1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Fiesta Bowl, L 23–27 vs. Michigan
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 10
AP	No. 11
1985 record	9–3 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach	Tom Osborne (13th year)
Offensive coordinator	Tom Osborne (16th year)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Charlie McBride (5th year)
Base defense	5–2
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 73,650)

1985 Big 8 football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#1 Oklahoma $	7	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
#11 Nebraska	6	–	1	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Oklahoma State	4	–	3	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Colorado	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Iowa State	3	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Kansas	2	–	5	–	0			6	–	6	–	0
Kansas State	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
Missouri	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The season opener against Florida State was the last season opening loss until 2015.

Schedule

^[1]

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 7	2:30 PM	No. 17 Florida State*	No. 10	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska	ABC	L 13–17	75,943
September 21	1:30 PM	Illinois*	No. 18	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska		W 52–25	76,149
September 28	1:30 PM	Oregon*	No. 16	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska		W 63–0	75,947
October 5	1:30 PM	New Mexico*	No. 13	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska		W 38–7	75,902
October 12	6:45 PM	at No. 5 Oklahoma State	No. 9	Lewis Field • Stillwater, Oklahoma	ESPN	W 34–24	50,400
October 19	11:30 AM	at Missouri	No. 7	Faurot Field • Columbia, Missouri	Raycom	W 28–20	62,733
October 26	2:30 PM	Colorado	No. 5	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska	ABC	W 17–7	76,014
November 2	1:30 PM	at Kansas State	No. 5	KSU Stadium • Manhattan, Kansas		W 41–3	41,200
November 9	1:30 PM	Iowa State	No. 3	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska		W 49–0	75,920
November 16	1:30 PM	Kansas	No. 2	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska		W 56–6	75,863
November 23	2:30 PM	at No. 5 Oklahoma	No. 2	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma	ABC	L 7–27	75,554
January 1	12:30 PM	vs. No. 5 Michigan*	No. 7	Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, Arizona (Fiesta Bowl)	NBC	L 23–27	72,454
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Roster and coaching staff

