1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Schedule

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Roster and coaching staff

• Tom Osborne13th season 22nd year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Charlie McBride5th season as DC/LB coach 9th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Colorado
• Cletus FischerOL coach 26th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• John Melton13th season as LB coach 24th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Wyoming
• Boyd Epley17th season as S&C coach 17th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• George DarlingtonDE coach 13th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Rutgers
• Milt Tenopir12th season as OL coach 12th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Sterling
• Gene Huey9th season as WR coach 9th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Wyoming
• Frank Solich3rd season as RB coach 7th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Jack Pierce7th year at Nebraska
• Bob Thornton5th season as Sec coach 5th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Dan Young3rd season as OL/K coach 3rd year at Nebraska Alma mater: Reed

Depth chart

Travis Turner Jon Kelley Phil Rogers

Game summaries

Florida State

Both teams started out evenly with a 7–7 tie after the first quarter, but Florida State led the Cornhuskers by 4 at the half and no one scored during the rest of this scorcher, as the mercury in Lincoln reached 93 F and 133 F on the field. This was the last season opener Nebraska would lose until 2015.

Illinois

Although Illinois started out behind 0–17, they came within 7 points of a tie before Nebraska ran away, as the Cornhuskers at one point scored 28 straight in a game whose outcome never was seriously in doubt.

Oregon

• Source: Oregon was rendered helpless in Lincoln as Nebraska punched in four touchdowns late in the 2nd quarter and rolled to a 63–0 shutout in Lincoln. The Ducks only crossed the center of the field twice and were unable to scrape up even 1/3 of the total time of possession.

New Mexico

Nebraska closed out the non-conference season against a New Mexico team that was not intimidated in Lincoln. The Lobos scored first and acquired 379 total yards of offense while winning the time of possession battle, but could not turn those accomplishments into scores as they also allowed nine sacks, four interceptions and lost a fumble.

Oklahoma State

Nebraska pulled off the upset of Oklahoma State in Stillwater, as The Cowboys' passing attack was no match for the Cornhuskers' rushing attack when it was hampered by OSU's two lost fumbles and two thrown interceptions. Nebraska continued their unbeaten streak over Oklahoma State that began in 1961.

Missouri

21 of Nebraska's 28 points came off of the foot of PK Dale Klein, who not only tied the NCAA record of seven field goals in a game, but also became the first player to make seven straight in a game while also running his Nebraska field goal record streak up to nine.

Colorado

Colorado, playing without its 1st and 2nd string quarterbacks, still managed to hold Nebraska to a 7–7 halftime tie before a long touchdown run at the end of the 3rd quarter allowed the Cornhuskers to pull away.

Kansas State

Kansas State managed to prevent any single Nebraska runner from exceeding 100 yards, and even though Nebraska only completed six passes, it made no difference as the Wildcats were held to just a 1st-quarter field goal while the Cornhuskers had little trouble putting up 41 points. Nebraska PK Dale Klein set a Nebraska and personal record when he kicked a 50-yard field goal, his 12th of the season.

Iowa State

The #3 Cornhuskers romped in Lincoln as the Blackshirts extended their touchdown prevention streak to 11 quarters. Nebraska IB Doug DuBose entered record territory, becoming the 10th Nebraska player to post 2,000 yards, became the third (after Jarvis Redwine and Mike Rozier) to have two 1,000 yard seasons, and was the first Cornhusker to do so before their senior season.

Kansas

Despite a 0–6 turnover margin deficit, #2 Nebraska rolled the Kansas Jayhawks up in a 56–6 drubbing that saw the Cornhusker defense extend their touchdown-free series to 15 quarters. Without the five lost fumbles and one interception given up by Nebraska, the blowout of Kansas would have been far worse.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma completely shut down Nebraska's offensive machine, as the Cornhuskers' only score came on a 76-yard fumble return for a touchdown with just 26 seconds left to play, very narrowly avoiding what would have been Nebraska's first shutout in 147 games. There were only 19 total passes and 5 completions in the entire game, and although Nebraska had not previously allowed more than 157 ground yards this season, the vaunted Oklahoma wishbone attack netted the Sooners 423 yards.

Michigan

Although Nebraska led 14–3 going into halftime, turnover-free Michigan cashed in on each of several Cornhusker mistakes in the third quarter to run off 24 points and pull away, handing Nebraska its second consecutive defeat to a #5 team.

Rankings

After the season

Awards

NFL and pro players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1985 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional team as draftees or free agents.

References

References

1. (September 8, 1985). "'Experienced' McManus boosts Seminoles 17–13". The State.
2. (September 22, 1985). "Illinois gets humiliated". Chicago Tribune.
3. (September 29, 1985). "Cornhuskers smash Oregon". The Sioux City Journal.
4. (October 6, 1985). "Huskers smacks Lobos". The Sioux City Journal.
5. Tom Kensler. (October 13, 1985). "Nebraska's offense stings OSU". The Daily Oklahoman.
6. (October 20, 1985). "Huskers put foot down to drop MU". The News-Leader.
7. (October 27, 1985). "'Hatchet man' Rathman lifts Cornhuskers". The Sioux City Journal.
8. (November 3, 1985). "Nebraska rips Wildcats to notch win No. 600". Argus-Leader.
9. (November 10, 1985). "3rd-ranked Nebraska rolls, 49–0". The Salisbury Post.
10. (November 17, 1985). "Huskers' offensive assault rips Kansas, 56–6". Tulsa World.
11. (November 24, 1985). "Sooners steamroll Cornhuskers". Austin American-Statesman.
12. (January 2, 1986). "Michigan's 3rd-quarter surge stuns Nebraska". The Arizona Republic.
13. "Football – 1985 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Athletics Department.
14. Eugene Register-Guard. 1985 Sept 29.
15. [http://www.huskermax.com/honors/honors_1985.html 1985 Husker Honors]
16. "All Time NFL Huskers".