NEW YORK, NEW YORK Start spreading the news . . . Even before Nebraska received its official invitation to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College at Yankee Stadium, Rahmir Johnson was preparing to go “home,” just in case. The Huskers’...
Mike Babcock
Hail Varsity Digest | Mike Babcock Edition | 12/13/24
LET’S BE FRANK Nebraska’s first bowl game since 2016, the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, is the fan focus, of course, but let’s take a timeout and acknowledge the induction into the College Football Hall of Fame of former Husker player and coach...
Hail Varsity Digest | Mike Babcock Edition | 12/10/24
[Note: Last Tuesday’s Digest recounted Nebraska’s first bowl victory in the Gotham Bowl at old Yankee Stadium, the second, and most recent, time the Huskers have played in New York City. So here’s a Digest about another bowl.] COINCIDENCE, PROBABLY Nebraska fans...
How Nebraska Is Managing Recruiting Amid Coaching Departures
NEW DAY DAWNING When Nebraska hired Matt Rhule, then University President Ted Carter and Athletic Director Trev Alberts, told him, Rhule said, “We want you to build a program built on player development.” Rhule was speaking before the Wisconsin game. “They said...
Hail Varsity Digest | Mike Babcock Edition | 12/3/24
RELATIVELY FEW ON-HAND Nebraska’s 1963 media guide account of the 1962 Gotham Bowl, in Bob Devaney’s first season as Husker head coach, indicated “some 11,000” attended. Newspaper accounts had 6,166 tickets sold and 5,000 youngsters admitted free. So the numbers...
Yet Another Groundhog Day for Nebraska Football
Numbers don’t lie. Except when they do. As they did in Nebraska’s 13-10 loss to Iowa Friday night in Iowa City. Seriously, a 13-10 loss on a field goal as time elapsed. Sound familiar? The same thing happened a year ago — same score, field goal as time elapsed. The...
Hail Varsity Digest | Mike Babcock Edition | 11/29/24
STOP THE RUN Fittingly enough, Iowa will wear all-black uniforms against Nebraska on “Black Friday.” And Hawkeye fans are encouraged to wear black. “Black Out Kinnick Stadium” is the theme. Nebraska’s “Blackshirt” defense needs to pay special attention to the...
Nebraska Football Breaks Through for Bowl Eligibility
Nebraska is bowl eligible. Let me repeat that. Nebraska is bowl eligible. For the first time since 2016, Nebraska is bowl eligible, after defeating Wisconsin for the first time since 2012, 44-25 at Memorial Stadium Saturday. Official attendance was 86,923, NCAA-record...
Hail Varsity Digest | Mike Babcock Edition | 11/19/24
11-19-24 SECOND-HALF REBOUND Wisconsin led Nebraska 20-10 at halftime. The Huskers fumbled on three of their first four runs, including the first two, losing the second by Rex Burkhead, no less. It was a rough first half for the then fifth-largest Memorial Stadium...