Before USC, There Was Nebraska: The History of Notre Dame's Latest Renewed Rivalry
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
On Wednesday, Notre Dame and Nebraska announced a home-and-home series between the two programs during the 2032-2033 season. The Irish will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the 2032 game, then the Cornhuskers will travel to South Bend the following season. Although the two teams have not faced off since 2001, when the Huskers beat the Irish 27-10, Nebraska has played a powerful role in the history of Notre Dame Football.
The Fighting Irish first traveled west to Lincoln in 1915, where they suffered a heartbreaking 19-20 defeat at the hands of the Huskers. Notre Dame would get revenge the following season, when the squad upset Nebraska in a blowout fashion, winning 20-0 in front of another Lincoln crowd. In 1917, the Huskers would shut out the boys in blue and gold, 7-0, to win a defensive battle.
The 1918 season featured the birth of a legend. Coach Knute Rockne would see his inaugural season as Irish head coach end against Nebraska in a 0-0 stalemate. However, as the two opposing teams started to see success grow, the anti-catholic jeers and sentiment got louder from the stands of Memorial Stadium. Nebraska hadn't traveled to South Bend yet, and wouldn't for another two years.
However, the "papist" and "mick" slurs only fueled the passion of the Irish, as they defeated the Huskers the next three seasons. During this stretch, the Irish went 18-1 as the 'Rockne Revolution' hit college football. In 1921, Nebraska finally traveled eastward to face off against the Irish in South Bend. The largely Catholic fanbase for Notre Dame had heard stories about the harsh treatment the team had faced in Lincoln, so the South Bend home crowd was jovial, to say the least. The energetic fans prompted a 7-0 shutout victory for Notre Dame.
Following the 1921 season, things looked spectacular for the Fighting Irish, as the legendary Four Horsemen started writing history. However, the following Nebraska matchups did not reflect the growing success felt elsewhere, as Notre Dame would drop back-to-back games against Nebraska in Lincoln. In 1924, Notre Dame would route Nebraska in South Bend, in front of 22,500 screaming and passionate fans, the largest Irish home crowd in history up until that point. Coach Rockne called it the "most pleasing thing" to happen to him in years, considering the dirty play and anti-catholic slurs by the Husker players.
In 1924, Notre Dame defeated Nebraska 34-6 and brought home the Irish's first National Championship. The Irish would face off against the Huskers for the eleventh straight game up until that point.
The final matchup came as a bitter defeat, as Nebraska upset the Irish 0-17 in a cold and snowy setting while handing Rockne the only loss of the 1925 season. The crowd in Lincoln was especially rowdy and demeaning to Notre Dame players and fans alike. Rockne then sparked a conversation with the USC Athletic Director, Gwynn Wilson, who suggested a potential Irish/Trojan matchup. Legend has it, Rockne was not too keen on the idea until Mrs. Wilson convinced Mr. Rockne that Southern California would be better than snowy Lincoln. While one rivalry ended, a greater and more impactful one took its place, as the most historic intersectional rivalry in College Football was conceived.
Notre Dame and Nebraska would meet sparingly following the conclusion of the eleven straight games. The Irish soundly defeated the Huskers in 1952 and 1953 before Nebraska humiliated Notre Dame in the 1972 Orange Bowl by a score of 40-6. The final home game for the Irish against the Cornhuskers came in 2000, when Frank Solich and Nebraska snuck by a talented Notre Dame squad 27-24. The final matchup of the Rivalry (until 2032) came the following year, when Nebraska beat a struggling Notre Dame team 24-10 in Lincoln.
Although the rivalry may not be as intense as it once was, the renewal of this game has sparked excitement inside two of the most passionate college football fan bases. The rivalry may not feature a battle of culture and religion, but the flame of the past will remain lit.
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