1982 Iowa 7 Nebraska 42 Lincoln, Nebraska (September 11,1982) -Nebraska exploded for two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters, then added two more in the fourth quarter as the Huskers romped to an impressive 42-7 win over defending Big Ten champion Iowa in the season opener. In the first quarter, fullback Doug Wilkening started things off with a three-yard touchdown run, then Turner Gill threw a 41-yard TD pass to wingback Irving Fryar, who went on to catch six passes for 127 yards on the day. Roger Craig added a six yard TD run in the second period and just before halftime, defensive end Wade Praeuner broke the Hawkeyes' backs by recovering a fumble in the Iowa end zone for a 28-0 halftime lead. Nebraska added icing on the cake in the fourth quarter on a nine yard pass from Gill to Todd Brown and an 80-yard run by Jeff Smith. New Mexico State 0 Nebraska 68 Lincoln, Nebraska (September 18,1982) -Nebraska's high-powered offense broke four NCAA single game records as the Huskers swept to a 68-0 whitewashing of out-manned New Mexico State. Before the final gun sounded, Nebraska had gained 883 yards in total offense to break the existing NCAA mark of 875 yards set by Oklahoma versus Colorado in 1980. The Huskers picked up 677 rushing yards without a loss to top the old mark of 645 by Texas El-Paso against New Mexico State in 1948. They also recorded 36 first downs (eclipsing the standard of 35 by Colorado against Northwestern in 1978) and rolled up 43 first downs (bettering Colorado's 42 from 1981). NU's domination was so complete that six Husker backs rushed for 49 or more yards, led by Mike Rozier's 149 (including three touchdowns) and Jeff Smith's 126. Nebraska 24 Penn State 27 University Park, Pennsylvania (September 25,1982) -It was a game that will live in Husker infamy. Nebraska went to State College ranked number two in the nation to take on number eight ranked Penn State before 85,304 fired up Nittany Lion fans. Penn State took charge early to take a 7-0 first quarter lead on a Todd Blackledge to Kirk Bowman 14 yard pass. Those two players would figure in to the games bizarre ending as well. PSU hit the scoreboard again on a 2 yard Curt Warner second quarter TD run. Nebraska pulled to 14-7 before halftime on a 30 yard Turner Gill to Irving Fryar scoring strike. The Nittany Lions struck again early in the second half on a 18 yard TD pass to go up 21-7 before the Huskers finally took control. Mike Rozier scored on a 2 yard pass reception in the third period and Kevin Seibel hit a 37 yard fourth quarter field goal to tighten the score. Nebraska finally took the lead with 1:18 seconds left in the game when Gill went over the top for a 1 yard TD and a 24-21 Husker advantage. That's when the controversy began. Nittany Lion quarterback Todd Blackledge marched Penn State down to the Husker 18 with :13 left. Blackledge completed the next pass to a receiver that Husker fans say, and replays clearly show, was out of bounds. The pass was nevertheless called complete at the four yard line with :08 left. Blackledge then completed another controversial pass, this one a 2 yard TD completion to Bowman for the win. Husker players argued that the ball bounced off the ground before it was caught but again the officials saw it different and the Huskers were tagged with their only loss of the 1982 season. Nebraska 41 Auburn 7 Auburn, Alabama (October 2,1982) -Nebraska headed to Auburn needing to overcome an emotional loss the week before. Auburn was unbeaten and ranked 20th in the country and looking for a Cornhusker letdown. The Huskers struggled in the first half but still managed two first half TDs, a 15 yard Doug Wilkening jaunt and a 58 yard Turner Gill to Todd Brown pass. Auburn notched one first quarter score on a Bo Jackson 6 yard run. The Husker Blackshirts took control in the second half keeping the Tigers from scoring while the NU offense added 27 more points and a 41-7 victory. Turner Gill earned Big Eight Offensive Player of the Week honors for his 10-19-162 yard passing performance and 50 yards rushing. Nebraska 40 Colorado 14 Boulder, Colorado (October 9, 1982) -Nebraska entered the Big Eight schedule against Colorado and their new coach Bill McCartney, and the Huskers gave the coach a rude welcome. Nebraska scored 20 unanswered first half points to lead 20-0 at the break. But the Buffaloes