The More You Know...About Nebraska

[avicenna75]

Dan, you weren't kidding, the thought of Gregory lined up against Gadbois quickly relieved my constipation.

 

[rex karz]

The 84' Orange Bowl was the greatest sporting event I ever witnessed in person. I've never been more emotionally and physically exhausted from screaming and nervousness at a live event. Both those teams played their hearts out. Very lucky to have been there. I hope some younguns get to experience their first Canes title some day.

in any case, we are forever linked with these guys...like it or not. Hope we punch their lights out on Saturday.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Plenty of that was pure make believe. UCLA and particularly USC have received tons of grief for playing the Rose Bowl so close to home. It was a perpetual topic in the '60s and '70s when so many national titles were at stake in those games. The month between the end of the regular season and the New Year's Day bowls was flooded with that theme. And before we start chirping that results that old don't matter, it's wise to be careful because many of our early titles will be similarly dated not too long down the road.

I had to belly laugh at the suggestion that the Orange Bowl wasn't a massive factor in our championships. We had the greatest home field advantage in the country, playing in the stadium that still holds the record for longest pro home winning streak (31) and longest college home winning streak (58). I'm sure that's a mere coincidence. I used to have arguments with the chief Nevada oddsmaker all the time that he simply wasn't adjusting the home number enough for the Canes. He refused to go outside the typical 2 to 5 point parameter even though the Orange Bowl was demonstrably worth more than that in key games. Consequently the sportsbooks got burned. Years later that guy, whose parents lived in Coral Gables, conceded to me that I was correct.

In our first championship season the Orange Bowl was incredibly pivotal. That power rating gap between Miami and Nebraska was 17 points. Playing in the Orange Bowl the bettors pushed the number down to 11.5 or 12 at kickoff. The late money line was -600/+400, so in man to man terms we theoretically had a 20% chance. I talked to oddsmakers and asked about neutral field numbers on that game. It would have been -17 with a money line of -1100/+800. So the Orange Bowl doubled our opportunity, from 10% to 20%. I would argue it was actually far beyond double but I'll go with the actual digits.

Plenty of evidence. The only bowl game we lost at home was the late collapse against Nebraska when they wore us out in the 4th quarter and Frank Costa missed one cheap 80 yard touchdown opportunity that could have restored a fluke margin. Meanwhile, we were exposed on the road countless times -- against UCLA, Tennessee, Arizona and obviously the devastating national title failures against Penn State, Alabama and Ohio State. We basically were hit or miss away from home and dominant in our own building. The rest of the nation properly views it that way and it's pathetic if we prefer to deny it. Away from home we needed the perfect matchup. We got it in 2001 against flawed Nebraska after their hapless effort against Colorado. A year later we drew the worst opponent imaginable, blue collar Ohio State, the team I desperately rooted against all season because they shared so many similarities to those 1986 and 1992 Penn State and Alabama teams. I wouldn't have worried at all in the Orange Bowl, where we would have shaken them off by maybe 10 points. Away from home I considered it a toss up and posted that on numerous sites. That Ohio State team was loaded with pro talent, had a great Yards Per Pass Attempt Differential, and matched up great against our offensive line.

Also, I should point out it's hardly true we've played Nebraska exclusively in bowl games. I remember the back to back 1975 and 1976 games in Nebraska. Miami battled like heck in those games, both times as huge underdogs. We actually led at halftime in 1975 despite conventional wisdom that we'd be deflated after nearly defeating defending national champion Oklahoma the previous week as 35.5 point home underdogs. That's the type of schedule we faced in those days, back to back against Oklahoma and Nebraska. As a teenager I loved it. The '70s weren't as bad as younger fans prefer to believe. Nebraska rallied behind Vince Ferragamo and we lost by maybe two touchdowns.

A year later in 1976 the game wasn't as close physically but the score was even tighter since we kept the ball on the ground with Ottis Anderson and benefited from some key fumbles. I believe we led at halftime again. Ferragamo finally put together a drive and we lost 17-9. I was annoyed that Nebraska hadn't given us a home and home like Oklahoma and Alabama had recently. Both games were at Lincoln. I suspect the series had something to do with the Carl Selmer connection but so many decades later that could be wrong. More than anything I remember watching those games with my dad in our living room, knowing we were outmatched but hoping for some type of miracle, one that wouldn't arrive until Jim Kelly at Penn State a few years later. Nebraska also had the hardest and most faded astroturf imaginable. I remember the Canes players complaining when they got back, nursing scrapes and similar arm injuries. The Orange Bowl had finally gotten rid of the pathetic Poly Turf.

 

[Biscuits]

Despite Dodger's thesis (good stuff), that's some of your best work Dan-o.

 

[JefeGringo]

I hate Nebraska but playing in the Orange Bowl was a huge, huge benefit.

 

[Sacks]

The Old Lady may have been advantageous for big home games during the regular season, but the stadium was half full for most average opponents (less advantage than most state schools). Also, I was lucky enough to attend those OB victories over NU, and they had as many fans there as we did......... Just like most bowl games (50-50).

