Oh, but Bama got them in 1978! They averaged 37 points a game that year and Bama beat them 20-3. Believe it or not, THEIR defense was the TV 'Player of the Game'.
Bama score on their results looks like a typo.
ESPN/ABC would have TV rights, not SEC or Big12. Therefore, it would air on ESPN OR ABC which both conferences have deals.If I am reading this correctly, Bama would be considered as having the TV rights. If so the Big 12 TV contract would not allow a Big 12 team to be the opponent. Doubt if any of them would be considered anyway.
ND does not play neutral site games. They have the 'Shamrock Series'. Which is why I know about the Big 12 TV contract. Notre Dame learned that the hard way at the outset of their 'Shamrock Series'. As you may know those are nothing more than off site home games whereby ND controls all of the tickets and NBC has the TV rights. They booked the Alamodome in San Antonio in 2009 thinking they could go in there and schedule Texas or aTm or any one of the Big 12 teams. Wound up playing Washington State.
They made the same mistake at the same time in SEC territory. They booked the Citrus Bowl in Orlando for 2010 and 2011 thinking they could come in there and play Bama and/or Florida. They booked the Superdome in New Orleans in 2012 thinking they could play Bama or LSU. SEC TV contract would not allow that to happen in either case.
They got out of the Orlando booking because the Citrus Bowl did not make all of the stadium upgrades required in their contract. They had Baylor scheduled in New Orleans for 2012 but I suppose they bought out of both contracts (game and stadium) because they played Miami in Chicago that year.
Correction: The 2011 booking was in Arlington. ND had Arizona State scheduled for that one but as in 2012 they must have bought out of both contracts because they played Maryland in Landover. Which means the ACC TV contract has no such restrictions and proves what ND intended to do in the other locations. Might be why they aligned themselves with the ACC.
If Riley gets them turned around it would a great game! Husker fans travel well and are knowledgable good fans! Tom Osborne may have sold out and recruited/kept thugs on his team to finally win a title but, for the most part the Nebraska program is 1st class.
My respect for Nebraska went way up after they basically gave the middle finger to Texas and left the Big 12. It then went into the stratosphere when they fired Bo Pelini. I've wanted us to renew our series with them for a long time. I really hope Saban and Battle consider trying to get them as an opponent in one of these match ups.
I really don't see Riley as an upgrade from pelini. If anything it is the about the same or possibly a downgrade. Nebraska has the same problem as Tennessee in which there is a lack of in state talent and they have to recruit nationally. Riley will have to invade Oklahoma and Missouri in which all three big coaches have a firm grip on and it's an uphill battle for a coach with Riley's track record. I hope he has success but I'm not convinced that he is a great hire for Nebraska.
FWIW. Looks as if they want no part of Bama.
| Date | Opponent (record) | Result | Score | Site | |||
| 12/31/1978 | vs. | Georgia (9-2-1) | W | 25 | 22 | @ Houston, TX | Bluebonnet Bowl |
| 12/31/1977 | vs. | Louisiana State (8-4) | W | 24 | 14 | @ El Paso, TX | Sun Bowl |
| 11/6/1965 | @ | Tulane (2-8) | W | 16 | 0 | ||
| 9/21/1962 | @ | Tulane (0-10) | W | 6 | 3 | ||
| 9/23/1961 | vs. | Tulane (2-8) | W | 9 | 7 | ||
| 1/1/1935 | vs. | Alabama (10-0) | L | 13 | 29 | @ Pasadena, CA | Rose Bowl |
| 1/1/1927 | vs. | Alabama (9-0-1) | T | 7 | 7 | @ Pasadena, CA | Rose Bowl |
I think people tend to think that taking a job at Nebraska is like taking a job at Alabama in which tradition carries a substantial amount of weight. Nebraska doesnt have the luxury that Bama has with a great in state talent. Near 80% of the population of Nebraska live in Omaha or Lincoln which are 45 minutes apart. Most of west Nebraska is prarie and po dunk towns. Osborne was a great recruiter and he invaded several states to get the the recruits he needed to build a dynasty. But most of his career he was losing to Switzer at Oklahoma. He did however have a chance to tie Miami in 83 to secure a national championship, but did the honorable thing and played for the win. He got punked by Johnson in 88. It took Osborne 21 years to get a national championship. I think he is great, but I think it shows how hard it is to be great at Nebraska even with an all time great coach when offenses werent near as complicated as they are today.
I guess this means we will be playing someone in Dallas in 2020.
They won't play two games in one day, though. The report said it would be August 31, 2019.
Wonder if the barn tries to weasel out of it between now and then?
