Nebraska football fans weren’t waiting in line to buy tickets in advance of the 1996 New Year’s Eve FedEx Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. Quite the contrary.
Each team received 15,000 tickets. If not sold the university had to make up the difference. That was no problem for Virginia Tech. But Nebraska? Well, fans bought about half the allotment.
Official attendance at the game, part of the Bowl Alliance, would be 51,212, the smallest Orange Bowl game crowd since Jan. 1, 1947, when Rice defeated Tennessee 8-0.
The Huskers were ranked sixth nationally, Virginia Tech 10th. Sixth nationally and part of the Bowl Alliance; how does that not generate fan enthusiasm? Consider Husker fan expectations. They had planned on watching Nebraska play for a third-consecutive national title, in the Sugar Bowl.
But a loss to Texas in the first Big 12 Championship Game erased that plan.
It was the first Orange Bowl played in the Miami Dolphins’ Pro Player Stadium. Tom Osborne’s teams had played in nine Orange Bowls, winning twice, including a national title two years before. This was different though, and “I was really apprehensive about how we would react,” Osborne said.
He was speaking after the Huskers overcame a slow start to win 41-21. “At times, this almost felt like a non-game in terms of intensity and in terms of interest,” he said. “I’m sorry for that.”
Slow start? Nebraska’s first two possessions ended with Jesse Kosch punts — he wouldn’t punt again. And Virginia Tech scored first on a 19-yard Jim Druckenmiller touchdown pass to Marcus Parker with 3:14 remaining in the first quarter. Druckenmiller passed for the Hokies’ other touchdowns, 6 yards to Shawn Scales in the second quarter and 33 yards to Cornelius White in the third quarter.
Osborne adjusted the offensive line before the game, starting Josh Heskew at center, moving center Aaron Taylor to left guard and moving left guard Chris Dishman to left tackle. Damon Benning got his second start at I-back because Ahman Green was hampered by a groin pull.
There was some question as to whether Green would even play. He did, sparingly.
Benning carried 15 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns, on runs of 33 and 6 yards. His performance was such he earned Nebraska’s Player of the Game honors.
Husker quarterback Scott Frost also ran for two touchdowns (5, 22 yards), carrying nine times for 62 yards, and completed 11-of-22 passes for 136 yards.
Defensive tackle Jason Peter score Nebraska’s other touchdown, returning a fumble 31 yards with 3:36 remaining in the first half. Kris Brown’s extra-point kick made the score 17-7.
Brown kicked field goals of 25 and 37 yards to complete the Husker scoring.
The defense shut out the Hokies in the fourth quarter. They had cut the score to 24-21 with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter on the touchdown pass to White. But Benning’s second touchdown with 20 seconds remaining in the quarter pushed the lead back to 10.
The Blackshirts sacked Druckenmiller four times, led by Octavious McFarlin with 1.5. Mike Minter was Nebraska’s leading tackler, with 11. McFarlin and Jamel Williams had nine each. “Both sides were getting tired in the first half, I think … our defense and their offensive line was, too,” said Husker defensive coordinator Charlie McBride. “As time went on, though, it seemed like we got our second wind.”
The Huskers finished the season 11-2 and remained sixth in the rankings. In most cases, that would be cause for celebration, as Osborne understood. “I’ve been down a lot of times in the Orange Bowl and haven’t come away with that trophy very often,” he said. “So I’m really please for the opportunity, certainly. My thanks go to our coaching staff and our players, who I thought really committed themselves.”
Even without a national championship on the line.
