Memorial Stadium History and waterproofing throughout the stadium. FieldTurf was also Football introduced at Memorial Stadium in 1999. The renovations Nebraska's continuing NCAA record of consecutive home raised the capacity of Memorial Stadium from 72,700 to sellouts reached 361 with seven home sellouts in 2017. 73,918. Capacity reached above 80,000 for the first time During that time, the historic stadium has gone through in 2006, and now is more than 85,000. many transformations. In 2013, a major renovation on the East side of Memorial Stadium was completed, adding 94 Years In Memorial Stadium approximately 6,000 new seats. Each new seating area includes For the past 93 years, Nebraska football teams have gladly dedicated restrooms and concessions areas. A new grand lobby, called Memorial Stadium home with an impressive 413-124- expanded concourse and additional first-aid areas also were 13 (.763) record posted by the Huskers in their home since added. Fans are greeted by a new grand entrance at Gate 20 it was opened in 1923. complete with a statue of Hall of Fame Coach Bob Devaney. An exciting aspect of the expansion is the Nebraska Athletic Under the Lights Research Facility where cutting-edge imaging technologies Nebraska's first night football game was Nov. 30, 1951, and research to better understand foundations of behavior at Miami's Orange Bowl when the Huskers lost to the Miami that contribute to health, injury and disease from childhood Hurricanes, 19-7. Ironically, NU's first night football home obesity to college performance. game came in the 1986 opener against another team from In 2006, more than 6,500 seats were added to the the "Sunshine State", Florida State. Nebraska is 86-35-3 all stadium's North end, along with a massive HuskerVision screen time under the lights, including 37-5 at home. and Skyline Suites.The additions sit atop the Osborne Athletic Complex, which houses the Huskers' technologically advanced Memorial Stadium Improvements athletic medicine facility, massive weight room, and football A chronological listing of Memorial Stadium expansion locker room, football offices and administrative offices. The first and improvement from the original 31,000-seat structure phase of the project also provided the Huskers with a second built in 1923: indoor workout facility, the Hawks Championship Center. 1946-Completed Schulte Field House (construction began in In Nebraska's 300th consecutive sellout against Louisiana- 1941, but was interrupted by World War II). Lafayette on Sept. 26, 2009, a then-school-record 86,304 1964-South end zone section installed, making the stadium fans watched the Huskers roll to a 55-0 win. A school-record a horseshoe, raising capacity to 48,000 91,585 fans attended Nebraska's game against Miami in 2014, 1965-Center portion of north end zone section added, raising and NU's average home attendance was a record 91,249. capacity to more than 53,000. NU's streak of consecutive sellouts started on Nov. 3, 1966-Both wings of the north end zone added, raising capacity 1962, when 36,501 attended the Homecoming game against to more than 65,000 and making Memorial Stadium into a bowl. Missouri. The last non-sellout came Oct. 20, 1962, when NU 1967-New press box and guest section added. and Kansas State drew 30,701. 1970-Installed new AstroTurf playing surface. In the fall of 1922, a drive for $430,000 in stadium 1972-South end zone extended, 9,400 seats added, raising construction funds was undertaken by faculty, students, alumni capacity to 73,650. and friends of the University. The quota was over subscribed. 1973-Athletic office building completed with dressing and The stadium was named Memorial Stadium to honor all training facilities for varsity football. Nebraskans who served in the Civil and Spanish-American 1977-Replaced AstroTurf and added new scoreboard over Wars; the 751 Nebraskans who died in World War I; the 3,839 the North Stadium. in World War II; the 225 in Korea; the 422 in Vietnam; and 1981-New West Stadium weight room and new visitor's locker those in Iraq. Construction was completed in a few more than room in the North Field House. 90 working days and Memorial Stadium was dedicated on 1982-Expanded North Field House indoor practice area. Oct. 20, 1923, at the Homecoming game in which Nebraska 1984-Artificial All-Pro Turf installed. was held to a scoreless tie by Kansas. 