The 15 Greatest Husker Football Plays of All Time (After 1970) Nebraska Tom Osborne Tommie Frazier Eric Crouch Mike Rozier

With the world burning again and (former but future) Husker fans placing bets on Urban Meyer’s initial bonus payout, I thought I’d take advantage of what should be a two week stretch of recovery before the truly make-or-break Oklahoma game to offer up a slate of enjoyable memories. You know, grab the airpods, hit the porcelain at work and tell the boss about the food poisoning you fought through when he questions why that toilet break took 45 minutes.

(If you’re a big mad fan who’s actually read this far and is heading to the comments to rage at anyone who dares find joy in anything…meh, go ahead. We’ll still revel in the Jet’s punt return and Kenny Bell’s legendary block.)

But let’s get to the highlights with the full understanding that after I went through this list for the 8th time (don’t even get me started on what it took to pick 15 plays), the scoring changed every time. Every. Time.

I can say one thing right out of the gate – the back end of this list is absolutely overloaded with the years 2010-2015 and the five national title teams are 100% criminally underrepresented. I blame this mostly on two things:

1. Until the the Georgia-Oklahoma-led CFA and a 1984 court ruling rendering the NCAA’s TV restrictions illegal, it was damn near impossible to watch your team play more than a couple times a year. Many of the great plays were lucky to be caught on the evening news. On the flip side, being able to watch every game your team plays on TV has been the norm for almost 15 years now. Those 2010-15 plays were played endlessly on ESPN Top 10.
2. Those 93-97 championship teams so often destroyed fools, amazing plays were just run of the mill against perceived overmatched opponents. Heck, even Tommie’s big run occurred when the Fiesta Bowl was completely over.

I actually searched multiple lists to make sure I wasn’t totally living out memories which belonged to only me and each one of these appeared on at least a couple of them. So enjoy them and please, PLEASE feel free to share your favorites in the comments. And for the sake of all that is holy, fight with me on the scoring.

This could very easily been 30-50.

Scoring categories (1-10)

• Greatness of opponent (Since 1995 Nebraska is the only true 10, 9 is the max possible.)
• Type of game (Is it regular season, regular season with bowl/NC implications on the line, conference title game pre-actual conference title games, regular season Poll Bowl #1v#2, bowl game, NYD bowl game, BCS/FCS playoff/title, blood rivalry?)
• Importance of game (sounds the same as above but subtle differences are possible & I want to make sure the stakes involved to carry more weight. So doubling up on the game.)
• Importance of the actual play (What was the moment? Early in the game, last second, momentum changer?)
• Wow factor/Bar legend status- how hard did it pop locally and/or nationally? Is it still talked about over shots while we’re finding another way to lose to Minnesota?

Enough talk, here we go:

#1 – Johnny the Jet’s punt return vs. Oklahoma in the 1971 Game of the Century – “Man, woman & child, did that put ‘em in the aisles?!”

OPPONENT: 9
GAME: 10
IMPORTANCE: 9
MOMENT: 7
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 10
OVERALL: 45

“Moment only a 7?? What the hell? You punk…”(etc etc). People forget this return wasn’t a game winner. It literally happened about 3:30 into the contest, first quarter. It probably should be about a 3 for MOMENT, but as Dan Jenkins explained in his legendary Sports Illustrated article, it was the only moment of Nebraska’s that Oklahoma couldn’t match and had the Sooners chasing the Huskers most of the game. That’s why it was elevated from a 3 to a 7.

Also, it’s fun as hell to watch the wipeout block at the end and laugh your ass off at the idea anyone could think there was clipping. Johnny threw up when he got back to the bench and most of the Sooner faithful felt similarly.

#2 – Eric Crouch Black 41 Flash Reverse vs Oklahoma 2001 – Thunder to Stuntz to Crouch – A Heisman moment

OPPONENT: 8
GAME: 8
IMPORTANCE: 8
MOMENT: 9
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 10
OVERALL: 43

I actually won West Stadium 40-yard-line, Row 28 tickets for this game in a drawing I forgot I entered at the Subway near what was work at the time. No South Stadium 48-minute piss runs. It was an 11am kickoff so I grabbed my buddy, Cub, around 7am and we shot down I-80 to enjoy an Outback hospitality tent breakfast of steak & eggs before kickoff. Since mostly old donors were there an hour earlier, we got the leftover boot leather steaks, but I digress.

Thunder Collins had broken off a long run earlier on a motion sweep, so the table had been set. We could see the Sooner sideline screaming at their defense to watch out for him. When he took the handoff on what appeared to be the same play then flipped it to Stuntz rolling back the other way, we looked downfield and saw a wide-open Crouch and started celebrating prematurely. Didn’t matter. Game over, Sooners just didn’t realize it yet.

(Footnote: Talked Cubby into rolling back to Omaha to watch UNO take down #1 Michigan St. in hockey for a sweep. It cost him a new SUV to calm his perturbed wife as penance for 15 hours of sports and alcohol with me, but…totally worth it)

#2 – Tommie’s 75-yarder vs Florida – 96 Fiesta Bowl – “How many tackles can one man break?”

