That was the rushing yards total for each team in Lincoln on September 22, but it seemed like it could have been the score, considering how easy it was for Nebraska to score.
The actual score was 73-7 in a game, that in my opinion, should have never been played. This game was played purely for money. Nebraska got a home game with the millions it brings into the Athletic Department and the community. Idaho State received $600,000 for offering up their football players on a platter.
But, there I go editorializing again. I made the comment to three people on Saturday evening that I try not to do that. That remark caused one of them to blow cola out her nose (I bet that stung) and the other two to yell, “What?” OK, OK, so occasionally I have an opinion.
This type of blowout isn’t good for anybody. The Idaho State players surely didn’t get anything out of getting beat up that bad. The Nebraska fans and players get a false sense of accomplishment and athletic ability. Nobody wins in the end except the money counters.
It reminds me of the time many years ago when I rode a crowded Wayne State College bus all day to play football at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) in Kirksville, Missouri. We later found out that NMSTC was some kind of farm team for a Big Ten school. I have forgotten the exact final score but it wasn’t pretty.
It was also the only time I ever carried the ball in college. We kicked off and one of their linemen raised himself up to his full height of 7 or 8 feet at least and roared like King-Kong. While he was roaring, the ball bounced off his chest and came back to me. I caught it and kept on running forward. The next thing I remember was laying on my back on our sideline with two man-mountains, nicknamed Earthquake and Landslide sitting on my chest. At least I held onto the ball.
That was when we decided that the definition of an Athletic Director is a guy who is willing to dedicate your body for the good of the school, or more accurately, his athletic budget.
But, I digress. Ignoring the fact that Idaho State may have been one of the worst teams to ever play in Lincoln, Nebraska did look good. Rex Burkhead was wearing a knee brace, but it didn’t appear to me to hamper his running (8 carries for 119 yards and 2 TDs). Plus, a lot of Nebraska players got to play.
The crowd got bored in the second quarter during a seemly 10 minute Big Ten Network TV timeout, but the students came through to save the day. They started a Wave, like they usually do. But, when it came back to them, they changed it to a Super Slow Wave. They fan next to me said it looked like a Tsunami coming toward us. When it got back to the students, they changed it to a Super Fast Wave, which probably set a new speed record for Waves. But they weren’t done yet. They started two Waves going in opposite directions, which when they met bounced off each other and started back in the opposite directions. Great fun!
I rarely leave the game early but this was finally more than I could take. We left early, along with most of the students and a lot of other fans.
After the Mississippi State game we had tried a shortcut back to our car, only to run up against a closed gate. I thought I could slither under it. While I was on the ground working on my slithering, Karol walked over and opened the gate. It turns out it was closed but not locked, The Roadrunner always was smarter than me. This game we took the correct route and were out of town while they were still counting the money.
On September 29, Nebraska gets back to playing the game the way it was meant to be played with the opening of the Big Ten schedule. Wisconsin comes to town for a 7 PM game and a chance for us to have a little payback for the loss in Madison last year.
I’ll end this on a sad note. Earlier in the day on Saturday we said our final goodbyes to a very good man. May your Huskers and your Cardinals always make you proud, Ralph.
Go Big Red!
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