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1982 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
File:University of Nebraska Logo 1982-1991.PNG
Big 8 Champions
Orange Bowl Champions
Orange Bowl vs. #13 LSU, W 21-20
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
1982 record12-1-0 (7-0-0 Big 8)
Head coachTom Osborne (10th season)
Offensive coordinatorTom Osborne (13th season)
Offensive schemeI formation
Defensive coordinatorCharlie McBride (2nd season)
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1981
1983 →
1982 Big 8 football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Nebraska 7 0 0     12 1 0
#16 Oklahoma 6 1 0     8 4 0
Oklahoma State 3 2 2     4 5 2
Kansas State 3 3 1     6 5 1
Missouri 2 3 2     5 4 2
Iowa State 1 5 1     4 6 1
Kansas 1 5 1     2 7 2
Colorado 1 5 1     2 8 1
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1982 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Schedule[]

[1]

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 11* Iowa #3 Memorial StadiumLincoln, Nebraska W 42-7   76,013
September 18* New Mexico State #3 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 68-0   76,141
September 25* at #8 Penn State #2 Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, Pennsylvania CBS L 24-27   85,304
October 2* at #20 Auburn #8 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama W 41-7   73,900
October 9 at Colorado #7 Folsom FieldBoulder, Colorado W 40-14   53,022
October 16† Kansas State #6 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 42-13   76,268
October 23 Missouri #5 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska ABC W 23-19   76,406
October 30 at Kansas #6 Memorial StadiumLawrence, Kansas W 52-0   51,172
November 6 Oklahoma State #6 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 48-10   76,387
November 13 at Iowa State #4 Cyclone StadiumAmes, Iowa W 48-10   52,887
November 26 #11 Oklahoma #3 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska CBS W 28-24   76,398
December 4* at Hawaii #3 Aloha StadiumHonolulu, Hawaii W 37-16   46,876
January 1* vs. #13 LSU #3 Miami Orange BowlMiami, Florida (Orange Bowl) W 21-20   54,407
*Non-Conference Game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Roster[]

[2][3]

Behning, Mark #73 (So.) OT
Biggers, Kevin #13 (Jr.) CB
Bourn, Don #92 (So.) TE
Brown, Todd #29 (Sr.) SE
Brungardt, Tim #32 (Jr.) IB
Buchanan, Eric #82 (So.) DE
Burke, Dave #33 (So.) CB
Campbell, Grant #24 (Sr.) P
Clark, Bret #10 (So.) S
Craig, Roger #21 (Sr.) IB
Damkroger, Steve #35 (Sr.) LB
Daum, Mark #51 (So.) LB
Engebritson, Monte #83 (Jr.) TE
Evans, Brent #48 (Sr.) LB
Felici, Tony #46 (Sr.) DE
Fisher, Todd #6 (So.) CB
Fryar, Irving #27 (Jr.) WB
Gdowski, Tom #93 (Sr.) DT
Gill, Turner #12 (Jr.) QB
Glathar, Kurt #69 (Sr.) C
Graeber, Ken #52 (So.) MG
Greene, Ricky #5 (So.) CB
Grimminger, Harry #58 (So.) OG
Haase, David #4 (Jr.) S
Hagerman, Mark #9 (Sr.) PK
Harris, Neil #11 (So.) CB
Herrmann, Doug #63 (Jr.) DT
Hill, Dan #84 (Sr.) TE
Hill, Pete #41 (So.) DE
Holbrook, Tim #23 (Sr.) MON

 

