SO Brandon Johnson 96 DL S Andre Jones 25 CB S Tyler Kester 19 CB S Colton Koehler 54 LB SO Blake Lawrence 12 LB F Luke Lingenfelter 75 DE F Ben Martin 63 DL RF Jay Martin 59 LB F Mathew May 36 S F Corey McKeon 13 LB S Terrence Moore 90 DT F Armando Murillo 5 CB J Matt O'Hanlon 33 S SO Steve Octavien 15 LB S y Zach Potter 98 DE J y Andy Poulosky 86 DE S Thomas Rice 85 DE S Bo Ruud 51 LB S C y Jonathon Santin 89 DE F Clayton Sievers 88 DE J Austin Stafford 35 LB F Ty Steinkuhler 43 DT J Ndamukong Suh 93 DT SO y Shawn Sullivan 18 CB F Rickey Thenarse 3 S SO Barry Turner 99 DE J y Barry Turner (American football) Latravis Washington 23 LB F Adam Watson 24 S RF Anthony West 22 CB RF Bryan Wilson 9 S S Tyler Wortman 53 LB J William Yancy 47 DE F Justin Baumgartner 56 LS J Alex Henery 90 P F y Adi Kunalic 20 PK F T.J. O'Leary 82 LS J Dan Titchener 97 P J Jake Wesch 37 PK J http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&Q_SEASON=2007 January 16, 2011 Bill Callahan   4th season   4th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Benedictine Shawn Watson   1st season as OC/QB coach   2nd year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Southern Illinois Kevin Cosgrove   4th season as DC/LB coach   4th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: UW-Oshkosh Bill Busch   1st season as RB coach   8th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Nebraska Wesleyan Phil Elmassian   3rd season as CB coach   4th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: William & Mary Ted Gilmore   3rd season as WR coach   3rd year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Wyoming Randy Jordan   4th season as RB coach   4th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: North Carolina Joe Rudolph   1st season as TE coach   1st year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Wisconsin Dennis Wagner   4th season as OL coach   4th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Utah Buddy Wyatt   1st season as DL coach   1st year at Nebraska   Alma mater: TCU Dave Kennedy   4th season as S&C coach   11th year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Nebraska Keith Heckendorf   2nd season as GA coach   2nd year at Nebraska   Alma mater: St. Cloud State Jon Osterhout   2nd season as GA coach   2nd year at Nebraska   Alma mater: Sacramento State Pro-Set 4–3 Yes No Yes Joe Ganz Sam Keller Patrick Witt Marlon Lucky Quentin Castille Roy Helu Andy Sand Thomas Lawson Nate Swift Todd Peterson Menelik Holt Maurice Purify Terrence Nunn Frantz Hardy Sean Hill J.B Phillips Josh Mueller Carl Nicks Mike Smith Jacob Hickman Jordan Picou Brett Byford Jacob Hickman Matt Slauson Mike Huff Keith Williams Lydon Murtha Javario Burkes Bo Ruud Blake Lawrence WILL Corey McKeon Phillip Dillard MIKE Steve Octavien Lance Brandenburgh SAM Tierre Green Rickey Thenarse Ben Eisenhart Larry Asante Bryan Wilson Cortney Grixby Anthony Blue Armando Murillo Zack Bowman Andre Jones Barry Turner Clayton Sievers Ndamukong Suh Kevin Dixon Ty Steinkuhler Shukree Barfield Zach Potter Pierre Allen Alex Henry Dan Titchener Cortney Grixby Cortney Grixby Andre Jones \ 110 90 No Game summaries Nevada Nevada at Nebraska [box score] Nevada Nebraska 0 10 0 0 7 14 24 7 September 1, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 2:36 pm CST 84,078 Dan Fouts (Play-by-play), Tim Brant (Color) & Todd Harris (Sideline) ABC Marlon Lucky was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his career-best 233 yards rushing against Nevada.Lucky Named Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week https://huskers.com/news/2007/09/02/lucky-named-walter-camp-offensive-player-of-the-week University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Athletics September 2, 2007 September 4, 2007 Wake Forest Nebraska at Wake Forest [box score] Nebraska Wake Forest 3 10 7 0 0 10 7 0 September 8, 2007 BB&T Field, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 11:00 am CST 32,483 Dave Pasch (Play-by-play), Andre Ware (Color) & Erin Andrews (Sideline) ESPN As ESPN described the game, "Sam Keller nearly gave away the game during his first road start at Nebraska. Zack Bowman jumped up to take it back for the Cornhuskers. Three plays after Keller threw an interception deep in Nebraska territory, Bowman picked off a Wake Forest pass in the end zone and the 16th-ranked Cornhuskers held on to win 20–17 on Saturday."No. 16 Nebraska Hangs on to Beat Wake Forest http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=272510154 https://web.archive.org/web/20110525115041/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=272510154 dead May 25, 2011 ESPN September 8, 2007 September 8, 2007 USC USC at Nebraska [box score] USC Nebraska 7 14 21 7 7 3 0 21 September 15, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 7:00 pm CST 84,959 Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (Color) & Lisa Salters (Sideline) ABC After a bye week, the Trojans visited the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Nebraska. In the pre-season, the game was named as one of the candidates for the 10 most important games of 2007. For the Huskers, the game was especially critical to their hopes of showing progress under 4th year head coach Bill Callahan.Momentous Matchups Stewart Mandel http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/06/21/10.games/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070626110223/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/06/21/10.games/index.html dead June 26, 2007 Sports Illustrated June 21, 2007 May 30, 2008Don't Miss These Nonconference Games in 2007 David Duffey https://www.espn.com/college-football/preview07/news/story?id=2975519 ESPN August 15, 2007 May 30, 2008 The game marks the first time a No. 1-ranked team has visited Lincoln since 1978.Guest List: Huskers' Toughest Opponents in Memorial Stadium http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10129102 Omaha World-Herald September 11, 2007 May 30, 2008 dead https://archive.today/20130131011346/http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10129102 January 31, 2013 Because of the game's significance, ESPN College GameDay chose it as the site of its weekly broadcast.Live from Lincoln . . . ESPN's College GameDay https://huskers.com/news/2007/09/09/live-from-lincoln-espns-college-gameday University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Athletics September 9, 2007 May 30, 2008 April 4, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090404210056/http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=1&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=1210857 live thumb|left|ESPN College GameDay: Cornhusker fans react negatively to Lee Corso's decision to pick USC to win the game; as per tradition, he dons the gear of the team he picks. Callahan had been criticized for his conservative play-calling during the 2006 game in Los Angeles; instead of playing to win, it appeared the Huskers were playing to not get blown out by the then-favored Trojans. In that game the normally prolific West Coast offense of Nebraska, which had produced 541 yards a game, was corralled on the ground and attempted only 17 passes in a 28–10 Husker loss. For 2007, Callahan pledged to play more aggressively, using running back Marlon Lucky and quarterback Sam Keller.USC vs. the Red Sea Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-15-sp-usc15-story.html Los Angeles Times September 15, 2007 July 2, 2008 Keller, the Huskers redshirt senior starting quarterback, was a 2006 transfer from Arizona State; as a Sun Devil Keller started the first seven games of his 2005 junior season, throwing for 2,165 yards, before a disastrous game against USC where, after leading ASU to a 21–3 halftime lead, he and the offense fell apart on the way to a 38–28 loss where he was sacked five times and threw five interceptions.Running A Reverse Carolyn Braff http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/082107aak.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071206103506/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/082107aak.html dead December 6, 2007 CSTV August 21, 2007 July 2, 2008 Due to NCAA transfer rules, Keller spent the 2006 season on the Huskers' scout team. The Trojans stayed in nearby Omaha and practiced at a local high school; Carroll took the rare step of closing practice to outsiders after a local radio station announced the location.Trojans Have a Hidden Agenda in Enemy Territory Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-15-sp-uscrep15-story.html Los Angeles Times September 15, 2007 July 2, 2008 The game marked the return of primary receiver Patrick Turner and running back Chauncey Washington from injury; linebacker Brian Cushing, who injured his ankle early against Idaho, had not fully recovered but was allowed to suit-up as a reserve.Receivers Eager to Play on Big Stage Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-14-sp-uscrep14-story.html Los Angeles Times September 14, 2007 July 2, 2008 Senior center Matt Spanos remained injured, and true freshman Kris O'Dowd was called to start again. Veteran secondary member Josh Pinkard was lost for the season after his sore knee gave out during a bye week practice, resulting in a torn ACL requiring surgery.Pinkard to Again Miss the Season Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-12-sp-uscrep12-story.html