Stealing LandLord's idea: Share your best Nebraska Game Day story

[Peoriahusker]

I'll Start.

 

NU, OU, 2001...keep in mind, this is shortly after 9/11 and security was at an all time high. I've got two season tix...so my cousin and I are going to game(obviously), my buddy from Texas decides he's flying in and going to figure it out on the fly. It's gameday...College gameday is at 50 yard line, the place is electric. We arrive at stadium and my cousin and I both look at my buddy and say, "good luck" and head in. 10 minutes later my phone rings, it's my buddy, he says i'm in, I say, where are you, he says, right here look on the 50 yard line. To my shock, he's standing on the 50 behind the gameday crew..Barry Switzer walks by, he says to Barry, hey, would you talk to my buddy real quick, hands him the phone and he says high...he does that with several others then its time for the team to come on the field. This is where it gets crazy..he has a parka on that looks similar to what the players wore..he decides it's a good idea to stretch on the field with the team...he's now doing 10 yard sprints and holding his hamstring like there might be something wrong. Fans are asking him if he is going to play....Gametime...my idiot buddy is now on the Nebraska sidelines watching one of the best football games i've ever been to. He gets to the end of the first quarter when a security guys asks him to see his credentials...Credentials? he says, I just walked in here before the game:)....needless to say he didn't watch the rest of the game from the sidelines....all this while security was at it's highest ever...Clearly one of the funniest most ridiculous things I've seen at an NU game.

 

GBR...

[Chaddyboxer]

lol wow....crazy mofo. cool story

[The Dude]

So there I am, in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, at about 3 o'clock in the morning, looking for one thousand brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass, or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night. So, Jeff Beck pops his head 'round the door, and mentions there's a little sweets shop on the edge of town. So - we go. And - it's closed. So there's me, and Keith Moon, and David Crosby, breaking into that little sweets shop, eh. Well, instead of a guard dog, they've got this bloody great big Bengal tiger. I managed to take out the tiger with a can of mace, but the shop owner and his son... that's a different story altogether. I had to beat them to death with their own shoes. Nasty business, really. But, sure enough, I got the M&Ms, and Ozzy went on stage and did a great show.

[Peoriahusker]

So there I am, in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, at about 3 o'clock in the morning, looking for one thousand brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass, or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night. So, Jeff Beck pops his head 'round the door, and mentions there's a little sweets shop on the edge of town. So - we go. And - it's closed. So there's me, and Keith Moon, and David Crosby, breaking into that little sweets shop, eh. Well, instead of a guard dog, they've got this bloody great big Bengal tiger. I managed to take out the tiger with a can of mace, but the shop owner and his son... that's a different story altogether. I had to beat them to death with their own shoes. Nasty business, really. But, sure enough, I got the M&Ms, and Ozzy went on stage and did a great show.

 

and there it is....had a feeling this might get interesting.

[Landlord]

Wait, what idea of mine did you steal?

[HuskerShark]

I wouldn't say this was the best memory, but definitely most interesting. It was against Mizzery in 2010 when we had that huge 4th quarter comback win IN COLUMBIA. Me and my best friend were living in a house with 2 guys we didn't necessarily get along with but didn't necessarily hate... yet.... We had 2 of our other friends over to watch the game in the basement, and during the comback, we were going crazy screaming and bouncing around like freakin' monkeys. The game is almost over, and one of our roommates comes down the stairs and says these exact words: "Hey, we're up here with our girlfriends trying to watch a movie. Can you guys keep it down?"

 

..........

 

.....

 

.......

 

Needless to say, those people are no longer with us today

[Peoriahusker]

Wait, what idea of mine did you steal?

 

Stealing may not have been accurate wording...liked the pics people were sharing on your post and thought it would be fun to hear actual stories or experiences.

