Game Week: Nebraska vs. Buffalo

NEBRASKA vs. BUFFALO

SEPT. 11, 2021 | MEMORIAL STADIUM

LINCOLN, NEB. | 2:30 PM (CT)

BROADCAST INFO

TV – BTN

RADIO – Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Jeremiah Sirles)

INTERNET RADIO – Huskers.com

SPANISH BROADCAST – Huskers.com 

APP AUDIO – Official Huskers App

HUSKERS

Record: 1-1, 0-1 Big Ten

Last Game: vs. Fordham (W, 52-7)

Rankings: NR

Coach: Scott Frost

Career/NU Record: 32-28 (6th Year)/13-21 (4th Year) 

vs. Buffalo: first meeting

BULLS

Record: 1-0, 0-0 MAC

Last Game: vs. Wagner (W, 69-7)

Rankings: NR

Coach: Maurice Linguist

Career/Buffalo Record: 1-0 (1st Year)/Same

vs. Nebraska: first meeting

SERIES HISTORY

First Meeting

The Matchup

Nebraska stays at home for a second consecutive week when the Huskers welcome the Buffalo Bulls to Memorial Stadium for a non-conference matchup. Game time in Lincoln is set for shortly after 2:30 p.m. with BTN providing television coverage. 

Nebraska enters the game with a 1-1 record after defeating Fordham, 52-7, in its home opener last Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers broke open a close game midway through the second quarter with a pair of late touchdowns to take a 17-point halftime advantage. In the second half, the Huskers rolled on offense, tacking on 28 points, while the defense shut out the Rams in the second half on the way to the victory.

In addition to holding Fordham to just one score, the Nebraska defense was opportunistic, producing three takeaways that led directly to 21 Husker points. 

Buffalo heads into the contest with a 1-0 record following an impressive 69-7 rout of Wagner last Thursday evening at Buffalo. The Bulls surged to a 38-0 lead at halftime and cruised to the victory. Buffalo amassed 569 yards of total offense, while limiting Wagner to just 97 yards of total offense. The Bulls are in their first season under the direction of Head Coach Maurice Linguist, who joined the school after a brief stint at Michigan and served as the Dallas Cowboys’ cornerbacks coach in 2020. 

The matchup is the first-ever meeting between the two schools and the Huskers’ third matchup with a Mid-American Conference opponent in the past five years.

Series History: Nebraska vs. Buffalo

Saturday’s game is the first all-time meeting between Nebraska and Buffalo, and Nebraska’s first against a Mid-American Conference opponent since a victory over Northern Illinois in 2019. 

• The matchup with Buffalo marks the second straight week the Huskers have faced an opponent from the state of New York, following last week’s win over Fordham. Before last week, Nebraska last faced an opponent from New York in a 1984 game at Syracuse. 

• The Fordham and Buffalo games mark the first time Nebraska has played consecutive non-conference games against opponents from the same state since 2006 matchups against Louisiana Tech and Nicholls State.

• Nebraska is 6-1 all-time against members of the Mid-American Conference, with the lone loss being the 21-17 setback against NIU in 2017.

• Following Saturday’s game with Buffalo, Nebraska also has future games scheduled against MAC opponents in 2023 (Northern Illinois), 2025 (Akron), 2026 (Ohio), and 2027 (Northern Illinois).

Nebraska to Wear Huskers United Adidas Uniforms

Nebraska will wear an alternate uniform for Saturday’s matchup with Buffalo. Nebraska and adidas created a uniform design focused around the team’s unity on and off the field. The creation of the all-over snow camo print is a nod to Huskers United – the great camaraderie shown by the Nebraska football team. 

As part of the all-white uniform, adidas utilized a retro NU logo and a retro numerical font with a satin finish for added flare. This look is completed by reflective shoulder stripes for added flash. Nebraska will wear the uniform this weekend in part to pay tribute to first responders, police, fire and rescue personnel.

Nebraska Offense Breaks Out vs. Rams

Nebraska got its offense rolling in the final three quarters and posted several impressive statistical marks in the process.

• Nebraska finished the game with 329 rushing yards and 304 passing yards to roll up 633 yards of total offense. It was Nebraska’s best offensive output since posting 674 yards of total offense at Illinois in 2019.

• The win over Fordham marked the fifth time Nebraska has topped 600 yards in Scott Frost‘s four seasons as head coach. Among Big Ten schools, only Ohio State (8) has more 600-yard games in that time span. 

• Nebraska’s 300-300 offensive output is a rare statistical feat in school history. The Huskers had reached that mark just twice previously against South Dakota State in Lincoln in 2013 and at Illinois in 2019. 

• Nebraska has accounted for two of the seven 300/300 games by Big Ten teams over the past four years (Ohio State-3; Maryland-1; Penn State-1). 

• The Huskers scored 52 points in the game, surpassing the 50-point mark for the first time since a 54-7 win at Maryland in 2019. 

• Nebraska receiver Samori Toure caught eight passes for 133 yards. His receiving yardage total is the most by a Husker since JD Spielman had 160 receiving yards at Illinois in 2019.

• Running back Markese Stepp rushed 18 times for 101 yards to post his first career 100-yard rushing game. It marked the third straight game dating back to last season the Huskers have had a runner top the century mark.

Blackshirts Tighten Up in Victory

The veteran Nebraska Blackshirt defense showed its teeth in the second half of the victory over Fordham on Saturday. Nebraska held the Rams scoreless in the second half and allowed just 71 total yards after intermission. 

The defense also showed its ball-hawking abilities against Fordham, intercepting three passes inside Husker territory to thwart Ram scoring threats. 

• The seven points allowed was the fewest by the Blackshirt defense since also allowing seven points at Maryland in a 54-7 victory in November of 2019. 

• Nebraska’s three takeaways were its most since forcing four turnovers at Maryland in 2019. Nebraska intercepted three passes in a game for the first time since picking off three passes in the 2019 season opener against South Alabama.

• Nebraska allowed Fordham to gain 292 yards of total offense in the 52-7 Husker victory. It marked the sixth straight game Nebraska has allowed less than 400 yards when including the final four games of the 2020 season. That is the first time Nebraska has allowed less than 400 yards in six straight games since the final six games of the 2012 regular season. 

Nebraska Among Top All-Time Programs

Nebraska is playing its 132nd season this fall, and the Huskers boast a 906-401-40 all-time record in 1,347 games (.687). Nebraska is one of eight programs with 900 wins.

• Nebraska became the fifth member of the 900-win club at Illinois on Sept. 21, 2019, joining Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama as 900-win programs at the time. Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Penn State have since joined the elite club. 

• Since 1970, Nebraska owns a 472-161-5 record (.744) with five national championships. The Huskers rank second among all FBS programs in national titles and third in wins since 1970.

• Nebraska boasts 27 10-win seasons in school history, including 24 since 1970. The Huskers also have 12 seasons with 11 or more wins, seven seasons with 12 or more wins and three 13-win seasons.

• The Huskers own 50 nine-win seasons, one behind Alabama for the most in NCAA history. Forty-two of those nine-win seasons have come since 1970 and 48 since 1962, 12 more than any other school.

• Nebraska was the first team in NCAA history to win 100 games in consecutive decades, leading the nation with 103 wins in the 1980s and ranking second with 108 wins in the 1990s.

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