 

[Notsince1985]

The Old Lady may have been advantageous for big home games during the regular season, but the stadium was half full for most average opponents (less advantage than most state schools). Also, I was lucky enough to attend those OB victories over NU, and they had as many fans there as we did......... Just like most bowl games (50-50).

No, they did not. Are you serious? At every single OB game Miami had 75 or more % of the fans. Come on with this crap. The Big 8 team got 20,000 tickets (maybe 15,000) and NU or Oklahoma never had more than that when they played us. Give me a break. We ALWAYS had 55-60,000 fans. come on, that's ridiculous that you would even think that, let alone type that.

 

[Sacks]

I guess that was the only way to get tickets? They had nearly as many fans in 94 which I attended as well.
When two out of state teams meet up in the Orange Bowl, they only manage to sell 30-40 thousand tickets? Ok.

 

[Gatorhater]

I hate Nebraska

Dan you did something rare, made me change my mind. I always kind of like Nebraska. Maybe it was the 3 titles we won against them. Maybe it was the huge pile of money I took from Nebraska fans for our first NC game. They seemed classy, but maybe it was because they assumed we were a one trick pony and their dominance of college football would continue. And I bought the bill of goods on Osborne -- until he tried to steal our smoke. But now, there will rank with PSU, OSU and FSU as pure scum bags. Swamp scum will remain on a list of their own as lowest form of life, but Nebraska joins the others as scum.

 

[nyibis]

At the risk of repeating myself, I have to say that Dan's pieces are the best thing that this site has to offer. I look forward every week to his coverage of the opposing team.
The information provided is served up with great flavor and always tasteful.
I can't praise him enough.
If Dan is not a professional writer he should be. ESPN or FoxSports please take note.
Thank you Dan!

GO CANES BEAT THE CORN HEADS!!!!

 

[AsylumGodfather]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Dan E. Dangerously again.

 

[twofactor23]

Great read. Hopefully we can beat them Saturday night and make this season respectable.

 

[HurricaneU]

At the end of the day, I set aside our secondary concerns, whether Regula The Jagula would be on the field or whether Coley will dial up a Triple Lindy Reverse Screen Flea Flicker. All valid but not primary.

For me, its more fundamental; I simply have zero confidence in our offensive line.

So goes the line, so goes the game.

 

[L A M P]

I have to say that Dan's pieces are the best thing that this site has to offer!

Accidentally stumbling across one of Dan's More You Know threads made me sign up over here... I've hated him ever since for it. ******. But seriously though, internet gold. ******.

 

[SFbayCane]

Great stuff as usual, DanE!!


Put me in the category that has an immense amount of respect for Tom Osbourne. He could have kicked that extra point and tried to back into a national title. Instead, he invoked the real life version of the Herm Edwards mantra, "You play to win the game."

 

[CBurrr93]

You know Tom Osbrorne looks just like the guy from the human centipede lol

 

[L A M P]

[video=youtube;Z1bbxzoG5Ek]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1bbxzoG5Ek[/video]

 

[Notsince1985]

I guess that was the only way to get tickets? They had nearly as many fans in 94 which I attended as well.
When two out of state teams meet up in the Orange Bowl, they only manage to sell 30-40 thousand tickets? Ok.

No they didn't. 94 was the least amount of fans they had. They had like 12-15,000 fans in 94. Come on, be serious. My best friends Dad was on the OB committee. NU didn't sell their entire allotment in 94. Stop, just stop it. They never had half of the fans. They never had more than 20,000 fans. You're being ridiculous. The '95 OB (after the 94 season) is on Big 10 Network tonight. Watch it again, and you'll see. Come on with this crap.

 

[cf3000]

I guess that was the only way to get tickets? They had nearly as many fans in 94 which I attended as well.
When two out of state teams meet up in the Orange Bowl, they only manage to sell 30-40 thousand tickets? Ok.

No they didn't. 94 was the least amount of fans they had. They had like 12-15,000 fans in 94. Come on, be serious. My best friends Dad was on the OB committee. NU didn't sell their entire allotment in 94. Stop, just stop it. They never had half of the fans. They never had more than 20,000 fans. You're being ridiculous. The '95 OB (after the 94 season) is on Big 10 Network tonight. Watch it again, and you'll see. Come on with this crap.

Why the **** is it on the Big 10 network? Nebraska was in the Big 8 at the time. Are they and the ACC gonna claim our titles now?

 

[Notsince1985]

I guess that was the only way to get tickets? They had nearly as many fans in 94 which I attended as well.
When two out of state teams meet up in the Orange Bowl, they only manage to sell 30-40 thousand tickets? Ok.

No they didn't. 94 was the least amount of fans they had. They had like 12-15,000 fans in 94. Come on, be serious. My best friends Dad was on the OB committee. NU didn't sell their entire allotment in 94. Stop, just stop it. They never had half of the fans. They never had more than 20,000 fans. You're being ridiculous. The '95 OB (after the 94 season) is on Big 10 Network tonight. Watch it again, and you'll see. Come on with this crap.

Why the **** is it on the Big 10 network? Nebraska was in the Big 8 at the time. Are they and the ACC gonna claim our titles now?

Probably. Big 10 network shows old Nebraska and Penn State games all the time.