were able to get fired up for the third quarter and put themselves right back in the game with two TD's making the score 20-14 at the end of the third. Nebraska showed their ability to dominate when Turner Gill drove 91 yards in six plays to go back up 26-14 midway through the final period on a 6 yard pass to Mike Rozier. NU added two more scores to make the final 40-14. Two Husker players can point to the Colorado matchup as landmarks for their careers. IB Mike Rozier notched his first 200 yard rushing game (212) while Black shirt Steve Damkroger helped the cause with two interceptions, the only two he would have in his career at Nebraska. Kansas State 13 Nebraska 42 Lincoln, Nebraska (October 16,1982) -The Nebraska offense continued to show what it was capable of when IB Mike Rozier recorded his second consecutive 200 yard rushing day and QB Turner Gill set a Big Eight completion percentage record on their way to a 496 yard total offensive day and a 42-13 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats. Rozier scored twice on runs of 27 and 46 yards finishing with 204 yards on the ground. Gill, meanwhile completed 11 of 12 passes (91.7 percent) for 101 yards and one TD. The Huskers may have been able to score more except for four fumbles lost during the game. The win moved the Huskers back into the AP top 5. Missouri 19 Nebraska 23 Lincoln, Nebraska (October 23, 1982) -Once again the Huskers found themselves facing adversity, and once again NU was able to overcome.Nebraska's offense struggled in the first half, managing only two Kevin Seibel field goals. Missouri was able to log a second quarter TD to take a 7-6 lead. Things looked even bleaker when Husker QB Turner Gill left the game late in the first half with a mild concussion. The Tigers widened their lead on a 51 yard Brad Burditt field goal to go up 13-9 early in the fourth period. But then the Huskers were able to regain control behind senior backup QB Bruce Mathison. Mathison guided the Huskers on a 70 yard 11 play drive wrapped up by a 1 yard Mark Schellen TD run to regain the lead 16-13 with 4:45 left in the game. Husker linebacker Brent Evans intercepted a Brad Perry pass to give the Huskers another scoring chance. The Huskers capitalized as Mathison went in from 16 yards out for the score. Despite an injury that kept him from starting the game, IB Mike Rozier earned Big Eight Player of the Week honors for his 139 yard performance. Nebraska 52 Kansas 0 Lawrence, Kansas (October 30, 1982) -The Kansas Jayhawks became the next team to witness the awesome Husker power, watching NU roll up 546 offensive yards while the Blackshirts allowed only 6 yards rushing and 63 yards in the air before 50,190 fans in Lawrence. Five different Huskers hit paydirt, including Mike Rozier when recorded TD runs of 25 and 27 yards en route to a 123 yard rushing day. Turner Gill recovered enough from the prior weeks injury to complete 10 of 14 passes for 115 yards and one TD. Jeff Smith made the highlight films with a 65 yard punt return for a TD. Oklahoma State 10 Nebraska 48 Lincoln, Nebraska (November 6, 1982) -Husker IB Mike Rozier entered the Husker record books when he passed Bobby Reynolds single season rushing mark of 1,342 yards, in only the ninth game of the season. Rozier needed 214 yards to eclipse the mark, he racked up 251 in a 48-10 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Rozier scored four touchdowns on runs of 4, 17, 2 and 37 yards. OSU's star running back Ernest Anderson, the eventual NCAA rushing leader (170.6 yards per game) was held to only 68 yards against the Black Shirts. Nebraska 48 Iowa State 10 Ames, Iowa (November 13,1982) -Nebraska survived a first quarter scare by Iowa State to score two touchdowns in each of the final three periods to go from an early 7-7 tie for its second consecutive 48-0 win. Playing before a packed home crowd on a frigid, blustery day, the Cyclones held the Huskers at bay through the first quarter, and pulled into the tie by putting together an 80 yard 13 play touchdown drive to score with three seconds left in the period. However, Turner Gill's magic steadily turned the game into a rout, and it was the junior quarterback who started the surge by scoring himself on a 22 yard run and passing 49 yards to Todd Brown for another second quarter TD. Helped by Mike Rozier's sixth straight 100-plus yard rushing