Huebert, Randy #31 (Sr.) WB
Johnson, Brad #55 (Sr.) C
Keeler, Mike #61 (Jr.) DT
Kimball, Scott #88 (So.) SE
Knox, Mike #44 (So.) LB
Krenk, Mitch #89 (Sr.) TE
Kwapick, Jeff #70 (Sr.) OT
Larsen, Pat #3 (Sr.) S
Lyday, Allen #18 (Sr.) CB
Mandelko, Mike #68 (Sr.) OG
Mason, Nate #8 (Jr.) QB
Mathison, Bruce #19 (Sr.) QB
McCashland, Mike #2 (So.) MON
McLaughlin, Scott #59 (So.) OG
McWhirter, Steve #45 (Sr.) LB
Merrell, Jeff #74 (Sr.) MG
Moravec, Mark #40 (Sr.) FB
Morrow, Tom #77 (So.) OT
Muehling, Brad #54 (Jr.) C
Murphy, Jim #16 (Jr.) CB
Orton, Greg #67 (So.) OG
Praeuner, Wade #85 (Jr.) DE
Raridon, Scott #72 (Jr.) OT
Rathman, Tom #26 (So.) FB
Reinhardt, John #62 (Jr.) MG
Ridder, Dave #86 (Jr.) DE
Rimington, Dave #50 (Sr.) C
Ripa, Dan #43 (So.) LB
Rozier, Mike #30 (Jr.) IB
Schellen, Mark #25 (Jr.) FB

 

Schneider, Gary (Fr.) CB
Schoening, Lynn #91 (Sr.) PK
Schoettger, Scott #42 (So.) SE
Seibel, Kevin #49 (Sr.) PK
Sherlock, John #66 (Jr.) OT
Simmons, Ricky #7 (Jr.) WB
Smith, Jeff #28 (So.) IB
Steinkuhler, Dean #71 (Jr.) OG
Strasburger, Scott #90 (So.) DE
Stuckey, Rob #75 (So.) DT
Sundberg, Craig #15 (So.) QB
Swanson, Shane #17 (So.) WB
Theiss, Randy #65 (Sr.) OT
Thomas, Anthony #53 (So.) OG
Thompson, Jim #39 (So.) WB
Tramner, Mike #64 (Jr.) MG
Traynowicz, Mark #57 (So.) OT
Turner, Travis #14 (So.) QB
Van Norman, Kris #38 (Sr.) MON
Vergith, Tom #22 (Sr.) SE
Waechter, Kevin #76 (Jr.) DT
Weber, Bill #87 (So.) DE
Weed, Dan #56 (So.) C
Wilkening, Doug #34 (Jr.) FB
Williams, Jamie #80 (Sr.) TE
Williams, Toby #97 (Sr.) DT
Wingard, Dan #47 (So.) PK
Zierke, Mike (So.) DT

     

Coaching staff[]

Name Title First year
in this position
Years at Nebraska Alma Mater
Tom Osborne Head Coach
Offensive Coordinator
1973 1964-1997 Hastings College
Charlie McBride Defensive Coordinator 1981 1977-1999 Colorado
Cletus Fischer Offensive Line 1960-1985 Nebraska
John Melton Tight Ends
Wingbacks
1973 1962-1988 Wyoming
Mike Corgan Running Backs 1962 1962-1982 Notre Dame
Boyd Epley Head Strength Coach 1969 1969-2003 Nebraska
George Darlington Defensive Backs 1973-2002 Rutgers
Milt Tenopir Offensive Line 1974 1974-2002 Sterling
Gene Huey Receivers 1977 1977-1986 Wyoming
Frank Solich Head Freshman Coach 1979 1979-2003 Nebraska
Jack Pierce 1979-1991
Bob Thornton Secondary 1981 1981-1985 Nebraska

Game notes[]

Iowa[]

Iowa at #3 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
Iowa 0 0 0 7 7
#3 Nebraska 14 14 0 14 42

Defending Big Ten Champion Iowa was down 28-0 by halftime, and was only able to muster a single 4th quarter touchdown against Nebraska reserves to avoid the shutout.

New Mexico State[]

New Mexico State at #3 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
New Mexico State 0 0 0 0 0
#3 Nebraska 14 14 33 7 68

Records fell all over as Nebraska steamrolled New Mexico State 68-0 in Lincoln. Nebraska's total of 883 offensive yards, 645 consecutive yards without going backwards, 36 rushing first downs, and 43 total first downs were all new NCAA records.