[NUance]

I've seen plenty of games from student seating--back when student seating was sometimes about the best seats in the house. We'd always bring bota bags of clear liquor and booze it up durign the game. One year I had tickets in East Stadium on about the 40 yd line 12 rows up. But the best vantage point I've had wasn't in the student seats. A few years ago a friend of mine gave me a skybox ticket the he got from a wealthy relative of his. It wasn't a great game or anything. We played KU that day and totally kicked them to the curb. But it was sort of cool to watch the game from above. It's easier to see the play developing. You can see the linemen pulling, and usually tell right where the play is going at just an instant after the snap.

 

btw, If anyone has extra box tickets they'd like to give to me (or even sell to me. lol) just PM me.

[JJ Husker]

I've got a few gameday memories (surprising considering my usual condition of inebriation at home games while I was in college).

 

1- New Mexica State game 1982. We're killing them and it has been boring from the git go. Late in the game we're playing like our 4th stringers and NMSt. is threatening to blow the shutout. The loudest the stadium had been all day was when NMSt. finally shows some life and makes a few plays. First the cheers from the drunken student section were in support of NMS but then when push came to shove, We're loud to disrupt their offense. Game ends 68-0.

 

2- At Auburn 1982 (the Bo Jackson years). One of the most hostile environments I've ever been to (well-there and Folsom in Boulder). The moment we walk in the stadium wearing our red, people start throwing drinks at us and yelling obscenities. Irving Fryar goes down in the endzone with a leg injury. Their mascot actually goes out on the field by him, rolls around on the ground clutching at his leg, and then stands up and points at Irving and makes a laughing gesture at him because he is hurt. Purely classless. NU has last laugh. We win 42-7 and I believe we were the only team all year to hold Bo under 100 yards rushing.

 

3- 97 at Washington. Our group heads out about 8 or 9AM morning of the game to find a bar close to the stadium and get primed up and converse with the Husky fans. Well we find a bar very close to the stadium and it is only us and a bunch of other NU fans there that early. About 11AM the Washington fans start showing up and are extremely put out because Nebraska has over taken their gameday spot. Game goes our way but is fairly close and exciting. That place with the extending metal roofs is one of the loudest stadiums I've ever been in, rivaling old Mile High in noise level.

 

4- 97 Orange Bowl. My son is about 4 years old. We're having a blast outside Pro Player stadium before the game tailgating and talking to the very nice Tennessee fans. Some of the Tenn fans convince my son to climb up in a tree, wave an orange Tenn flag and sing rocky top with them. Of course, during the game we dominate, knock Manning out, they bring in Tee Martin and we roll em. But, what I remember most is how classy and friendly the Tennessee fans were.

 

5-2000 at Notre Dame. Maybe one of my favorite but also bittersweet memories. Proud and happy that we paint their stadium red but a little sad that a storied place such as ND couldn't represent better. It was awesome listening to their band prior to the game and then watching the game with a view of touchdown Jesus in the background.

[cornhuskers4ever]

1998, Nebraska vs Washington at Memorial Staduim. My younger brother was a student at UNL, had season student tickets, and got a hold of another student ticket for me. I went down to Lincoln Friday Afternoon, and that night we did the "O Street Crawl" around 8PM. My brother and I look inside Applebee's and Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreet are inside dining. After quite a few drinks and some Amigo's in my system, I settled down for the night ready to get up early for some College Game Day, and some Football.

 

Morning of the game, my brother and I head near Memorial Stadium, and Come a bit early for College Game Day. To our amazement, we are right behind the ESPN desk they use and it was kinda funny seeing them wearing sports coats with shirt and tie, and Jean Shorts. It was in the upper 90s though.

Game time, and Nebraska is handing Washington their butts. Made the 1997 game in Washington look like childs play. We all know the outcome of the game, but it was 2 wonderful days in Lincoln to remember.

[Apathy]

My best Husker games that I've ever been too was the 08' Colorado, 09' OU, and the 11' tOSU game but I'll only talk about two of them.