OPPONENT: 9
GAME: 10
IMPORTANCE: 10
MOMENT: 5
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 43

I was there. That will be its own article someday. But let’s just say when you wake up the day after that beatdown with an N and U painted in red on each cheek, honestly question your future ex-wife as to how that happened, and suddenly find yourself facing a very hostile woman because said face-painting apparently involved group of cheerleaders running around the tailgate with paint and brushes?

Yeah, that trip’s its own article someday. Enjoy Tommie running through a flag football team again as the Huskers do more gator-chomping on the sideline.

#4 – John Ruud sends Kelly Phelps to hell on the kickoff return…which of course wasn’t a fumble – Oklahoma – 1978

(Kickoff at about the 1:10 mark)

OPPONENT: 8
GAME: 8
IMPORTANCE: 8
MOMENT: 7
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 40

This happened my second fall living in Nebraska. For newbie like myself, it was Nebraska Football 101 in learning to bend over, place hands on the counter and take a brutal call in a crucial situation up the kiester. These were B1G refs before the term B1G had been invented. I take that back – if it had happened in the last 10 years, Ruud would’ve been ejected for targeting.

Fortunately, they didn’t have it in them to do it twice in a couple of minutes when Billy Butterfingers Simms dropped one on the carpet moments later and the Huskers had finally ended Dr. Tom’s frustrating Sooner losing streak.

#5 – Dean Steinkuhler 19-yard Fumblerooski TD vs Miami – 1984 Orange Bowl

OPPONENT: 9
GAME: 9
IMPORTANCE: 10
MOMENT: 5
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 6
OVERALL: 39

It was beautiful. Especially watching Dean throw on that cape and dive for the pylon. Howard Schnellenberger might not have been wrong when telling his Hurricanes they had Nebraska if we needed trick plays like that to score on them. Maybe. I just think he was pissed that the boring ginger on our sideline had the edgier play calls. In any case, a 17-0 Miami onslaught had been stopped.

Thus began a string of Orange Bowls in which Nebraska was rewarded with conference titles by playing the Hurricanes in their home stadium on New Years Day and not winning until 1995. But guess what Miami? We ended up as the home field winning% champs. Final record in Lincoln 1-0. 1.000. Suck it.

#6 – The Kick-6 vs. Missouri 1997 – Frost to Wiggins to Davison

OPPONENT: 6
GAME: 6
IMPORTANCE: 7
MOMENT: 10
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 38

How good was this game? It was the first ever Instant Classic game running the next week on ESPN Classic Network.

The terror of almost losing an undefeated season to a better than average Mizzou squad makes people remember this game in strange ways. Some people think Mizzou rolled through us for four quarters despite NU enjoying an approximately 530-380 advantage in yardage. (The Huskers’ pair of Scott Frost picks plus a lost fumble vs. Corby Jones’ lone pick evened it out a little) To hear the tales, Jones was a one man army with 296 total yards and 4 TD’s, 3 passing and 1 rushing.

They forget that Frost had 316 total yards including 143 on the ground, 5 TD’s with 4 rushing and 1 passing and took the Huskers 62 yards in 10 plays with some clutch passes in the final 1:02 to set up the Scotty to Wiggins to Davison Kick Six which sent the game into OT where Frost took it in from 12 yards for the dub.

They called it luck.

They were right. And goddammit, hadn’t we held our spot in line for a little luck long enough?

#7 – Kenny Bell is penalized for destroying Jamal Turner’s closest Badger pursuer with a shoulder to the chest – 2012 Big 10 Title Game

OPPONENT: 6
GAME: 8
IMPORTANCE: 5
MOMENT: 6
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 34

“The Big 10 is the roughest, most rugged conference in all of the Power 5. They play grown-ass man football up there. Grrr.”

“Wisconsin is a tough as they come, you’ll know you’ve been in a war every time you step on the field with them.”

Kenny Bell places a downfield block on literally the closest tackler pursuing Jamal Turner by putting his shoulder clearly in the defender’s chest, not leaving his feet and not running through him. The Badger defender flies through the air landing in a heap as a result of legal, textbook downfield block and B1G refs, once again horror-stricken at hard contact in the manliest conference in college football, let the flags fly. The NCAA quickly moves to outlaw legally blocking a defender too fucking stupid to look around for someone possibly trying to protect their runner. (Much like Ed Cunningham wept and howled at the sky when Eric Martin destroyed an Okie State Cowboy on a kickoff. A Cowboy staring hard at the same sky instead of – DUH- looking for guys trying to block his dumb ass.)

Kenny, I should’ve given you bonus points for making this list when trailing 49-10. I’m going to go watch this again.

#8 – Alex Henery boots a 57-yarder for a comeback victory over the Buffs 2008 (followed by by Suh intercepting the coach’s kid and the leaving cleat marks all over his body.)

