1937 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1937 Nebraska Cornhuskers football Big Six Conference Big 6 11 6–1–2 3–0–2 Biff Jones 1st Single-wing Memorial Stadium Big 6 champion The 1937 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Nebraska in the Big Six Conference during the 1937 college football season. In its first season under head coach Biff Jones, the team compiled a 6–1–2 record (3–0–2 against conference opponents), won the Big Six championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 99 to 42.1937 Nebraska Cornhuskers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football March 1, 2019 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/nebraska/1937-schedule.html The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before the season After the record eight-year tenure held by previous head coach Dana X. Bible, new head coach Jones stepped in to take over and attempt to continue the dominating success Nebraska had enjoyed over the past decade. Jones had a long resume, having coached his alma mater Army, Louisiana State and most recently Big 6 foe Oklahoma, totaling nine seasons, before arriving in Lincoln. Chosen with input from Bible, Jones inherited a strong and experienced team that had no reason to doubt that they would continue to be the team to beat in the Big 6.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=336 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 336) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Schedule 1937 AP Central y y y y October 2 2:00 p.m. Minnesota<ncg> Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) W 14–9 36,000 October 9 2:00 p.m. at Iowa State State Field Ames, IA (rivalry) W 20–7 7,756 October 16 2:00 p.m. Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) T 0–0 October 23 2:00 p.m. at Missouri 8 Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO (rivalry) W 7–0 October 30 2:00 p.m. Indiana<ncg> 11 Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE W 7–0 November 6 2:00 p.m. Kansas<hc> 6 Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) T 13–13 35,000 Huskers Eke Out a 13–13 Tie Sunday Journal and Star John Bentley November 7, 1937 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115415128/huskers-eke-out-a-13-13-tie/ Newspapers.com November 13 1:00 p.m. at No. 1 Pittsburgh<ncg> 11 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh PA L 7–13 71,267 Jess Carver Panthers' Late Rally Beats Nebraska 13–7 Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph November 14, 1937 Part 2-2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107078452/pitt-beats-nebraska-137/ August 6, 2022 Newspapers.com November 20 2:00 p.m. Iowa<ncg> 11 Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) W 28–0 November 27 2:00 p.m. at Kansas State 11 Memorial Stadium Manhattan, KS (rivalry) W 3–0 Roster Alfson, Warren #22 G Amen, Paul #33 E Andreson, William #32 QB Andrews, Harris #21 HB Ashburn, Jack #55 E Ball, Arthur #20 HB Brock, Charles #47 C Burruss, Robert #49 C Callihan, William #34 FB Cather, Bud #10 HB Dobson, Adna #53 G Dodd, Edward #24 HB Dohrmann, Elmer #36 E Doyle, Theodore #43 T English, Lowell #30 G Franks, Perry #27 G Griffin, Fred #23 E Grimm, Lloyd #44 E Herrmann, William #29 G Hitchcock, Richard #2 E Hoffman, Hugo #19 HB Howell, John #13 QB Kahler, Robert #35 E Kingery, Orville #48 T Klum, Arlo #51 G Mathers, James #12 HB McIllravy, Eldon #25 FB Mehring, Robert #11 G Mills, Robert #46 T Morris, Robert #39 HB Neprud, Vernon #52 T Peters, Gus #42 G Petsch, Roy #37 QB Pfeiff, William #50 G Phelps, Thurston #17 QB Płock, Marvin #15 HB Porter, George #18 HB Ramey, Robert #16 C Richardson, John #31 E Schwartzkopf, Sam #54 T Shindo, Kenneth #28 E Shirey, Fred #45 T Strasheim, Herman #56 T Thompson, Theos #26 E http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&Q_SEASON=1937 https://web.archive.org/web/20120302173403/http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&Q_SEASON=1937 dead March 2, 2012 Nebraska Football 1937 Roster 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Athletics Department Coaching staff Name Title First yearin this position Years atNebraska Alma materBiff JonesHead Coach19371937–1941ArmyHenry SchulteLineman Coach19311919–1924, 1931–1937MichiganEd WeirFreshmen Coach19291926, 1929–1937, 1943NebraskaW. Harold BrowneAssistant Coach19301930–1940Roy Lyman 19361936–1941Adolph J. Lewandowski 19371937–1944 NebraskaJerry Adams 1937Charles Armstrong 19371937–1942, 1944http://www.huskermax.com/coaches.html Nebraska head coaches 2010-01-14 HuskerMaxhttp://www.huskermax.com/coaches/assistants.html Assistant coaches 2010-01-14 HuskerMax Game summaries Minnesota Minnesota at Nebraska Minnesota 9 Nebraska 14 October 2 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 36,000 Minnesota–Nebraska football rivalry Coach Jones entered the Nebraska record books in his first game with a statement victory over longtime rival Minnesota in Lincoln, keeping intact his record of never having lost a season-opening game. The Golden Gophers scored first in a bid to continue their string of victories over the Cornhuskers, but a chink in the armor appeared when they missed the point after. From then on out both teams exchanged the lead, thanks in part to a pair of crucial Minnesota fumbles recovered by Nebraska and converted to points on the board. Nebraska's winless streak against Minnesota was snapped at five games, but the Cornhuskers were still far behind in the series, at 3–14–2. Minnesota went on to finish their season 6–2–0 and ranked #5 by the AP.http://www.huskermax.com/1930s.html The 1930s 2010-01-14 HuskerMaxhttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=338 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 338) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Librarieshttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,770936,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071209075957/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,770936,00.html dead December 9, 2007 Sport: Upsets & Downset 2010-01-14 Time Magazine Archives (October 11, 1937) October 11, 1937 Iowa State Nebraska at Iowa State Nebraska 20 Iowa State 7 October 9 Clyde Williams Field • Ames, Iowa 7,756 Iowa State–Nebraska football rivalry The Cyclones presented Nebraska with some looks that took a while to figure out, managing to hold off the Cornhusker machine and go up 7–0 by the halftime break. Upon the return to the field, Nebraska applied the adjustments learned from the first half to run off 20 unanswered points for the win to extend their record series winning streak to 15 games, improving over Iowa State to 27–4–1.