2014 HUSKER FOOTBALL Nebraska Media Relations 4 One Memorial Stadium 4 Lincoln, NE 68588-0123 4 Phone: (402) 472-2263 4 [email protected] 2014 Nebraska Schedule Date Opponent (TV) Time/Result Game 5: Aug. 30 Florida Atlantic (BTN) W, 55-7 Sept. 6 McNeese State (ESPNU) W, 31-24 Nebraska vs. Illinois Sept. 13 at Fresno State (CBS Sports Net.) W, 55-19 Sept. 27, 2014 | Memorial Stadium Sept. 20 Miami (ESPN2) W, 41-31 Sept. 27 Illinois (HC) (BTN) 8 p.m. Lincoln, Neb. | 8 p.m. (CT) Oct. 4 at Michigan State (ABC/ESPN/2) 7 p.m. Huskers Fighting Illini Oct. 18 at Northwestern (BTN) 6:30 p.m. Record: 4-0, 0-0 Game Information Record: 3-1, 0-0 Oct. 25 Rutgers TBA Rankings: AP–21; Television: BTN Rankings: not ranked Nov. 1 Purdue TBA Coaches–19 Radio: Husker Sports Network Last Game: Nov. 15 at Wisconsin TBA Last Game: Capacity: 87,000 def. Texas State, 42-35 Nov. 22 Minnesota TBA def. Miami, 41-31 Surface: FieldTurf Coach: Tim Beckman Series Record: Nebraska leads, 8-2-1 Nov. 28 at Iowa TBA Coach: Bo Pelini IU/Career Record: Last Meeting:Nebraska, 39-19 in Lincoln, 2013 All times Central Career/NU Record: 9-19, 3rd year/ Special Events: Homecoming, 125th Season of NU 62-24, 7th year 30-35, 6th year Football Celebration, adidas Alternate Uniforms Television vs. Illinois: 1-0 vs. Nebraska: 0-1 BTN Kevin Kugler, Play-by-Play The Matchup Chuck Long, Analyst Nebraska opens Big Ten Conference play on Saturday night, taking on Illinois in a West Division matchup at Rebecca Haarlow, Sidelines Memorial Stadium. The game, which will mark Homecoming in Lincoln, is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium and will be televised by BTN. Radio The Huskers will head into conference action with a perfect 4-0 record, marking the third time in seven seasons Husker Sports Network under Bo Pelini Nebraska completed non-league play unbeaten. Nebraska secured its 4-0 start with a 41-31 victory over Miami before a Memorial Stadium record crowd on Saturday night in Lincoln. Nebraska’s offense dominated Greg Sharpe, Play-by-Play the game with a powerful rushing attack, grinding out 343 rushing yards, including 229 yards by Heisman candidate Matt Davison, Analyst Ameer Abdullah. Lane Grindle, Sidelines Nebraska’s victory over Miami allowed the Huskers to advance in the national polls. The Huskers moved up three spots in both polls to No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll and 19th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Digital Media Illinois comes into the game with a 3-1 record following a come-from-behind 42-35 victory over Texas State on Huskers.com Saturday in Champaign. The Illini feature a high-powered offensive attack as they average 429.8 yards per game, HSN free audio including 321.5 yards passing per contest. Live stats, game-day information, photos and more This marks the second of four consecutive seasons in which Nebraska will open Big Ten play against Illinois. It also Facebook.com/Huskers marks the second straight year NU has hosted Illinois on Homecoming. @Huskers on Twitter @HuskerFBNation The Series Nebraska holds an 8-2-1 edge in the series between the two schools, including a 39-19 victory in Lincoln last season in the first meeting as Big Ten opponents. Saturday’s matchup will be just the fourth meeting since 1953. Nebraska Other holds a 6-1 edge in games played in Lincoln Satellite Radio Sirius Channel 113, XM 195 The Coaches Nebraska: Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90) owns a 62-24 record (.721) in his seventh season as head coach. He has guided NU to nine or more wins in each of his first six seasons as head coach, joining Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne in accomplishing that feat at Nebraska. His 62 wins trail only Osborne and Devaney on the NU wins list. Pelini joins Alabama’s Nick Saban as the only head coaches in the nation to win nine or more games each of the past six seasons. Illinois: Tim Beckman (Findlay, ‘88) is in his third season as Illinois’ head coach and his sixth season overall as a collegiate head coach. Beckman has guided the Fighting Illini to a 9-19 record in his three seasons and owns a 30-35 overall record as a collegiate coach. He previously served as the head coach at Toledo from 2009 to 2011. He had assistant coaching stops at Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Bowling Green, Elon and Western Carolina. Nebraska Football Nebraska is 869-357-40 all-time, one of just eight schools with 800 all-time victories w Nebraska has won five national championships (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997). w