Jay Nault asked:


Nebraska football tickets have been impossible to find for games in Lincoln for decades. The Cornhuskers are beloved by their home state, and every game they play is a big-time event. The ‘Huskers were THE dominant team in college football in the mid-1990′s, but a few seasons of “struggle” led to the dismissal of Frank Solich, the successor to the legendary Tom Osborne. Below we’ll take a look at how Nebraska is doing in their march back to the top of college football.

New Coach

Bill Callahan took over the program after a mercurial rise and fall with the Oakland Raiders. He led the Raiders to the Super Bowl after the 2002 season, but completely lost the team the following year, a season in which his players openly questioned his competence, and was fired following the 2003 season.

Callahan came to Nebraska with a set of beliefs that were about as foreign to Nebraska football lovers as beliefs can get. Nebraska was always known for their powerful zone running/option offense, and it was a tradition as rich as the school colors. Callahan brought his West Coast Offense with him to Lincoln, and set about rebuilding the program in his mold.

Fans were nervous to say the least, and Nebraska football tickets were never more of a curiosity than during the 2004 season. As was expected by many, the team didn’t really have the players to fit Callahan’s system yet, and the Cornhuskers struggled to finish 5-6. It was Nebraska’s first losing season since 1961, and this result did not sit well with fans.

However, the team improved the following season, and finished 8-4. The Cornhuskers topped off their season of improvement with a dramatic win over Michigan in the Alamo Bowl. That led to high expectations for the 2006 season.

Another Progressive Step

The Cornhuskers came into the 2006 season ready to continue their climb, and fans got an early measuring stick when the team faced USC on the road. Nebraska lost, 28-10, but it was a competitive game and showed that Nebraska had indeed been getting better. The ‘Huskers rolled through their next few games, but fell in a close game to Texas and then in another nail-biter to Oklahoma State. As of this writing, the game in Stillwater was their last loss.

Overall, the ‘Huskers finished 9-3 in the regular season and won the Big 12 North division to earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship game against Oklahoma. If Nebraska wins that game, they’ll be back in the BCS with a chance to win 11 games. That equals a fast turnaround for a team that appeared to hit rock bottom only two seasons ago.

Where They Stand Now

If one looks at the Nebraska program with a big-picture perspective, it seems that Nebraska is on the way, but not all the way back to their level of dominance from recent seasons. They’re starting to beat the teams they’re expected to beat most of the time, but they’re still looking for that first big, signature win that will clearly establish the Cornhuskers as “back.”

Regardless of their progress, Nebraska football tickets are always going to be hard to find, but in coming years they could represent entrance to a team that’s once again among the elite of college football.