Los Angeles Times September 12, 2007 July 2, 2008 thumb|right|Teams take the field as Nebraska hosted USC for its 284th consecutive home sell out at Memorial Stadium. Anticipation for the game was high in Lincoln, fueling strong demand for tickets and accommodations; the game brought celebrities including USC fans Will Ferrell (also an alumnus) and Keanu Reeves, Nebraska fans Larry the Cable Guy, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Rush Limbaugh, and Ward Connerly; past Husker Heisman-winner Mike Rozier, Trojans Heisman-winner Marcus Allen and star Trojans safety Ronnie Lott were also on hand for the game.Nowhere Becomes Somewhere David Wharton https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-15-sp-lincoln15-story.html Los Angeles Times September 15, 2007 July 2, 2008View from the Sideline: USC vs Nebraska Jason Siffring http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2007/09/view_from_the_sideline_usc_vs.html Big Red Network September 17, 2007 July 2, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080704072316/http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2007/09/view_from_the_sideline_usc_vs.html July 4, 2008 Rush Recounts His Trip to Lincoln Rush Limbaugh http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_091707/content/01125107.guest.html.guest.html Rush Limbaugh September 17, 2007 July 2, 2008 The game fell on Pete Carroll's 56th birthday; as a surprise, Carroll was treated to a recorded message by actor Kiefer Sutherland, star of his favorite television show, 24.A Surprise birthday Present Ben Malcolmson http://www.petecarroll.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/400829/pid/400654 University of Southern California Department of Athletics September 15, 2007 August 18, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081204104401/http://www.petecarroll.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/400829/pid/400654 December 4, 2008 The morning recording of College GameDay attracted 13,293 fans, second to the all-time record of 15,808 set by Nebraska in 2001.NU Players, Fans Excited for GameDay Mitch Sherman http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10131776 Omaha World-Herald September 14, 2007 July 2, 2008 dead https://archive.today/20130131004953/http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10131776 January 31, 2013 With 84,959 in attendance, Nebraska recorded its NCAA-record 284th consecutive home sellout dating back to 1962. USC dominated the game 49–31, in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated: the Trojans led 42–10 going into the fourth quarter; Nebraska scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes during garbage time.Lincoln Log: USC Makes Style Statement in Running Past Huskers Ivan Maisel https://www.espn.com/college-football/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=3022344 ESPN September 15, 2007 July 2, 2008 The Trojans dominated on the ground, as they out-gained Nebraska 313–31 in rushing yards and averaged 8.2 yards per carry, the most ever against a Nebraska team.Sweet 16: Five Alive Terry Bowden https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=tb-folo091707 Yahoo! Sports September 17, 2007 July 2, 2008 Stafon Johnson led USC running backs with a career-best 144 yards in 11 carries with one touchdown; other major contributors were C. J. Gable (69 yards in four carries, including a 40-yard run), Washington (43 yards in 12 carries with two touchdowns), and another versatile performance by fullback Stanley Havili (52 rushing yards in two rushes with one touchdown, and three pass receptions for 22 yards with one touchdown). The Trojans passing game again did not find a rhythm, with several dropped passes, but the defense was able to frustrate the Husker offense for most of the game and cause two pivotal 3rd quarter interceptions.A USC Haymaker Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-16-sp-usc16-story.html Los Angeles Times September 16, 2007 July 2, 2008USC Finds Lots of Running Room David Wharton https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-16-sp-uscside16-story.html Los Angeles Times September 16, 2007 July 2, 2008Johnson Goes the Extra Yards David Wharton Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-18-sp-uscrep18-story.html Los Angeles Times September 16, 2007 August 15, 2008 left|thumb|John David Booty leads a drive early in the fourth quarter. The Trojans did not escape injuries, as linebacker Clay Matthews, substituting for the recovering Brian Cushing, broke his thumb, causing Cushing to enter the game as his replacement. The Trojans also suffered two injuries on kick returns: fullback Alfred