Penn State[]

#2 Nebraska at #8 Penn State [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#2 Nebraska 0 7 7 10 24
#8 Penn State 7 7 7 6 27

Nebraska fought back from a 7-21 deficit and finally pulled into the lead on an 80 yard drive with 1:18 remaining, yet the Nittany Lions drove right back and handed the Cornhuskers their first and only loss of the season when Penn State completed a controversial pass deep into Nebraska's end zone with just 4 seconds left on the clock. Sixteen years later, Penn State TE Mike McCloskey, the receiver of the game winning catch, admitted he was out of bounds on the play and should have been ruled ineligible.[4] If the catch had been flagged properly, Nebraska's position for National championship consideration would have been much stronger. [Mike McCloskey did not make the game winning catch, Kirk Bowman made the game winning catch. The McCloskey catch happened earlier on fourth down. If that play was called correctly, Nebraska would have won by running out the nine seconds left on the clock.]

Auburn[]

#8 Nebraska at #20 Auburn [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#8 Nebraska 7 7 7 20 41
#20 Auburn 7 0 0 0 7

The Cornhuskers, demoralized from the loss to Penn State a week earlier, struggled to come to life as Nebraska entered the locker room at halftime with a narrow 14-7 lead. By the end of the 3rd quarter, Nebraska had tacked on another 7 points, while Auburn had turned over the ball three times, and Nebraska finally ran off three straight scores in the 4th to put it away.

Colorado[]

#7 Nebraska at Colorado [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#7 Nebraska 7 13 0 20 40
Colorado 0 0 14 0 14

Nebraska LB Steve Damkroger only recorded two interceptions during his Nebraska career, both in this game, as new Colorado coach Bill McCartney had his Colorado Buffaloes gunning for Nebraska through his attempt to establish the Cornhuskers as their main rival to give his squad a target by which to measure their success. At one point, Colorado came within 6 points of the lead, but Damkroger's two interceptions helped put to bed any Colorado upset hopes as Nebraska posted 20 unanswered 4th quarter points for the easy win.

Kansas State[]

Kansas State at #6 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
Kansas State 0 3 10 0 13
#6 Nebraska 7 14 7 14 42

Nebraska IB Mike Rozier became the second Nebraska back, after I.M. Hipp, to play back-to-back 200 yard games, and Cornhusker QB Turner Gill set a new Big 8 completion percentage record of 91.7%, as Nebraska had little trouble with Kansas State in Lincoln.

Missouri[]

Missouri at #5 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
Missouri 0 7 3 9 19
#5 Nebraska 3 3 3 14 23

Missouri was sniffing an upset after Nebraska QB Turner Gill was forced out by an injury in the 2nd quarter as the Tigers led 7-6, and the pressure was mounting after the Cornhuskers fell behind 9-13 in the 4th quarter, but backup QB Bruce Mathison directed two touchdown drives with help from an interception by Nebraska LB Brent Evans, and although Missouri would score again, the 10 point lead with 2:36 to go was too much for the Tigers to overcome.

Kansas[]

#6 Nebraska at Kansas [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#6 Nebraska 7 10 21 14 52
Kansas 0 0 0 0 0

Nebraska cruised to their 14th win in a row over Kansas and their 2nd shutout of the season, piling up 546 yards of offense compared to 69 for the Jayhawks and giving up only one turnover while owning the ball for 34:27. Five different players recorded touchdowns, as the Cornhuskers set out to protest their drop in the poll from #5 to #6 and prove that the previous close call in Missouri was not to be the norm.

Oklahoma State[]

Oklahoma State at #6 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
Oklahoma State 0 7 0 3 10
#6 Nebraska 7 14 14 13 48

Oklahoma State runner Ernest Anderson, who later became the NCAA rushing record holder, was held to just 68 yards, while Nebraska IB Mike Rozier broke the Nebraska single season rushing record, held by Bobby Reynolds since 1950, with his 251 yard performance. The Cornhuskers jumped out to a 21 point lead, and the Cowboys only came within 14 before Nebraska left them behind.

