Classic Huskers Cover and Ass Whompin’: Mike Rozier

Here’s another Classic Cornhuskers cover and legendary Nebraska ass whompin’ tale for all the young'uns. The cover you’ll find below is of Heisman Trophy-winner Mike Rozier, rolling down field during the Huskers hallmark stompin’ of Penn State in the 1983 Inaugural Kickoff Classic.

That’s right, kids. Hallmark. This was a hallmark matchup in two ways. First of all, this game was the first Kickoff Classic ever held. It took place on Aug. 29, 1983, to be exact.

Even more impressively, this game between the Cornhuskers and Nittany Lions, “was the first regular-season college football game EVER to be played in the month of August.” In the history of the game! How about that stat? Thank you, Wikipedia.

Penn State was the defending national champion, coming off their Sugar Bowl win over Herschel Walker and the Georgia Bulldogs. Nebraska entered the game as the preseason top-ranked team in the nation.

The Cornhuskers absolutely steamrolled the Lions on virtually every play. It was complete and utter domination. It made USC vs. Ohio State look like a nail-biter.

Jack McCallum of SI wrote a terrific article on this game, which brings back fond memories for this particular Husker fan. That game rocked. Here’s an excerpt of the Jack McCallum article, you can read the whole thing here. Scroll down for the Mike Rozier cover.

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This time Nebraska didn’t take any chances. The last time Nebraska played Penn State—on Sept. 25, 1982—the Cornhuskers blew a three-point lead in the final four seconds and suffered a bitter 27-24 defeat. The Nittany Lions went on to win the national championship. On Monday night, though, in the inaugural Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands, Nebraska gave Penn State not the slightest opportunity to stage late-game heroics. Or, for that matter, early or mid-game heroics. Unleashing a formidable offensive attack coolly led by Quarterback Turner Gill , the Huskers rolled up 500 yards on the way to a 44-6 romp that was even more one-sided than the score.

With Penn State behind him—far, far behind—Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne noted afterward that a team usually improves the most between its first and second games of the season. Yikes. Heaven help Wyoming , the next victim on the Huskers’ schedule.

Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said he had “grave reservations” about playing a game in August, but he couldn’t have imagined just how grave his plight would be. “Ever get the crap kicked out of you?” he said early Tuesday morning, long after the lights had gone out. No Paterno team had been treated so badly since 1966, his first season as Lion head coach, when UCLA beat Penn State 49-11.

Nebraska stormed to a 21-0 half-time lead, and then Osborne mercifully benched most of his regulars. Trouble was, the Cornhuskers ‘ second, third and fourth units were just as rough on Penn State as the starters, and soon the numbers on the board read Nebraska 44, Penn State 0.

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Someone help me.

We must find footage of this game

and post it on YouTube before sundown.