1985-Completed Hewit Center (dining area/study hall) in Inscribed on the four corners of the stadium are the West Stadium. following words, written by former UNL professor of philosophy 1989-Expansion of strength complex and Hewit Center. Hartley Burr Alexander: 1992-New Astroturf-8 artificial turf installed. Southeast: "In Commendation of the men of Nebraska who 1994-Installed Mitsubishi Instant Replay boards and served and fell in the Nations Wars." completion of Michael Grace production studio (HuskerVision) Southwest: "Not the victory but the action; Not the goal in West Stadium. Remodeled Section 14 for disabled, reduced but the game; In the deed the glory." seating to 72,700. Northwest: "Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these 1995-South Stadium training room remodeled and new are the true awards of manly sport." interview room and player lounge completed. Northeast: "Their Lives they held their countrys trust; They 1997-Groundbreaking began on a $36-million stadium kept its faith; They died its heroes." improvement project to take place over a two-year period. East As part of the continuing improvement of athletic facilities concourse was renovated with new restrooms and concessions at the University of Nebraska, several major projects have been and stadium lights were installed on the east side. completed over the past eight decades enhancing the facility. 1998-Stadium was rededicated on April 24, and the football The $1 million Hewit Center dining/study hall area was opened field was named in honor of Hall of Fame Coach Tom Osborne, in March of 1985, underneath the West Stadium adjacent to who retired as the winningest active coach in college football the strength complex. The weight room and the Hewit Center with a 255-49-3 career record. Lights installed on the west side. were expanded and remodeled in 1989. 1999-Stadium Improvement project completed with 42 suites, Before the fall of 1994, NU installed two 17 feet high, club seating, stadium view lounge, new press box and renovated by 23 feet wide replay boards, now known to Nebraska concourses, concessions and restrooms. Seating raised to faithful as HuskerVision screens. In 2006, one of the largest 74,056. FieldTurf installed in August, making NU the first screens in a college venue was unveiled as part of the new Division-I program to use the synthetic surface. construction project. 2000-Increased club seating reduces capacity to 73,918. Following the 1997 season, construction began on a 2001-Expanded team meeting room/players' lounge in $36-million improvement project completed in 1999. The South Stadium. Expanded HuskerVision and Hewit Center project included the Don Bryant Media Facility and 42 in West Stadium. suites, each of which house 25 fans. Club seating rose from 2004-Additional lockers added to South locker room to house approximately 350 to 1,500 per game. The improvement entire football squad during construction of Tom and Nancy project tripled the number of restrooms on both the East and Osborne Athletic Complex on north end of stadium. North West sides of the stadium, doubled the number of concessions Field House torn down in summer 2004. in both East and West concourses and included concrete repair 136 2018-19 Nebraska All-Sports Record Book 2018-19 Nebraska All-Sports Record Book 2005-Replaced FieldTurf, changing subsurface of field. 2006-Completion of the Osborne Athletic Complex and Memorial Stadium Attendance Hawks Championship Center on North end of Memorial Home Home Overall Total Average Stadium. Addition of Skyline Suites and seating for disabled Year Games Record Record Attendance Attendance in North Stadium and addition of giant HuskerVision screen 1943 4 1-3 2-6-0 28,872 7,218 1944 3 2-1 2-6-0 16,161 5,387 in North end zone.Tunnel Walk entrance of Huskers moves Football from South end zone to North end zone. Nebraska's football 1945 5 3-2 4-5-0 74,371 14,874 1946 4 2-2 3-6-0 122,072 30,518 offices, locker room and administrative offices move from 1947 5 0-5 2-7-0 142,410 28,482 South to North Stadium. 1948 5 2-3 2-8-0 171,776 34,355 2009-Addition of two HuskerVision boards on the North 1949 5 2-3 4-5-0 166,954 33,391 towers and upgrade of all HuskerVision screens to high- 1950 5 4-0-1 6-2-1 178,881 35,776 definition format. 1951 5 0-5 2-8-0 179,444 35,889 2010-Addition of Student Life Complex in West Stadium. 1952 5 3-2 5-4-1 183,685 36,737 Expansion of Nebraska football trophy displays in North 1953 5 2-3 3-6-1 170,568 34,114 Stadium. 1954 5 3-2 6-5-0* 175,144 35,029 2011-Work begins on East Stadium Expansion in the spring 1955 5 2-3 5-5-0 170,975 34,195 of 2011. Approximately 6,000 seats will be added along with 1956 6 3-3 4-6-0 197,517 32,920 1957 5 0-5 1-9-0 157,829 31,566 an athletic research facility. It opened for the 2013 season, 1958 5 3-2 3-7-0 150,795 30,159 raising Memorial Stadium's capacity near 90,000.