30 Years for Nebraska Without Being Shut Out

Nebraska has played 380 consecutive games without being shut out, an amazing accomplishment dating back 30 years.

But it hasn't always been easy.

There have been some close calls. Several times, Nebraska got on the board early but could not find their way to the end zone again. A few times Nebraska needed some flukes and lucky breaks to get on the board. And once Nebraska needed some late heroics - and every last second - to avoid the shutout.

Since Nebraska's last shutout loss in 1996, the Huskers have had 16 games where they have scored a total of 3, 6, or 7 points. In three of those games (2007 at Missouri, 2010 at Texas A&M, and 2025 at Minnesota) Nebraska scored two field goals. That leaves 13 games where NU was able to dodge a shutout with a single score.

These games span the gambit of the Nebraska experience since Tom Osborne retired. All six head coaches (and interim head coach Mickey Joseph) have at least one game on this list. There are blowouts, bowl games, conference championships, rivalries, and games that will live in infamy. Heck, there's even a Husker win in the list.

Let's look back at these narrow escapes, in order of when the lone score occurred.

First quarter

2016 at No. 6 Ohio State (62-3). Drew Brown kicked a 20-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The Huskers got the ball into the red zone two other times, but the Buckeyes dominated the game. This was Nebraska's most lopsided loss as a Top 10 team (NU came into the game ranked ninth). It is assuredly the only time where Nebraska's starting quarterback left the field in an ambulance and later returned to the stadium wearing hospital scrub pants.

2009 vs Iowa State (9-7). Running back Dontrayevous Robinson scored from three yards out with 3:26 left in the first quarter. This is the infamous game where Nebraska turned it over EIGHT times, inspiring a "highlight" video set to tune of Yakety Sax. Four of those turnovers occurred inside the Cyclone 10-yard line.

Second quarter

2010 Holiday Bowl vs Washington (19-7). Going into the game, there was a strong case to be made that No. 17 Nebraska - coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship - was not interested in playing in the Holiday Bowl for the second straight year or a rematch against an opponent (Washington) they blew out 56-21 earlier that season.

Nebraska's performance certainly proved that theory. A 15-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Martinez to Kyler Reed with 10:24 to go in the second quarter were all the points NU could muster.

Nebraska would play Washington in 2011, their third game against the Huskies in the span of 365 days.

2002 at Penn State (40-7). This was Nebraska's first trip to Happy Valley since the controversial loss in 1982 that cost Nebraska a national championship. Judd Davies capped off an 84-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 10:04 to play in the second quarter, tying the score at seven. Penn State score the next 33 points.

At the time, it was the largest in-person crowd watch Nebraska play (110,753, now fourth-most). The Huskers entered the game ranked eighth, making this the sixth-largest loss by a ranked Nebraska team.

2005 vs Pittsburgh. NU won 7-6. Quarterback Zac Taylor scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 7:51 to go in the first half. Of the 13 games listed here, this is the only Husker victory. And it just barely happened. Linebacker Adam Ickes blocked a 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired. Zach Potter blocked a field goal in the first quarter.

Before this game, the last time Nebraska won when scoring seven points or less was a 7-3 win at Oklahoma in 1988. The Huskers opened the 1988 season with a 7-0 win over Baylor.

2024 at No. 16 Indiana (56-7). The most recent game on the list. Jacory Barney scored on an end around from seven yards out with 7:40 to go in the second quarter, making the score 14-7. The Huskers had the ball in Hoosier territory three other times, but those drives ended in fumble, interception, and fumble. Indiana converted five Husker turnovers into 28 points, enroute to a 56-7 blowout.

2006 Big 12 Championship vs No. 8 Oklahoma (21-7). Many fans who were at Arrowhead Stadium say this is one of the coldest games they have ever attended.*

*For what it's worth, the official box score says the weather at the 7:00 kickoff was 28 degrees with a light breeze. That's not exactly balmy, but it doesn't match the "Ice Bowl" stories I've heard.

The Huskers offense was not bothered by the weather, and moved the ball fairly well against the No. 8 Sooners (NU outgained OU 366-307). With 4:37 to go in the first half, Zac Taylor found Hunter Teafatiller for a 14-yard touchdown reception. However, five turnovers limited Nebraska's remaining scoring chances.

2022 at No. 3 Michigan (34-3). Chubba Purdy started in place of the injured Casey Thompson. Purdy led Nebraska on nice drive in the second quarter, leading NU down the field.*

*This drive is often remembered for Husker wide receiver Alante Brown's attempt to hurdle a Wolverine defender. That attempt did not go as planned.

Purdy picked up eight yards on third-and-three, but left the game with an injury. Logan Smothers came in at QB, but could not keep the drive going. Timmy Bleekrode kicked a 37-yard field goal with 4:10 left in the first half.

Nebraska did not cross midfield again.

Third quarter

2019 vs No. 5 Ohio State (48-7). Dedrick Mills scored on a nine-yard touchdown run with 1:44 to go in the third quarter, snapping a 48-0 scoring run by the Buckeyes. Prior to NU's score, the Huskers had only crossed midfield once. That drive ended at the OSU 26 on one of Adrian Martinez's three interceptions.

I can tell you that most of the 89,759 fans in the stadium had left by the time Mills scored. This is one of seven games on this list that took place in primetime in front of a national television audience.

Fourth quarter

2019 at Minnesota (34-7). In what has come to be known as the "hoodie game*", it was Nebraska's offense that went cold.

*Two weeks after the Minnesota game, Frost was critical of Nebraska players who wore hoodies on the field during the pregame warm-ups (the temperature at kickoff was 37 degrees).

Noah Vedral made his first career start, and guided the Husker offense past midfield on NU's first three drives. A 14-play, 80-yard drive ended with a Dedrick Mills touchdown with 12:23 to go in the game.

2003 at No. 16 Texas (31-7). Matt Herian caught at 48-yard touchdown pass from Jammal Lord with 11:58 to go in the game. No. 12 Nebraska was held to 53 yards rushing (on 40 carries) and had 175 yards of total offense. Texas running back Cedric Benson rushed for 174 yards. Quarterback Vince Young rushed for 163.

When Husker fans talk about the 2003 season - Frank Solich's last year at Nebraska - the conversation usually focuses on the nine regular-season wins. But it was the losses that ultimately sealed Solich's fate. This game, where Nebraska was non-competitive in all three phases, was a perfect microcosm of those games.

2023 vs No. 2 Michigan (45-7). The eventual national champions dominated from the start, leading 14-0 after one quarter and 45-0 late in the game.

With Nebraska staring down their first home shutout since 1968 (a span of 360 home games), the Huskers gave a carry to Joshua Fleeks. Fleeks got through the Wolverine reserves and sprinted 74 yards for a streak-saving touchdown with 4:17 to go in the game.

Fleeks had switched positions from wide receiver to running back a few days before the game. The touchdown accounted for 70% of Nebraska's rushing yards in the game.

2004 at No. 2 Oklahoma (30-3). The No. 2 Sooners dominated the game. If we're being honest, they deserved the shutout. But Bob Stoops, some oranges, a walk-on fullback, and Bill Callahan's pettiness - had other plans.

The Huskers offense crossed midfield three times in this game.

In the second quarter, a Joe Dailey pass to David Horne took the ball to the OU 49. Facing fourth-and-three from midfield, Sam Koch punted on the next play.
Nebraska's best drive of the night occurred in the fourth quarter. Dailey led the Huskers on a 74-yard drive and faced fourth-and-five from the Sooner six-yard line. Callahan elected to go for the touchdown, but Dailey's pass was batted down.*

*The official stats from that game list the play as "Dailey, Joe pass incomplete to Adams, Titus". Adams was a 300-pound defensive lineman who was not on the field for that play.

With under a minute to go, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops still had Jason White (the reigning Heisman Trophy winner) in the game and throwing for the end zone. Had OU simply knelt the ball or handed it off, they would have recorded the shutout. White completed a pass on fourth down, but Kellen Huston made the tackle to force a turnover on downs. Nebraska had the ball at the OU 13 with 33 seconds left.

Before the Husker drive could start, Oklahoma was penalized 15 yards because their fans were throwing oranges onto the field. On first down from the 28, fullback Steve Kriewald flipped the field, rumbling 48 yards. After another fullback handoff gained three yards, Bill Callahan had Dailey spike the ball with one second remaining. As Sooner fans shouted boos, David Dyches trotted out and made a 39-yard field goal as time expired. Nebraska's scoring streak reached 112 games.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

Add us as a preferred source on Google