Nebraska Cornhuskers: Power Ranking the Huskers' National Championship Seasons
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Nebraska Cornhuskers' first National Championship, it only seemed right to revisit all of the Huskers' biggest triumphs.
The Huskers have won championships in 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995 and 1997, and have come close numerous other times.
But which of these teams was the best?
No. 5: 1997
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In 1997, the Huskers were forced to split the national title with Michigan, mostly because the No.1 and No. 2 teams never got to play head-to-head.
The Huskers defeated No. 2 Washington on the road and No. 3 Tennessee in the Orange Bowl for their marquee victories of the year.
The team was led on offense by Scott Frost, Ahman Green, Joel Makovicka and All-American Aaron Taylor. Defensively, they were led by All-American first teamers Jason Peter and Grant Wistrom.
Twice the Huskers almost slipped up; they went to overtime with Missouri, and only beat Colorado by a field goal.
They were ranked at No. 1 for three consecutive weeks before their overtime victory against Missouri, which dropped them three spots in the rankings. A solid victory in that game may have made the difference between a split title and the outright title.
One record this team set that still stands today is an average 5.5 rushing touchdowns a game.
No. 4: 1970
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The Nebraska Cornhuskers began the 1970 season ranked as the No. 9 team in the nation.
The Huskers were coached by Bob Devaney and featured a high-powered offense led by quarterback Jerry Tagge and the multitalented Johnny Rodgers.
On their path to the Orange Bowl, the Huskers faced numerous challenges.
Facing their first ranked opponent of the season, and going into the game as 14-point underdogs, the Huskers tied the No. 3-ranked USC Trojans on the road in their second game.
The Huskers swept Big 8 play, despite trailing in several games, and defeated ranked Missouri and Kansas State along the way.
Going into the Orange Bowl against LSU, the Huskers needed both Texas and and Ohio State to lose for them to have a shot at the title.
Well, they did.
The Huskers scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to beat No. 5-ranked LSU, 17-12, to gain a share of the 1970 title, a technicality because the UPI ranking systems didn't take into account bowl games.
No. 3: 1994
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After falling just short of a national title in 1993, the Huskers felt they had something to prove in 1994 as they began the season ranked No. 4 in the nation.
Tom Osborne ran the triple option offense, headed by Tommie Frazier, in search of his first national title.
The 1994 squad featured All-Americans Terry Connealy, Donta Jones, Brenden Stai, Ed Stewart, Zach Wiegert and Rob Zatechka. It also featured some youngsters by the names of Grant Wistrom and Lawrence Phillips. Overcoming injuries to Frazier and quarterback Brook Berringer showed the grit and determination of this Huskers squad.
The Huskers defeated five ranked teams over the course of the season, and beat four of those teams relatively easily. One of those teams was No. 2-ranked Colorado, who the Huskers defeated by 17 points while shutting down eventual Heisman winner Rashaan Salaam.
Their toughest game was in the Orange Bowl against No. 3 Miami. All Nebraska had to do was win the game to win the National Championship.
With Frazier back from injury the Huskers got down early 17-7, but after an impassioned speech by Osborne at halftime, they scored 17 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters to win their first title in over 20 years.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 2: 1995
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The 1995 Huskers squad is considered to be one of the best college football teams of all time.
With several returners, the Huskers looked to repeat what they did in 1994 in an even more impressive fashion. And they did.
Quarterback Tommie Frazier came back healthy, and Grant Wistrom had another year under his belt. Additionally, the new face of Ahman Green on offense helped, and JUCO transfer Terrell Farley was named Big 8 Newcomer of the Year for his efforts on defense.
The team was so dominant that their closest game of the year was a 14-point victory over Washington State.
En route to their second consecutive title, they defeated four ranked teams, including the No. 2-ranked Florida Gators by 38 points in the Fiesta Bowl.
Amazingly, the Huskers outscored ranked opponents, 216-84.
The only reason they don't get the nod as my No. 1 team is because of the teams the 1971 Huskers beat when they won their title.
No. 1: 1971
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The Huskers began the 1971 season ranked No. 2 in the nation, despite having won the National Championship the year prior.
That ranking went to No. 1 after they handily defeated Oregon in their first game.
In fact, almost all the Huskers games in 1971 were easy defeats, as they beat 12 of the 13 teams they played by 24 points or more with help on offense from Johnny Rodgers, Jeff Kinney and Jerry Tagge.
Their 32-point victory over Alabama in the Orange Bowl clinched their second consecutive championship.
The only close game of the season has since been dubbed the "Game of the Century" against No. 2-ranked Oklahoma on Thanksgiving Day.
Despite being known as a defensive team, led by Larry Jacobson and Rich Glover, the Huskers gave up 31 points to the Sooners. The Huskers scored first on a Rodgers punt return, and Kinney scored four touchdowns of his own. Their 35 points were enough to give them their toughest victory of the year.
In 1971, the Huskers defeated the teams that finished No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 in the polls with victories over Oklahoma, Colorado and Alabama.
Because of this hard-to-accomplish feat, this makes the 1971 Huskers season their best ever.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