Rowe suffered a mild concussion, and there was a moment of worry when returner Vincent Joseph, after being tackled and fumbling the ball, lay on the turf for over 10 minutes before being removed by stretcher with a bruised larynx and a neck sprain, but no serious injuries.Injury Scary but Not Serious for Joseph Gary Klein https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-18-sp-uscrep18-story.html Los Angeles Times September 18, 2007 July 2, 2008 Linebacker Rey Maualuga was flagged during a field goal attempt for the rarely called penalty of "disconcerting", which is given for "words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play".Dome Dispute, Directional Debate and Gurus Gone Bad Ivan Maisel https://www.espn.com/college-football/notebook?page=iform074 ESPN September 19, 2007 July 2, 2008Trojans Leave No Doubts by Taking It to Cornhuskers Vahl Gregorian https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/sports/ncaafootball/16nebraska.html The New York Times September 16, 2007 July 10, 2008NCAA Football Rule 7–1, Article 5(a)(3): "No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of (or otherwise interfere with) offensive starting signals." 2008 NCAA FOOTBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS https://web.archive.org/web/20080910045838/http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rulesadc982b5-03fb-4e27-828c-c2d26b95e6c1.pdf September 10, 2008 , National Collegiate Athletic Association, Page 99, Retrieved August 4, 2008. After losing first place votes in the polls during the bye week, USC's performance regained six after their performance against the Huskers in a hostile environment.2007 NCAA Football Rankings – Week 3 (Sept. 16) https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings?pollId=1&seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=4 ESPN September 16, 2007 July 3, 2008 Receiving specific praise was the Trojans offensive line, as well as the continued poise and ability of freshman center O'Dowd.Ground Greatness Stewart Mandel http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/09/16/usc.nebraska/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080517122238/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/09/16/usc.nebraska/index.html dead May 17, 2008 Sports Illustrated September 16, 2007 July 2, 2008Trojans Make a Bold Statement in the Heartland Bill Plaschke https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-sep-16-sp-plaschke16-story.html Los Angeles Times September 16, 2007 July 2, 2008OU's Bradford Has Been Season's Biggest Surprise Bruce Feldman https://www.espn.com/college-football/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3024137 ESPN The Magazine September 17, 2007 July 2, 2008 Ball State Ball State at Nebraska [box score] Ball State Nebraska 0 10 21 9 7 7 14 13 September 22, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 11:30 am CST 84,294 Greg Sharpe (Play-by-play), Matt Davison (Color) & Stacy Paetz (Sideline) FSN PPV Iowa State Iowa State at Nebraska [box score] Iowa State Nebraska 3 7 0 7 0 7 21 7 September 29, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 1:05 pm CST 84,703 Missouri Nebraska at Missouri [box score] Nebraska Missouri 3 3 0 0 14 6 14 7 October 6, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Columbia, Missouri 8:15 pm CST 70,049 Ron Franklin (Play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline) ESPN Oklahoma State Oklahoma State at Nebraska [box score] Oklahoma State Nebraska 17 21 0 7 0 0 0 14 October 13, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 11:30 am CST 84,334 Greg Sharpe (Play-by-play), Kellen Winslow (Color) & Joel Goldberg (Sideline) FSN PPV Athletic Director Steve Pederson was fired after this game. Former Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne was named as interim Athletic Director. He indicated that there would be no coaching changes during the season."TO: No Football Staffing Changes During Season http://www.ketv.com/sports/14353545/detail.html KETV Omaha October 16, 2007 October 16, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20110723122543/http://www.ketv.com/sports/14353545/detail.html July 23, 2011 dead mdy-all Texas A&M Texas A&M at Nebraska [box score] Texas A&M Nebraska 9 7 14 6 7 7 0 0 October 20, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 1:05 pm CST 84,473 Texas Nebraska at Texas [box score] Nebraska Texas 0 10 7 8 3 0 6 19 October 27, 2007 Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas 2:30 pm CST 85,968 Ron Franklin (Play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline) ABC Nebraska first played the Texas Longhorns in 1933 and the Longhorns hold a 7–4–0 