Nebraska Football: The 7 Best Victories of the Last 7 Years

They are the things that make us smile in the darkest times. They are the currency of discussions at the bar and over dinners. They are the lifelines that get us through the dog days of summer waiting for our college heroes to thrill us on the gridiron once more. They are why we sit through sun, and rain, and wind, and snow, and hail, and Shawn Watson's offensive philosophies, hoping to see one more.

They are the great victories, and they each carry a life of their own, based on the opponent, the circumstance and the ramifications of the victory. So let's set the Wayback Machine (or TARDIS, for the harder-core sci-fi fans) for seven years ago and take a look at Nebraska's seven best victories.

No. 7: Nebraska 32, Michigan 28 (2005)

In a thrilling, back-and-forth affair, Bill Callahan won his first bowl game for Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl over Michigan. Cory Ross ran for 161 yards and a touchdown to led the way for the Cornhusker offense, but the final play of the game is what this Alamo Bowl will be remembered for.

Michigan tried to run a fire drill, pitching the ball back and forth in a desperate attempt to steal a win. Nebraska’s bench, thinking the game was over, flooded onto the field while the ball was still live. It was only a heads-up tackle from Zack Bowman and Titus Brothers that saved Nebraska from an embarrassment of historic proportions and gave NU confidence going into 2006, which would turn out to be Bill Callahan’s best year as the head Cornhusker.

No. 6: Nebraska 28, Texas A&M 27 (2006)

Arguably the best win of the Bill Callahan era, Nebraska went into College Station and ended their long drought of wins against ranked opponents on the road.

The Aggies led 27-21 with under a minute to go in the game, and the Twelfth Man could smell a victory. But a nine-yard pass from Zac Taylor to a leaping Maurice Purify with 21 seconds to go gave Nebraska a thrilling come-from-behind win to secure the Big XII North title and keep enough of the fanbase satisfied enough to keep Callahan in his position for another season.

No. 5: Nebraska 33, Arizona 0 (2009)

“Nebraska’s back, and we’re here to stay!”

That was Bo Pelini’s bold announcement after Nebraska’s dismantling of a solid Arizona team in the Holiday Bowl. Zac Lee returned from injury to lead a masterful performance, and the Blackshirts shut down Nick Foles and a talented Arizona offense. The strong Nebraska showing put the Cornhuskers firmly back in the national spotlight.

No. 4: Nebraska 31, Iowa State 7 (2008)

Yes, an Iowa State win makes the list. Hear me out.

It was Bo Pelini’s first year as head Husker. Nebraska headed to Ames having lost its last three games and carrying a 3-3 record. A loss to Iowa State would make NU 0-3 in conference play, and deal a huge blow to Nebraska’s confidence under a new coach.

Would Nebraska be able to rally under their new leader, or would an 0-3 conference start and a four-game losing streak bring back the specter of Callahan and destroy the fragile confidence of the team?

Nebraska answered that question emphatically, tallying 548 yards of total offense and holding the Cyclones to only 218. The win over Iowa State righted the Cornhusker ship in 2008, getting Nebraska to a 9-4 record and a win over Clemson in the Gator Bowl.

No. 3: Nebraska 10, Oklahoma 3 (2009)

In the past, the Nebraska-Oklahoma game was known as the “irresistible force meeting the immovable object.” Given the way both defenses—and offenses—played in this game, it could very well have been known as the “immovable object meeting the immovable object” game.

A Prince Amukamura interception set up a one-yard touchdown pass from Zac Lee to Ryan Hill for the game’s only touchdown, and enough points for Nebraska to get an unexpected (if unattractive) victory.

No. 2: Nebraska 31, Missouri 17 (2010)

Of all the games in Nebraska’s farewell tour of the Big XII, the Missouri game carried the most weight. Not only were the Tigers coming into Lincoln after having knocked off BCS top-rated Oklahoma the week before, but the game was the final contest for the Missouri-Nebraska Bell. The winner of this game would get to keep the trophy until the teams next met—which could be quite a while.

Roy Helu broke the Nebraska single-game rushing record with 307 yards and three touchdowns, as NU roared out to a 24-0 first quarter lead which they would never relinquish. But don’t worry, Tiger fans. You can come to Lincoln and visit the Bell whenever you want.

No. 1: Nebraska 27, Missouri 12 (2009)

On a rain-soaked Faurot Field in Columbia, things looked bleak for Nebraska. After three quarters, the Tigers led 12-0, and Bo Pelini’s Cornhuskers seemed like they were going to struggle against their North Division rivals for another season. It looked like Missouri was going to continue their hex over Nebraska.

Then the Cornhuskers found their mojo, ripping off 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and breaking the hearts of Tiger fans who thought they had their hated rivals beaten.

Had Nebraska lost this game, it’s entirely possible that Nebraska’s momentum could have stalled Pelini’s future successes, or derailed them altogether. Without this win, it's easy to see a scenario where Nebraska doesn't have the confidence to knock off Oklahoma later in the season, and Pelini's first two years at the helm of the Good Ship Nebraska would have looked an awful lot like Bill Callahan's in terms of the final results.

If you're looking for the one game where Nebraska's fortunes definitively began to trend upwards under Pelini, this was the game. Therefore, at this point, Nebraska’s 2009 win over Missouri is the most important win in Pelini’s career.

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