OPPONENT: 4
GAME: 7
IMPORTANCE: 5
MOMENT: 9
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 8
OVERALL: 33

Yet again proving no one should ever listen to me about sports, I 100% remember begging Bo to chuck Adi Kunalic out there for this field goal try. My thinking was sound – hey, kid’s got a hammer leg, so why not? Why not? Because so did Alex! Jesus Palomino, the coaches knew more than I did yet again. And not for the first time, I screamed, “DAMN, I LOVE BEING WRONG SOMETIMES!”

Suh following it up with a pick-6 in which he took time out to stomp a Stone Cold-sized mudhole in Guy Hawkins’ ass made it that much more enjoyable.

#8 – Taylor Martinez 75-yard TD run vs>Wisconsin – 2012 Big 10 Title Game

OPPONENT: 6
GAME: 8
IMPORTANCE: 7
MOMENT: 5
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 7
OVERALL: 33

In a weird twist of fate, this list now includes two plays from a 70-31 loss. This one happened when we had fallen behind 14-0 and were suddenly right back in it.

Of course, that proved to be a horrible lie but in a Taylor Martinez career full of memorable runs, this one, albeit wasted eventually, may have been his masterpiece. Once the field was spread out, he just looked like an alley cat toying with confused 8-year-olds.

#10 – Ron Kellogg to Jordan Westerkamp Hail Mary vs. Northwestern – 2013

OPPONENT: 5
GAME: 4
IMPORTANCE: 4
MOMENT: 10
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 32

Just think if this had happened even in a conference title game. And it provided two of my favorite post-play video clips – 1) Kellogg in the throes of pure joy throwing his helmet off and sprinting to and through the end zone with a burst of speed I’m sure the coaches never knew existed and 2) Bo nervously watching the replay and not celebrating until the review confirmed a Westerkamp TD.

It begs the question – when we talk about Nebraska’s greatest WR ever, Westy is in that convo, yes?

#10 – Roy Helu 66 & 73-yard TD runs in 1st Qtr on way to school record vs Missou 2010

OPPONENT: 6
GAME: 5
IMPORTANCE: 7
MOMENT: 6
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 8
OVERALL: 32

This one’s a bit of a cheat. Instead of a single play, I’m including him for the body of work which led to his single-game school-record 307 yards rushing against Missouri. It also contributed to a modern Husker tradition of knocking the ever-loving shit out of Rivals Elite 11 QB Husker commits who later renege.

#12 – Mike Rozier 2-yard TD run vs UCLA 1983 – where he ran about 70 yards

OPPONENT: 6
GAME: 6
IMPORTANCE: 5
MOMENT: 6
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 8
OVERALL: 31

(Begins around the 6:35 mark)

One of those plays that’s here purely for the fact people don’t believe me when I describe how it went down. If the field is around 53 yards wide, then allowing for that and how far back he took the ball while reversing field, I’m standing by the 70 yard estimate 🙂

#13 – Pierson-El follows a 41 yard punt return with an 80 yard TD to help beat Iowa 2014

OPPONENT: 4
GAME: 5
IMPORTANCE: 6
MOMENT: 7
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 7
OVERALL: 29

OK, this makes two body of work inclusions. Sue me, we beat Iowa.

#14 – Crouch 95-yard TD run vs. Missouri – Also, a Heisman moment.

OPPONENT: 3
GAME: 4
IMPORTANCE: 5
MOMENT: 5
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 9
OVERALL: 25

Nothing game against a lousy Misery squad, but makes the list due to it becoming a huge cog in the Crouch Heisman highlight reel. Also, I love that poor defensive lineman who turns into a bobblehead after a spirited pursuit of a sub-4.4 dude. And I’m not making fun, just the opposite – I’ll go to war with a guy who lays it all out in a race he has zero chance of winning.

#15 – Ameer Abdullah’s run against McNeese State? (maybe this is a sign as to how far we’ve fallen?) “Ameer Abdullah ALL THE WAY HOME!”

OPPONENT: 2
GAME: 1
IMPORTANCE: 3
MOMENT: 10
WOW/LEGEND FACTOR: 8
OVERALL: 24

As much as a game-winner against McNeese St. burns the soul, I have to include Ameer for saving the Scarlet and Cream from what would have been their most embarrassing loss ever.

Watch it again and remember how sometimes Abdullah was simply a man possessed.

No ranking – Just because feck Iowa now & forever, redshirt freshman Eric Crouch rag-dolling an Iowa DB who shall remain nameless & possibly still unconscious. Suck it, Iowa. (If this happened after 2012, it would have been the 1st offensive targeting in Big 10 history)

“Hey, did that freshman with all the hair product just send that dude to the dark side?”

No ranking – simply here to appreciate Westy taking degree of difficulty and showmanship points to another level.

2 things I love – 1) Taariq Allen running out to congratulate him while his expression and body language just screamed “WTF DID I JUST SEE??” and 2) Bo strongly considering violence when he realized they were going to review that play in a 31-7 game.

I have to stop now because I already thought of three more to add and want to publish this sometime in 2022.