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=339 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 339) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Oklahoma Oklahoma at Nebraska Oklahoma Nebraska 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 October 16 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska CST Rain Nebraska–Oklahoma football rivalry The sloppy, rainy conditions made the passing game unmanageable for either team, and ground attacks proved equally ineffective. The day was spent passing possession back and forth by turnovers and punts until time expired with no points on the board. Oklahoma's winless streak against Nebraska was extended to seven games, and they stood at 2–12–3 against the Huskers all time. The Cornhuskers subsequently appeared in the AP Poll at #8. Missouri #8 Nebraska at Missouri #8 Nebraska 7 Missouri 0 October 23 Faurot Field • Columbia, Missouri Missouri–Nebraska football rivalry Missouri had not won against Nebraska for nearly a decade, failing to take home the Missouri-Nebraska Bell even once since the prize was established. The Tigers made a determined effort to end the futility, managing to hold back the Cornhuskers from the usual running up of points, but Nebraska's first half touchdown was all that was needed to carry the day. Missouri had now failed to take a game from the Cornhuskers in ten straight contests, and fell to 6–22–3 against Nebraska all time. Despite the win, Nebraska fell to #11.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=340 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 340) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Indiana Indiana at #11 Nebraska Indiana #11 Nebraska 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 October 30 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska CST Indiana was stunned on the first play of the game as Nebraska went 65 yards on the ground to score at the opening of the contest. Those seven points ended up being the sum of the day's scoring between the teams in an evenly matched battle of the defenses. Nebraska remained perfect against the Hoosiers in both meetings of the squads. The victory moved Nebraska up to #6 in the AP Poll. Kansas Kansas at #6 Nebraska Kansas 13 #6 Nebraska 13 November 6 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska Kansas–Nebraska football rivalry Kansas looked like it had finally been blessed by the football gods and was going to take down Nebraska after thirteen years of frustration. The Jayhawks scored early on, were matched by the Cornhuskers, and then scored again. It looked like the one touchdown lead might hold, but as the minutes ticked to the final gun, Nebraska put together an 80-yard march down the field to tie the game again and deny either team the win. Kansas had the moral victory, but still was without a win over Nebraska in fourteen straight tries, and was far back in their shared series at 9–32–3. Due to the tie, the Cornhuskers stumbled to #11 in the AP Poll.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=341 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 341) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Pittsburgh #11 Nebraska at #1 Pittsburgh #11 Nebraska 7 #1 Pittsburgh 13 November 13 Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh Nebraska traveled to Pittsburgh to face the nemesis Panthers in the now well-established grudge match. Both teams prevented the other from scoring throughout the first half, yet not long after the teams returned, Nebraska scored and for a while it looked like victory was within reach. Pittsburgh returned the favor but missed the point after, leaving the Cornhuskers with a tenuous 1-point edge. Mistakes cannot be made in games like this by teams who want to win, however, and a crucial lost Cornhusker fumble was soon converted by Pittsburgh into seven points for the takeaway win. Pittsburgh's win streak over Nebraska was pushed to five, while the Huskers remained winless in the last eleven attempts and stood at 1–8–3 against the Panthers to date. Despite the loss, Nebraska held their #11 spot, and Pittsburgh went on to finish their season 9–0–1 and ranked #1 by the AP.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=342 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 342) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Iowa Iowa at #11 Nebraska Iowa 0 #11 Nebraska 28 November 20 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska Iowa–Nebraska football rivalry After a two-year intermission, Iowa and Nebraska met again in a contest where the Hawkeyes bore the brunt of Nebraska's frustration from the previous week's loss to Pittsburgh. Iowa's first punt was blocked and then shortly after converted into a touchdown, and from there on out the day belonged to Nebraska. Iowa dropped its fifth straight to the Cornhuskers and was now 7–17–3 against Nebraska all time. The win over a weaker team did not move the Cornhuskers up from their #11 ranking. Kansas State #11 Nebraska at Kansas State #11 Nebraska 3 Kansas State 0 November 27 Memorial Stadium • Manhattan, Kansas Rain Kansas State–Nebraska football rivalry Kansas State was intent on revenge after the painful 40–0 drubbing handed them to close last year's slate by Nebraska, and indeed their efforts to hold Nebraska back succeeded for almost the entire game, though they could not produce points of their own. Finally in the second half, the Cornhuskers eked out a field goal, the three points being all that was necessary to deny the Wildcats a win, secure another Big 6 title for Nebraska, and move the Cornhuskers to 18–2–2 in their series against the Kansas State. The narrow margin win was not enough to move Nebraska up from their #11 spot in the final poll. After the season Coach Jones finished his first year at Nebraska by bringing yet another Big 6 title to Lincoln, Nebraska's eighth league championship over the last ten years, and a postseason ranking of #11 in the AP Poll. While the Cornhusker offense was not as prolific as in years past, the defense was outstanding, allowing all opponents only 42 points on the season and shutting out five teams outright. In his first year, coach Jones helped Nebraska improve to 276–90–29 (.735) all time and 90–11–11 (.853) in conference history to date. Awards Award Name(s) All American Charles Brock, Fred Shireyhttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1938&page=337 1938 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 337) 2010-01-14 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries References Nebraska Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football seasons Category:Big Eight Conference football champion seasons Nebraska Cornhuskers football