 

08' Colorado game

I went to this game with my wife, fiance at the time. Are seats were in the South stadium section 15 row 86 I think. We have these two guys sitting behind us that my wife and I talked to through out the whole game. We thought they were college students but I learned at the Fresno State game this past season they weren't college students during the 08' season. Well Colorado jumps on us right off the bat and its already 14-0 and the first thought that popped into my head was "well looks like its gonna be 07' all over again." Finally things go our way and Ganz connects to McNeil to tie the game at 14 and I knew things were going to go our way for the rest of the game. Going into half time tied at 24 I knew the team would rebound and play better because it seems we play better in the 2nd half. We're in the 4th quarter and with less than 2 minutes left in the game we're trailing 31-30, I remember looking around thinking, "man I'm going to see Nebraska lose for the first time in person at home" when Ganz got sacked at the 40 yard line. Bo Pelini sends out Alex Henery and you could just see the expressions from Husker fans questioning the call and shaking their heads. The disbelief in their faces and the look of hopelessness that Nebraska was going to lose this game was depressing to have witness. When Alex Henery kicked that ball it looked good but the question was "would it be long enough?" The moment the officials raised their arm signaling that the kick was good,the stadium just erupted and I turned around and grabbed one of the guys we have been BSing with and started shaking him. In the process of turning around to shake this stranger, I ended up knocking my wife down so I'm thinking she's going to be pissed at me for knocking her down. I help her up and she's laughing her ass off. That was an unbelievable moment seeing the fans in the stadium after that kick. The way the fans were jumping up and down it looked like Memorial Stadium was shifting and moving up and down as if an earthquake had stuck Lincoln. It was an amazing sight to see especially spending that great moment with my wife. To top the evening off Suh intercepts the ball and plows over Hawkins at the 10 yard line and seeing the crowd erupt again just send chills down my spine one last time. Listening to the post game analysis and interviews for the whole 2 1/2 hour drive home which made the trip home seem quicker was also a moment that I soaked in as well.

 

09' OU game

So my parents have season tickets on the Southside and the OU game was a night game. My mom absolutely hates night games because by the time the game is over and traffic has died down, its 1:30 or 2 o'clock by the time they arrive home since its a 2 1/2 hour drive. So my mom offers me her ticket and I jump on the offer because I LOVE night games, absolutely love watching the Huskers play under the lights. I'm super pumped about this game not only because it was the first time I've seen Nebraska play a top tier football team in Lincoln but because this will be my very first Husker game with just my dad and I. I remember posting on Facebook on the way to Lincoln that I was going to the OU game to watch Nebraska lose but didn't mind because I was going to the game with my dad. My dad wanted to ride our motorcycles to the game and I'm thinking hell no its November and it'll be a cold 2 1/2 hour ride home and finding a parking spot will be tough as well. On the way to Lincoln, my dad and I are talking about the game and we both know we're going to lose the game but we don't care because this will be a father son bonding type of game. We arrive in Lincoln early enough to soak in the pregame atmosphere and checked out the weight room, heisman trophy showroom, and the authentic Husker store. Not only was it warm in Lincoln but I could have worn shorts and a tank top the whole game until about half way thru the 4th when it started to get a little chilly. We enter the stadium 68 minutes before kickoff on the southwest ramp entrance. We continue walking down this ramp and I see a group of people in a huddle and I'm thinking what the hell is going on? Everybody scatters and its Joba Chamberlain so I hurry up in hopes to get my picture taken with him. I take a picture for fan with Joba and then after the picture Joba decides to bolt but I follow him asking permission for his picture. You can tell that he was in a hurry but he took the time to have his picture taken with me. After the picture I tell him congrats on winning the World Series even though I was rooting against the Yankees but I didn't tell him that haha. I super stoked because I met Joba and I could tell my dad was in awe of what just had happened and that he was proud that I got to meet Joba. We sit in the southwest in the first row around the 30 yard line and we're watching the OU players practice without their pads on and we're just in awe in how BIG these OU players were. Since my dad is a WWE fan, we saw Jim Ross (JR) standing on the sidelines so I head to the fence and hollar his name. He looks at me and nods his head even though I'm decked out in Husker gear. After seating in those seats for about 20 minutes or so, the seat owners show up and weren't too pleased that we were seating in their seats (seriously game time wasn't another 40+ minutes) so we heading to our seats. The game starts off slow and Green wasn't doing to much on offense but Prince had a huge INT to set up Nebraska's first and only TD. I remember Roy Helu trying to jump over a few OU defenders that had my dad and I screaming "Holy S%&*!" The 4th quarter was pretty crazy with Alex missing a 43 yard field goal and then OU driving on us until Landry was picked off by Dillard. I remember when Nebraska had the ball with 2 1/2 minutes left and going three and out with :55 seconds left to allow OU some time to tie the game. OU got the ball to Nebraska's 49 yard line on the punt return and my dad was yelling and cussing because OU had great field position and plenty of time to do their damage. I remember the crowd standing the rest of the game and screaming while my dad was the only one who wasn't standing because its like he sensed OU was going to score like he's seen this game before. That game was probably the loudest game I've ever been to from kickoff till the scoreboard read 4th quarter 00:00, every time OU was on offense, the crowd would yell and scream until the OU offense was off the field. Anyways it wasn't until Landry's second pass attempt when Matt O'Hanlon intercepted his 4th interception of the game when I looked down at my dad and wrapped my arms around his body to pull his ass off the bench screaming at him that we've won the game. The car ride home was also as enjoyable as the game because not only did we listen to the post game show but I got to watch a great football game with my dad and BS with my dad about the Oklahoma win. We both were in cloud nine and a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life.

