Missouri–Nebraska football rivalry
| First meeting | November 5, 1892 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | October 30, 2010 |
| Trophy | Victory Bell |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 104 |
| All-time series | Nebraska leads, 65–36–3 |
| Largest victory | Nebraska, 62–0 (1972) |
| Current win streak | Nebraska, 2 |
The Missouri–Nebraska football rivalry was an American college football rivalry between the Missouri Tigers and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The rivalry was the second oldest in the Big 12 Conference and third oldest west of the Mississippi River. However, it ended following the 2010 game, when Nebraska and Missouri met in league play for the last time prior to Nebraska's 2011 move to the Big Ten Conference. In November 2011, Missouri announced that it would join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012.
The Tigers and Cornhuskers have met 104 times since 1892, dating back to the formation of the Western Interstate University Football Association.
The rivalry remained competitive through 1978, with Nebraska leading the series 37–32–3 up to that point. However, starting in 1979, Missouri lost the next 24 games.
Following a close overtime game in Columbia in 1997, the rivalry began to gain attention once again. A miraculous touchdown catch by Nebraska's Matt Davison tied the ballgame at the end of regulation, which allowed #1 Nebraska to barely escape a loss to unranked Missouri. Davison caught the ball after it bounced off the hands, chest, foot of a Missouri safety and foot of teammate Shevin Wiggins in what is now known as the famous Flea Kicker play. Nebraska went on to share the national title with Michigan. An unranked Missouri finally broke through in 2003 with a 41–24 victory over #10 Nebraska. Fans, players, and coaches from both sides had remarked that in recent years the rivalry had returned to the levels of intensity that was felt prior to the late 1980s.
A Missouri campus tradition came to an end following the Tigers' win over Nebraska in 2005. Anytime the goalposts were torn down at Faurot Field, they were carried out of the stadium, around the columns, and then finally to Harpo's Bar and Grill at 29 S. Tenth Street in downtown Columbia, in a tradition that dated back to 1971. Students rushed the field and tore down the goal posts following the Missouri wins in 2003 and 2005. Following the 2005 incident, 20 fans were arrested on trespassing charges and the university announced it would be forming an internal task force to reduce fan rowdiness. In May 2006, Missouri athletic director Mike Alden announced that collapsible goalposts would be installed for the upcoming 2006 season, hoping to end any future incidents with students rushing the field to tear down the goalposts.
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