record. Nebraska won the first meeting by the lopsided score of 26–0. As with Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, Nebraska plays the Longhorns two out of every four years as part of the Big 12 Conference schedule.Big 12 Releases Future Football Conference Schedules http://www.big12sports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121906aaa.htm Big 12 Conference December 19, 2006 April 2, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070331215842/http://www.big12sports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121906aaa.html March 31, 2007 Since their first meeting, the series has included a number of upsets and close calls. In 1960 a #4 ranked Longhorn squad was upset by an unranked Nebraska team, 14–13. In 1996 an unranked Texas team defeated #3 ranked Nebraska (who were also the defending national champions) 37–27 to win the inaugural Big 12 Conference football championship and deprive the Cornhuskers a shot at repeating as national champions. In 1998 an unranked Texas team beat #7 Nebraska 20–16. In 1999 the two teams met twice. In the regular season, #18 Texas beat #3 Nebraska by 24–20. However, #3 Nebraska beat #12 Texas in the Big 12 Championship game, 6–22. In 2002 the Longhorns were ranked No. 7 and they went to Lincoln, Nebraska to play an unranked Nebraska team. In front of the largest crowd in Nebraska history (78,268) the 'Horns snapped the Huskers' national-best 26-game winning streak at Memorial Stadium by a score of 27–24.No. 7 Texas 27, Nebraska 24 http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/pages/gameweek/2002_03/009neb/recap.html University of Texas at Austin Department of Athletics November 2, 2002 April 2, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20021105113428/http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/pages/gameweek/2002_03/009neb/recap.html November 5, 2002 dead mdy-all Most recently, in the 2006 game, #5 Texas faced #17 Nebraska on a snowy day in Lincoln. The Longhorns were trailing and needed a field goal by walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey (with just 23 seconds remaining in the game) to win 22–20.All Time Record vs. Opponents http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=298&change_well_id=2 University of Texas at Austin Department of Athletics March 31, 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070426101811/http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=298&change_well_id=2 April 26, 2007 Longhorns Edge Huskers, 22–20 Eric Olson http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=2528&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 University of Texas at Austin Department of Athletics Associated Press October 21, 2006 April 2, 2007 On the morning of the game, oddsmakers favored Texas to win by 21 points.Gambling – NCAA football http://www.vegas.com/gaming/sportsline_ncaaf.html Vegas.com, LLC October 27, 2007 October 27, 2007 The weather forecast called for a high of 76 degrees and plentiful sunshine with winds NNE at 10 to 15 miles per hour.Local weather forecast for Austin, TX http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USTX0057?from=search_city The Weather Channel October 27, 2007 October 27, 2007 October 27, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071027125819/http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USTX0057?from=search_city dead Texas stuck with their passing game for three quarters and was trailed Nebraska most of the way; the Cornhuskers led 17–9 to start the fourth.Nebraska 25, (19) Texas 28: Play-by-play https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=273000251&period=0 ESPN October 27, 2007 March 10, 2008 ESPN reported, "Once Texas figured out it should be running against one of the nation's worst run defenses, things turned out all right for the Longhorns."Charles Rushes for Career-High 290 Yards in Win Over Huskers http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273000251 https://web.archive.org/web/20071029061834/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273000251 dead October 29, 2007 ESPN October 27, 2007 March 10, 2008 The Longhorns may have switched to running game almost by chance. McCoy took a hard hit as he scrambled outside the pocket and was shaken up badly enough to leave the game for a play. John Chiles came in at quarterback; his one play, a zone-read handoff to Jamaal Charles, produced 24 yards. According to ESPN, "suddenly Texas had figured out how to beat a Cornhuskers' team that had been steamrolled on the ground in recent weeks. Texas only threw three passes in the fourth quarter." Once Texas switched to the zone read offense, they