game (103), Nebraska rolled up 460 yards in total offense. Oklahoma 24 Nebraska 28 Lincoln, Nebraska (November 26, 1982) -It had all the markings of the usual Nebraska/Oklahoma matchup. Both team highly ranked (NU-3rd, OU 11th AP) and an Orange Bowl bid on the line, and the outcome was in doubt until the games final seconds. The Huskers trailed 10-7 early in the second period, but put together seven play touchdown drives of 78 and 62 yards capped by a pair of touchdown runs by fullback Doug Wilkening to take a 21-10 halftime lead. The game featured both teams pulling out all the stops, and the Huskers pulling out the "bouncerookie". The trick play called for QB Turner Gill to pass back to Irving Fryar by bouncing the ball off the ground. Since the pass went backwords the ball was still live. Fryar then passed to TE Mitch Krenk for a 37 yard completion. OU freshman sensation Marcus Dupree sparked a Sooner comeback early in the third quarter when he dashed 86yards for a score on the third play of the half bringing the Sooners to within 21-17. The teams traded long TD drives in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter the Husker defense sealed the victory by twice stopping Sooner drives within the Husker 35. The final Sooner push ended when defensive end Scott Strasburger intercepted a Kelly Phelps pass with 26 seconds left. Nebraska 37 Hawaii 16 Honolulu, Hawaii (December 4, 1982) -For three quarters, the 46,876 on hand at Aloha Stadium could hardly believe what they were seeing. Heavy underdog Hawaii had built a 10-0 halftime lead, and was still in command 16-7 entering the final period, and Nebraska was showing no signs of rallying to prevent college football's biggest upset of the year. However the nation's most potent offense took advantage of defense created opportunities early in the fourth quarter and exploded for 30 points in a little over 10 minute, including a 70 yard Irving Fryar punt return for TD, to keep their slim hopes of a national championship alive. Despite struggling, Nebraska was able to roll up 479 yards on the ground led by senior Roger Craig's 127 and Mike Rozier's 111, the latter wrapping up an NU record season (1,689 yards). ORANGE BOWL Louisiana State 20 Nebraska 21 Miami, Florida (January 1, 1983) -Stung by their own miscues and the ferocious play from the Louisiana State Tigers, the Nebraska Cornhuskers battled from behind for an impressive 21-20 victory in the 1983 Orange Bowl game. Nebraska struck early, then suffered an amazing string of uncharacteristic turnovers, before returning to form with a stirring second half performance. Civil unrest in the Miami area cut the crowd to a near record low of 54,407, but those on hand were treated to a classic Husker come from behind victory. the Huskers were still harboring hopes of clinching the national title. Ranked third in the nation the Huskers needed upsets in the Sugar Bowl where first ranked Penn State faced Georgia and in the Cotton Bowl where SMU was playing. Those hopes were dashed when Penn State and SMU both won earlier in the day, but it was not enough to deter the Huskers. In the Orange Bowl, the Huskers scored first on a 5 yard Mark Schellen run, then became their own worst enemy as four first half turnovers led to a 14-7 Tiger halftime lead. The Huskers regrouped for the third period. The Tigers notched a 28 yard field goal to make the score 17-7 before the Huskers got back in the game. NU marched 80 yards on the ensuing drive, including an 18 yard Gill to Todd Brown pass on fourth and one at the LSU 35. Turner Gill then hit Mike Rozier with an 11 yard TD pass to pull the Huskers within 17-14. The Huskers got a break in short order when LSU's Clay Parker experienced a heavy punt rush and scrambled for yardage. He came up short of the first down and the Huskers took over at the Tiger 48 yard line. Eight plays later Turner Gill sneaked over for the TD and a 21-17 lead with 11:14 left in the game. LSU added a 49 yard field goal with 5:05 left, but the Black Shirts kept the Tigers down for the rest of the game giving the Huskers a 21-20 victory. The Huskers out-yarded the Tigers 403-211 with 219 Husker yards coming on the ground. Turner Gill earned the game's MVP honor for his 13 completion in 22 attempt for 184 yards and one touchdown effort. Gill added 37 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown.