2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
Maine at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Maine |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
| • Nebraska
|
0 |
9 |
6 |
10 |
25 |
|
Wake Forest at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Wake Forest |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| • Nebraska
|
14 |
0 |
10 |
7 |
31 |
|
Pittsburgh at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Pittsburgh |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
| • Nebraska
|
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
OT |
Total |
| Iowa State |
0 |
3 |
10 |
0 |
7 |
20 |
| • Nebraska
|
3 |
0 |
7 |
3 |
14 |
27 |
|
Texas Tech at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Texas Tech
|
7 |
14 |
6 |
7 |
34 |
| Nebraska |
0 |
14 |
7 |
10 |
31 |
|
Nebraska at Baylor [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Nebraska
|
3 |
10 |
7 |
3 |
23 |
| Baylor |
7 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
|
Nebraska at Missouri [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Nebraska |
10 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
24 |
| • Missouri
|
21 |
3 |
7 |
10 |
41 |
|
Oklahoma at Nebraska [box score]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Oklahoma
|
7 |
14 |
3 |
7 |
31 |
| Nebraska |
0 |
3 |
7 |
14 |
24 |
|
The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Nebraska experienced many changes to their team's roster; not only did key wide receiver Ross Pilkington leave the team after he gave up football, but after the spring game, new junior college transfer Zac Taylor replaced the 2004 starter Joe Dailey at the key position of quarterback. Shortly thereafter Joe Dailey transferred to North Carolina.
Speculation that the 2005 season could perhaps be worse than the 2004 season began when Nebraska struggled to defeat the severe underdog Maine team 25–7.
The team went on to crush the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Zac Taylor's former four year college) 31–3. The win was unusual in that Nebraska's defense scored more points than either team's offense (Nebraska's defense scored 18 points, their offense 6, their special teams 7).
Their next game is arguably one of the most climactic in the history of all of football. The score was Nebraska 7 and the Pittsburgh Panthers 6. With 7 seconds remaining, the Panthers were going to attempt a game winning field goal from 36 yards. The ball was snapped with the holder unprepared for the play. The ball rebounded off the holder's helmet. Pittsburgh's kicker recovered the ball and threw it incomplete to preserve time. One second remained on the clock as Pittsburgh prepared for the final play. Pittsburgh attempted the kick again, the holder prepared this time. Pittsburgh's kicker looked as though he would have made the field goal had it not been blocked by Nebraska's Adam Ickes.
Nebraska's next game was equally exciting as unranked and undefeated Nebraska took on the #23 Iowa State Cyclones. They won in a hard fought match that went into 2 overtimes by a score of 27–20. The game marked the first time that overtime had occurred in Memorial Stadium. Regardless of the quality win, Nebraska remained unranked.
Nebraska was the only team that was unranked and had no losses going into their next game against the 15th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. After trailing 21–0 in the first half, Nebraska fought back and eventually gained a 31–27 foothold over Texas Tech. In the final minutes of the game, Nebraska seemingly sealed their victory and a top 25 ranking when lineman LeKevin Smith intercepted a Texas Tech pass only to fumble it seconds later to return possession to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were given a second-chance and with time winding down threw the game winning touchdown pass to defeat Nebraska.
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Wikipedia