quickly started gaining yards and points. Charles ran for a career-high 290 yards, including 216 yards and three long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. His tally also set a new record for rushing against the Cornhuskers, surpassing the old record of 247 yards by Oklahoma's Billy Simms. Charles explained "It was my time to show everyone what I can do. When I saw a hole, I blasted through it." Texas finished with 181 yards passing and 364 yards rushing; Nebraska had 315 yards passing and 132 yards rushing.Nebraska 25, (19) Texas 28: Box Score https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=273000251 ESPN October 27, 2007 March 10, 2008 The running back was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week.Stay Calm: Brown Won't Pull a 'Gundy' Soon Cody Hale http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/10/30/Sports/Stay-Calm-3064450.shtml The Daily Texan Texas Student Mendia University of Texas at Austin October 30, 2007 March 10, 2008 June 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes The game was a milestone for one coach and a millstone for another; it was the 100th win for Mack Brown at Texas; and it put more pressure on beleaguered Nebraska coach Bill Callahan. Brown remarked on his victory, "A hundred is nice. I knew the game was going to come down like it did. It didn't surprise me. They made sure that I'll remember it the rest of my life." Callahan was fired five weeks later.Interim Nebraska AD Osborne Fires Callahan https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=3125379 ESPN November 24, 2007 March 10, 2008 Image:UT-Nebraska Panorama 2007.jpg 7474 1290 A panorama of Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas during the game against the 2007 Texas Longhorns football team. 200 Kansas Nebraska at Kansas [box score] Nebraska Kansas 14 10 7 8 21 27 21 7 November 3, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas 11:30 am CST 51,910 Bill Land (Play-by-play), Dave Lapham (Color) & Emily Jones (Sideline) FSN The Nebraska-Kansas series is the longest uninterrupted series in college football at 102 years.Reesing's School-Record Six TDs Lead Jayhawks' Rout of Huskers http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273072305 https://web.archive.org/web/20071105110544/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273072305 dead November 5, 2007 ESPN November 3, 2007 December 12, 2014Huskers Set for Road Trip to Face Undefeated Kansas https://huskers.com/news/2007/10/29/huskers-set-for-road-trip-to-face-undefeated-kansas University of Nebraska, Lincoln Department of Athletics October 29, 2007 November 3, 2007 In the 2007 meeting, Kansas beat Nebraska 76–39. The Jayhawks set an all-time record for most touchdowns and most points scored by a Nebraska opponent.Opponent Records http://www.huskers.com//pdf1/78902.pdf?SPSID=7&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100 University of Nebraska, Lincoln Department of Athletics PDF November 3, 2007 dead https://www.webcitation.org/5ghdVXN4P?url=http://www.huskers.com//pdf7/134543.pdf May 12, 2009 mdy Their 48 points in the first half was the most ever scored against Nebraska in the first half.Fire Bill Callahan https://firebillcallahan.blogspot.com/ Blogspot.com November 3, 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140508030211/http://firebillcallahan.blogspot.com/ May 8, 2014 With the win, Kansas took their record to 9–0 for the first time since 1908.Nebraska Sets School Record in Loss http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7405050 Fox Sports Fox Broadcasting Company November 3, 2007 November 3, 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071104210831/http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7405050 November 4, 2007 mdy-all Fox Sports reported, "It was only the second victory for Kansas in the last 39 games against Nebraska, which appears to be coming to pieces in the fourth season of embattled coach Bill Callahan." Kansas State Kansas State at Nebraska [box score] Kansas State Nebraska 10 0 7 14 14 24 14 21 November 10, 2007 Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska 11:30 am CST 84,665 Ron Thulin (play-by-play), Kelly Stouffer (color) & Lewis Johnson (sideline) Versus Getting just his second career start after taking over for the injured Sam Keller in the fourth quarter of the Texas game, Joe Ganz broke the school single-game records for passing yards and touchdowns. Colorado Nebraska at Colorado [box score] Nebraska Colorado 14 21 0 16 17 7 20 21 November 23, 2007 Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado 11:00 am CST 51,403 Dave LaMont (Play-by-play), David Norrie (Color) & Vince