Iowa State[]

#4 Nebraska at Iowa State [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#4 Nebraska 7 14 14 13 48
Iowa State 7 0 0 3 10

Iowa State briefly held Nebraska to just a 7 point lead, long enough for the Cyclones to post a tying score at the end of the 1st quarter, but the Cornhusker offense proved to be impossible to hold back as Nebraska then ran off 28 unanswered points. Iowa State feebly posted a field goal in the 4th quarter, which Nebraska then punctuated with another 13 points to put this one away.

Oklahoma[]

#11 Oklahoma at #3 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#11 Oklahoma 7 3 14 0 24
#3 Nebraska 7 14 7 0 28

A hard-fought, statistically matched game of football powerhouses, Nebraska and Oklahoma traded the lead a few times before both offenses ground to a halt at the end of the 3rd quarter with the Cornhuskers clinging to a 4 point lead. Two 4th quarter Sooner drives crossed Nebraska's 35 yard line without producing points, yet the game remained in doubt until Nebraska DE Scott Strasburger intercepted Oklahoma with 26 seconds left to play and ended the Sooners' hopes for the upset.

Hawaii[]

#3 Nebraska at Hawaii [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#3 Nebraska 0 0 7 30 37
Hawaii 7 3 6 0 16
  • Date: 1982-12-04
  • Location: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Game attendance: 46,876

Few, if any, could have predicted that unranked Hawaii would lead Nebraska 10-0 by halftime and 16-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter, but the Cornhuskers finally found their footing late in this rare, late-season non-conference game and ripped 30 straight unanswered points in the 4th quarter, amassing 479 rushing yards on the day, to escape Honolulu with a 37-16 win.

LSU[]

#13 LSU vs #3 Nebraska [box score]
by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
#13 LSU 7 7 3 3 20
#3 Nebraska 7 0 7 7 21

Nebraska struggled to overcome six turnovers in a game that saw them behind 7-14 at the half, behind 17-14 by the end of the 3rd, and clinging to a 1 point lead after LSU was forced to settle for a field goal in the 4th. Nebraska only punted once compared to the Tigers' six punts, had nearly double the total offensive yards, and a dominating rushing yardage lead, but the LSU ownership of the turnover battle demonstrated the importance of not giving away the ball as Nebraska barely escaped with the win.

Rankings[]

Ranking Movement
Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Final
AP 4 3 3 2 8 7 6 5 6 6 4 4 3 3 3 3
Coaches 3

Awards[]

[5]

Award Name(s)
Outland Trophy Dave Rimington
Lombardi Award Dave Rimington
National Lineman of the Year Dave Rimington
Big 8 Athlete of the Year Dave Rimington
Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year Mike Rozier
All-America 1st team Dave Rimington, Mike Rozier
All-America 3rd team Rany Theiss
All-America honorable mention Steve Damkroger, Turner Gill, Mike Mandelko, Jamie Williams, Toby Williams
All-Big 8 1st team Steve Damkroger, Tony Felici, Turner Gill, Mike Mandelko, Dave Rimington, Mike Rozier, Randy Theiss, Jamie Williams
All-Big 8 2nd team Irving Fryar, Jeff Merrell, Allen Lyday, Grant Campbell

NFL and Pro Players[]

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1982 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.[6]

Name Team
Mark Behning Pittsburgh Steelers
Todd Brown Montreal Concordes
Bret Clark Tampa Bay Bandits
Roger Craig San Francisco 49ers
Irving Fryar New England Patriots
Turner Gill Montreal Concordes
Brad Johnson Boston Breakers
Mike Knox Denver Broncos
Mitch Krenk Chicago Bears
Allen Lyday Houston Oilers
Bruce Mathison San Diego Chargers
Jeff Merrell Boston Breakers
Greg Orton Detroit Lions
Tom Rathman San Francisco 49ers
Dave Rimington Cincinnati Bengals
Mike Rozier Pittsburgh Maulers
Mark Schellen New Orleans Breakers
Kevin Seibel Chicago Blitz
Ricky Simmons Washington Federals
Jeff Smith Kansas City Chiefs
Dean Steinkuhler Houston Oilers
Shane Swanson Denver Broncos
Mark Traynowicz Buffalo Bills
Jamie Williams St. Louis Cardinals
Toby Williams New England Patriots

References[]

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