The 24 HOUR RULE: The 62-36 Fallacy – Nebraska Rebounded. After a 30-3 Rout in 2005, The Buffs Still Haven’t. Huskers Bill Callahan Frank Solich Zac Taylor

There are reasons I don’t completely resent Bill Callahan. One of them is the beatings which his teams laid on Kansas State, and more importantly, Coach Ron Prince and quarterback Josh Freeman who reneged on his original commitment to the Huskers amid rumors of some shady dealings. Bo Pelini added another Freeman thrashing in 2008 which saw him so ineffectual, he was pulled early in the second half. (The Huskers did have a habit of standing on business when Elite 11 QB’s decommitted – see also Gabbert, Blaine.)

The other reason happened on November 25, 2005, a Black Friday tilt which saw the 14-point underdog Huskers blow Colorado off the field – and some of their fans out of the stands, literally – by a score of 30-3.

NEBRASKA AFTER 62-36

Many people, Husker fans included, believe 9-2 #14 Colorado’s 62-36 win in Boulder in 2001 over an 11-0 #2 Nebraska squad was a victory which effectively ended the Husker dynasty forever. However, an examination of the circumstances show other factors were at work as well. In addition, there was a resurgence a few years later. Here are a few things worth noting.

• Under Head Coach Frank Solich, despite his 58-19 record, they immediately started declining, losing 4 games in his first season, one more than the previous 5 years combined. Yes, the standard would have been near impossible to maintain, but it was what it was.
• With a healthy Eric Crouch, the Huskers would go on a 33-5 run for the next three years. The season following his graduation, they posted a 7-7 record with Jamaal Lord under center, due to Carl Crawford opting for baseball and no solid replacement in waiting. (As Solich himself said, Lord would likely have been an All-American at strong safety.)
• Fired after the following season, Bill Callahan was hired to replace Solich. He was fired after four seasons, but two of them resulted in winning records and bowl games.
• Following Callahan’s firing, Bo Pelini was hired and coached from 2008 – 2014 compiling a record of 67-27, all winning seasons.
• After Pelini’s firing, Mike Riley was hired and posted a record of 19-19 which made things sound considerably better than they were mainly due to a 9-4 record in 2016 vs. a very weak schedule. Scott Frost followed with a 16-31 mark and Mickey Joseph tacked on 3-6 finishing the ‘22 season. Matt Rhule then tossed in a 5-7 to begin his current run at the helm.
• So to conclude, the Huskers followed that Colorado loss in 2001 with three winning seasons in six under Solich/Callahan followed by seven straight under Pelini. While there have been no national title games since then, the Huskers posted winning seasons in 10 of the next 13 seasons.
• However, there have been none since Mike Riley’s hire in 2015. While I agree 100% the 2001 game was an all-time gut punch, maybe only rivaled previously by the 1983 Orange Bowl, given the direction taken by the program since 2015, I would offer that Riley is far more to blame for the current state than the 2001 Buffalos.

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COLORADO AFTER 30-3

While Colorado’s fall can’t be considered near as precipitous as Nebraska’s – after all, they own only a half national title, and that one only by the grace of a 5th down in Columbia and a phantom clip in Miami – the net devastation following that 30-3 shellacking in Boulder makes Nebraska’s current 7-year losing streak mild by comparison.

• The Huskers rolled into Boulder unranked with a 6-4 record as a 14-point or more underdog to the Buffs who had already clinched the Big 12 North and would face Texas in conference title game. However, a warning light was on after they were upset by Iowa State the previous weekend.
• Nebraska would roll to a 20-3 halftime lead en route to the 30-3 win with current Bengals coach Zac Taylor throwing for 392 yards, 129 of them to running back Cory Ross, as the Huskers thoroughly dominated Colorado, outgaining them 497 yards to 212.
• The ramifications began before the game even ended when two student sections were ordered emptied by police around the 11 minute mark of the fourth quarter. The unruly “idiots” (Mike Tirico’s words, not mine) would not stop hurling cans, bottles and other trash on the field with their team down 27-3.
• Perhaps still in shock following their thrashing by the Huskers, Colorado faced Texas for the Big 12 title having already lost to them once 42-17. That score would seem like a dream of frolicking in the night with Salma Hayek after Texas blitzed them like Division Two team with a 70-3 pounding.
• Following that game, on the strength of their complete collapse combined with allegations of misconduct by the program and its head coach, Gary Barnett was quickly fired only a few weeks after he was expected to receive a handsome extension.
• Dan Hawkins was hired following all that and in an act of legendary failed nepotism, immediately handed over the keys to the offense to his son, Guy. And as young men without the proper driving skills tend to do, he wrapped that sumbitch right around the nearest telephone pole.
• The AD showed remarkable patience with Hawkins and he rewarded their loyalty with five straight losing seasons. Jon Embree (2), Mike McIntyre (5/6), Mel Tucker (1), Karl Dorrell (2/3) and Deion (1) have all kept the same spirit alive.
• To put it in mathematical terms, since the 2005 Huskers opened a Waterboy-sized can of whoop-ass in Boulder, the Buffaloes have had losing seasons in 16 of the 18 following seasons.
• And one of those was the 2020 Covid season.

Byron Hetzler-USA TODAY Sports

CONCLUSION

The Huskers did far, far greater damage, both immediate and lasting, with their 2005 win over Colorado than the Buffs did with their impressive victory over Nebraska in 2001.

Agree or disagree? Y’all know where the comments are!

(I also wrote this because I’d love for one of the Sanders to read this or have it relayed to them, so I can be held personally responsible for making this PERSONAL!!)

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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