Welch (Sideline) ABC It was a must-win situation for both teams, as they had identical 5–6 records and each needed a win to get to a bowl. Although they trailed by 11 points at the half, Colorado went on to win 65–51, as the Husker defense simply could not find an answer for Colorado's offense. Husker Coach Bill Callahan, having had his second losing season in four years, both being decided by a loss to Colorado, was fired the day after the game. Athletic Director Tom Osborne went on to hire Mark "Bo" Pelini as head coach. Rankings 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings 15 20 16 14 24 25 25 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 19 17 14 22 22 23 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 4 24 23 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 7 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR After the season The team was coached by Bill Callahan, who returned for his fourth year with the Huskers, and expectations for the season were high, considering NU had reached the Big 12 title game the previous year. But the Huskers recorded only their second losing season since 1961, and the second in four years (the last one coming in 2004 on Callahan's watch). Following the conclusion of the season, Callahan was fired by interim athletic director Tom Osborne.Source: Interim Nebraska AD Osborne fires Callahan https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=3125379 November 24, 2007 November 24, 2007 Joe Schad ESPN On December 2, 2007, Bo Pelini was named as head coach for Nebraska by interim athletic director Tom Osborne. Awards 2007 Husker Honors Award Name(s) All-Big 12 2nd team Marlon Lucky, Carl Nicks, Matt Slauson All-Big 12 honorable mention Larry Asante, Brett Byford, Cortney Grixby, Jacob Hickman, Lydon Murtha, Steve Octavien, Zach Potter, Maurice Purify, Bo Ruud, Dan Titchener All-Big 12 Freshman 1st team Anthony Blue, Jaivorio Burkes, Alex Henery Draft picks, signees, or other future professional players Prince Amukamara, 2011 1st–round pick of the New York Giants Larry Asante, 2010 4th–round pick of the Cleveland Browns Zackary Bowman, 2008 5th–round pick of the Chicago Bears Lance Brandenburgh, 2008 free agent signee of the San Francisco 49ers Chris Brooks, 2010 free agent signee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Brett Byford, 2008 free agent signee of the New York Jets Jared Crick, 2012 4th-round pick of the Houston Texans Phillip Dillard, 2010 4th–round pick of the New York Giants Joe Ganz, 2009 free agent signee of the Washington Redskins Cody Glenn, 2009 5th–round pick of the Washington Redskins Tierre Green, 2008 free agent signee of the Green Bay Packers Cortney Grixby, 2008 free agent signee of the Carolina Panthers Eric Hagg, 2011 7th–round pick of the Cleveland Browns Frantz Hardy, 2008 free agent signee of the Philadelphia Eagles Roy Helu Jr., 2011 4th–round pick of the Washington Redskins Alex Henery, 2011 4th–round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles Ricky Henry, 2011 UFL 1st–round pick of the Hartford Colonials Brandon Johnson, Sioux City Bandits Andre Jones, Central Valley Coyotes D.J. Jones, 2011 UFL 6th–round pick of the Omaha Nighthawks Marcel Jones, 2012 7th-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints Sam Keller, 2008 free agent signee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Marlon Lucky, 2009 free agent signee of the Cincinnati Bengals Corey McKeon, 2008 free agent signee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Lydon Murtha, 2009 7th–round pick of the Miami Dolphins Carl Nicks, 2008 5th–round pick of the New Orleans Saints Matt O'Hanlon, 2010 free agent signee of the Carolina Panthers Steve Octavien, 2008 free agent signee of the Kansas City Chiefs Niles Paul, 2011 5th–round pick of the Washington Redskins Todd Peterson, 2009 free agent signee of the Jacksonville Jaguars Zach Potter, 2009 free agent signee of the New York Jets Andy Poulosky, Sioux City Bandits Maurice Purify, 2008 free agent signee of the Cincinnati Bengals Bo Ruud, 2008 6th–round pick of the New England Patriots Matt Slauson, 2009 6th–round pick of the New York Jets Mike Smith, 2011 UFL 5th–round pick of the Omaha Nighthawks Ty Steinkuhler, 2009 free agent signee of the New York Jets Ndamukong Suh, 2010 1st–round pick of the Detroit Lions Nate Swift, 2009 free agent signee of the Denver Broncos Barry Turner, 2010 free agent signee of the Detroit Lions Keith Williams, 2011 6th–round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers Kenny Wilson, Sioux City Bandits References Nebraska Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football seasons Nebraska Cornhuskers football