[Peoriahusker]

I'll add a couple more, both include outcomes that definately sucked...

 

2006 Texas comes to Lincoln....it's a great day for football, and I'm with my dad and cousin for the game. we have great seats for home games so i'm a little spoiled..which is why I make the 6 hour trip to Lincoln as often as I can. Anyway, if you were at this game you understand what i'm about to say. For about 5 minutes in this game I was literally almost choked up at the scene I was witnessing...the Huskers were on the upset trail, the crowd is as vocal as i've seen in a long time and then the snow begins to falll...it was not a normal snow...it was almost magical...it was honestly one of the most breathtaking football scenes i've ever witnessed...

 

2000(i think this is the correct year), Nebraska vs KState in Manhattan...the K State fans we were sitting by were actually very cool and the entire game they kept saying" we are going to blow it like we always do" only they didn't and they upset us for the first time in what seemed like a million years to them. watching those people rush the field and tear the goal posts down was both humiliating and hilarious all at the same time...

 

96 1st Big 12 Championship game...many of our family is there, it's about a 3 hour drive from Central IL...plans were to hang out after the game, grab dinner stay over and then head back the next day...Texas makes "the pass"(one of the most painful plays i've ever witnessed), and my cousin stands up says, "i'm out" and heads back home...never stopping never saying anything else...awesome. Oh and we bought some cheap tshirts as we were leaving that had the 1st annual Big 12 champ game etc on them...was a great deal so we bought them...Dad calls me the next day says, "hey, check out that tshirt you bought", i go retrieve the tshirt and take a close look...they had nebraska spelled, Nabraska...excellent

 

 

sooo many more

[teachercd]

2009 OU game: Me and about 6 other friends got down to Lincoln by like 10am I think, drank, walked around, drank, partied, walked around, drank, partied, went to the game and it was sooooo fun and what a great night. Got back to Omaha at like 1:30 I think, we were stuck in a garage for about an hour. Maybe it was 2am even, then I had to take my idiot friend to the airport at like 4:30am. Terrible!