The Cornhuskers have won 43 conference championships. w NU’s 50 all-time bowl appearances rank third nationally. w Since 1970, NU has 435 wins, 24 more than any other school. w Nebraska’s 107 football Academic All-Americans lead the nation. w The Huskers have 110 first-team All- Americans in school history. GAME 5 VS. ILLINOIS 1 2014 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL 2014 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL HUSKERS.COM Nebraska-Miami Stat Wrap Noting Game 4...Nebraska 41, Miami 31 Team Stats UM NU 4 Nebraska improved to 4-0 marking the third time in seven seasons under Pelini Nebraska has started 4-0 and the first First Downs 24 27 time it has done so since 2011. Nebraska has completed non-conference play unbeaten for the 24th time since 1970. Rushes-Yards 23-76 54-343 Passes 28-42-2 9-13-1 4 Nebraska won for the 14th straight time in a night game at Memorial Stadium, and improved to 40-5 all-time in Passing Yards 359 113 home night games. Total Offense 435 456 4 Nebraska’s win was its 400th all-time victory at Memorial Stadium, making Nebraska the fifth school to win 400 3rd-Down Conversions 4-of-10 7-of-10 Turnovers 3 2 games in its current stadium. Nebraska joins Tennessee, Ohio State, Michigan and LSU on the list. Penalties 9-82 7-69 4 Nebraska senior I-back Ameer Abdullah rushed a career-high 35 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns, while Time of Possession 26:40 33:20 also adding a three-yard touchdown reception. Abdullah’s previous career high in carries was 31 against Penn State NU Rushing Leaders in 2012. The 229 rushing yards marked Abdullah’s second 200-yard rushing game of 2014, following a career-high 232 Ameer Abdullah–35 carries, 229 yards, 2 TD yards against Florida Atlantic. He also topped 200 yards with 225 yards last season against Illinois. Tommy Armstrong Jr.–13 carries, 96 yards NU Passing Leader 4 With his 229 rushing yards, Abdullah increased his career rushing total to 3,602 and moved into third place on Tommy Armstrong Jr.–9-13-1, 113 yards, 2 TD the Nebraska career rushing list. Abdullah passed Roy Helu Jr. (3,404) and Eric Crouch (3,434) to move into the No. 3 NU Receiving Leaders spot. He now trails only Ahman Green (3,880) and 1983 Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier (4,780). Kenny Bell–4 receptions, 70 yards, TD 4 In addition to his 229 rushing yards, Abdullah added three receiving yards and 81 kickoff return yards for a career- Alonzo Moore–3 receptions, 26 yards NU Defensive Leaders high 313 all-purpose yards, bettering his 252-yard effort against Wisconsin in 2012. Abdullah’s 313 all-purpose yards David Santos–5 UT, 5 AT, 10 TT, TFL, INT rank second on the Nebraska single-game all-purpose yardage list and is the most by a Husker since Roy Helu Jr. had Randy Gregory–2 UT, 5 AT, 7 TT, 2-25 sacks, 2 hurries, FC a school-record 321 all-purpose yards against Missouri on Oct. 30, 2010. It was also the most all-purpose yards in Trevor Roach–5 UT, AT, 6 TT, fumble caused the FBS ranks in 2014. Josh Mitchell–57-yard fumble return for a touchdown 4 NU Special Teams Leader Abdullah increased his career all-purpose yardage total to 5,762 yards and became Nebraska’s career all-purpose Drew Brown–2-2 FG, 5-5 PAT yards leader, passing 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers (5,586). 4 Abdullah’s three-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his second receiving touchdown of 2014 2014 Big Ten Standings and the sixth of his career. West Division 4 Records Nebraska rushed for 343 yards, marking its second game this season with 300 or more rushing yards. Nebraska Team Big Ten Overall Next Game improved to 17-0 under Pelini when rushing for 300 or more yards. Miami had allowed 268 total rushing yards in the Nebraska 0-0 4-0 Illinois first three games of the season. Illinois 0-0 3-1 at Nebraska 4 Senior receiver Kenny Bell caught four passes for 70 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown in the first quarter Iowa 0-0 3-1 at Purdue Minnesota 0-0 3-1 San Jose State to tie the game at 7-7. Bell’s 40-yard touchdown catch was the 16th of his career, tying him with Maurice Purify for Wisconsin 0-0 2-1 South Florida third on the Nebraska career touchdown receptions list. Bell’s 40-yard touchdown reception marked his 14th straight Purdue 0-0 2-2 Iowa TD catch of at least 20 yards. Northwestern 0-0 1-2 at Penn State 4 Senior defensive back Josh Mitchell returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to give East Division Nebraska a 31-21 lead.