[teachercd]

2009 OU game: Me and about 6 other friends got down to Lincoln by like 10am I think, drank, walked around, drank, partied, walked around, drank, partied, went to the game and it was sooooo fun and what a great night. Got back to Omaha at like 1:30 I think, we were stuck in a garage for about an hour. Maybe it was 2am even, then I had to take my idiot friend to the airport at like 4:30am. Terrible!

 

Oh yeah, I also went to school at UNL starting in 94, so basically all those games were great/boring beatdowns!

[VA Husker Fan]

I've got a few gameday memories (surprising considering my usual condition of inebriation at home games while I was in college).

 

1- New Mexica State game 1982. We're killing them and it has been boring from the git go. Late in the game we're playing like our 4th stringers and NMSt. is threatening to blow the shutout. The loudest the stadium had been all day was when NMSt. finally shows some life and makes a few plays. First the cheers from the drunken student section were in support of NMS but then when push came to shove, We're loud to disrupt their offense. Game ends 68-0.

 

2- At Auburn 1982 (the Bo Jackson years). One of the most hostile environments I've ever been to (well-there and Folsom in Boulder). The moment we walk in the stadium wearing our red, people start throwing drinks at us and yelling obscenities. Irving Fryar goes down in the endzone with a leg injury. Their mascot actually goes out on the field by him, rolls around on the ground clutching at his leg, and then stands up and points at Irving and makes a laughing gesture at him because he is hurt. Purely classless. NU has last laugh. We win 42-7 and I believe we were the only team all year to hold Bo under 100 yards rushing.

 

3- 97 at Washington. Our group heads out about 8 or 9AM morning of the game to find a bar close to the stadium and get primed up and converse with the Husky fans. Well we find a bar very close to the stadium and it is only us and a bunch of other NU fans there that early. About 11AM the Washington fans start showing up and are extremely put out because Nebraska has over taken their gameday spot. Game goes our way but is fairly close and exciting. That place with the extending metal roofs is one of the loudest stadiums I've ever been in, rivaling old Mile High in noise level.

 

4- 97 Orange Bowl. My son is about 4 years old. We're having a blast outside Pro Player stadium before the game tailgating and talking to the very nice Tennessee fans. Some of the Tenn fans convince my son to climb up in a tree, wave an orange Tenn flag and sing rocky top with them. Of course, during the game we dominate, knock Manning out, they bring in Tee Martin and we roll em. But, what I remember most is how classy and friendly the Tennessee fans were.

 

5-2000 at Notre Dame. Maybe one of my favorite but also bittersweet memories. Proud and happy that we paint their stadium red but a little sad that a storied place such as ND couldn't represent better. It was awesome listening to their band prior to the game and then watching the game with a view of touchdown Jesus in the background.

JJ, we've got some common memories. I think we set a record for rushing and/or total yards in that NMSU game. Didn't make the trip to Auburn but I remember the hype about how Auburn was back and this was their test, and they failed miserably. Bo was a freshman and they had some other good backs so he wasn't the whole show yet. He had 829 yards for the season. Same experience with the nice Tennessee fans at that Orange Bowl. I thought the ND experience was all it was cracked up to be.

 

My game story is the 82 OU game. This was the bouncearooskie game, Gill was on target all game, and I was down on the sidelines when Strasberger picked off the pass to seal the win and even took a few steps on the field when I saw Osborne waving to get everyone back, so I did. Stormed the field after the game, and got knocked down in a surge as the goal post fell, with one of the uprights on my hip. I thought I was going to make the news as a fatality in a football riot, but people around saw I was in trouble and managed to lift that section up while one or two people pulled me out under the shoulders. They very seriously may have saved my life.

 

OU games were the best memories when I was in school, especially winning 3 straight while the jinx was still on everyone's minds. I went down to the field in 80 when Sooner magic bit us, watched the Mauer Miracle on TV, and stood in the cold rain in Norman in 83 from the stands of the end zone that OU was trying to reach in the final seconds. We beat the ice/snow storm home and avoided being stuck in Kansas or Oklahoma like many were.