1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class OG Bailey, DanDan Bailey So TE 87 Banderas, TomTom Banderas So WB Behrens, VanceVance Behrens So QB 12 Blakeman, CleteClete Blakeman So OG 70 Blankenship, BrianBrian Blankenship Sr WB 33 Brinson, DanaDana Brinson Fr OG 58 Bryan, DaveDave Bryan Jr OT 73 Carpenter, ToddTodd Carpenter Jr FB 24 Casterline, DanDan Casterline Jr QB 7 Clayton, McCathornMcCathorn Clayton So C 54 Cooper, MarkMark Cooper Jr TE Diaz, MarkMark Diaz Jr OT 59 Dittmer, JimJim Dittmer Sr IB 22 DuBose, DougDoug DuBose Jr OT 77 Ernest, JimJim Ernest RFr TE 80 Frain, ToddTodd Frain Sr OG 67 Galois, RonRon Galois Jr SE 86 Gamble, JasonJason Gamble So WB Gatson, PernellPernell Gatson Jr OT Green, DerrickDerrick Green So TE Hall, MikeMike Hall So QB 86 Hawkins, HendleyHendley Hawkins So FB 36 Hedlund, MikeMike Hedlund So FB 48 Heibel, MicahMicah Heibel So OG 75 Hoefler, MikeMike Hoefler Jr WB Holscher, JimJim Holscher So OT 64 Johnson, BradBrad Johnson Jr IB 6 Jones, KeithKeith Jones So FB 49 Kaelin, KenKen Kaelin Jr IB 40 Kelley, JonJon Kelley So SE Krantz, JeffJeff Krantz C 68 Lewis, BillBill Lewis Sr OT 57 Lightner, KevenKeven Lightner So WB 23 Lindstrom, RogerRoger Lindstrom Sr OT 77 Macias, BillBill Macias So OT 72 Maggard, RobRob Maggard Jr OG 61 McCormick, JohnJohn McCormick So IB 21 Miles, PaulPaul Miles Sr TE 43 Millikan, ToddTodd Millikan Fr QB 16 Mlinar, JerryJerry Mlinar Jr TE 90 Moore, BrianBrian Moore Sr WB 8 Nelson, RayRay Nelson Jr C 63 Nichols, JohnJohn Nichols So C 56 Noel, JackJack Noel Sr SE Otte, MikeMike Otte OG 74 Parker, StanStan Parker Jr FB 26 Rathman, TomTom Rathman Sr OT 65 Roth, TimTim Roth Sr OT 78 Rother, TimTim Rother So OG 62 Schaaf, JimJim Schaaf So SE 85 Schnitzler, RobbRobb Schnitzler Jr C 53 Sellentin, JeffJeff Sellentin Jr WB 2 Sheppard, VonVon Sheppard So SE 88 Smith, RodRod Smith So QB 10 Taylor, JeffJeff Taylor So QB 11 Taylor, SteveSteve Taylor Fr QB 14 Turner, TravisTravis Turner Sr OT 69 Welter, TomTom Welter Jr	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 42 Carl, MikeMike Carl Jr S 45 Carr, ChrisChris Carr Jr CB 28 Custard, JohnJohn Custard So LB 46 Daffer, ChadChad Daffer Sr CB 32 Davis, BrianBrian Davis Jr LB 48 Etienne, LeRoyLeRoy Etienne Fr LB 38 Forch, SteveSteve Forch Jr DE Gangwish, PaulPaul Gangwish Sr DT 52 Groskurth, DannyDanny Groskurth So LB 39 Henning, BlakeBlake Henning So S 15 Hill, ScottScott Hill So LB 91 Holloway, TonyTony Holloway Jr DE 55 Jamrog, JeffJeff Jamrog So DT 98 Jones, LeeLee Jones So LB 44 Knox, MikeMike Knox Sr CB 17 Miller, CleoCleo Miller Jr LB 41 Munford, MarcMarc Munford Jr MG 95 Noonan, DannyDanny Noonan Jr DE Opie, HarlanHarlan Opie So CB 9 Paige, WoodyWoody Paige Sr DT 97 Palmer, TonyTony Palmer So LB 35 Parsons, KevinKevin Parsons Jr CB 18 Pokorny, BrianBrian Pokorny Sr MG 34 Proffitt, ToddTodd Proffitt Sr DE 84 Reeves, GreggGregg Reeves Sr DT 93 Reynolds, RodRod Reynolds Sr MG 66 Rogers, PhilPhil Rogers Sr CB 3 Schneider, GaryGary Schneider Jr LB 51 Shaw, PatPat Shaw Jr LB 99 Shead, KenKen Shead Sr S 19 Siebler, BryanBryan Siebler Jr DT 96 Skow, JimJim Skow Sr DE 81 Smith, BradBrad Smith Sr DT 92 Smith, NeilNeil Smith So DT 76 Spachman, ChrisChris Spachman Jr S Strasburger, MattMatt Strasburger Jr S 29 Thayer, DanDan Thayer Jr DE 82 Thomas, BroderickBroderick Thomas Fr DE 89 Tucker, ScottScott Tucker Sr DE 83 Tyrer, BradBrad Tyrer Jr CB 27 Watkins, DennisDennis Watkins Sr LB 37 Welniak, DougDoug Welniak So	Special teams Pos. # Name Class MON 31 Chealey, GeneGene Chealey So PK 1 Klein, DaleDale Klein Jr MON 4 Rozier, GuyGuy Rozier Sr P/PK 13 Schnitzler, CraigCraig Schnitzler So MON 11 Tomjack, JeffJeff Tomjack So MON 43 Washington, BrianBrian Washington So P/PK 47 Wingard, DanDan Wingard Sr	Head coach Tom Osborne    13th season    22nd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Coordinators/assistant coaches Charlie McBride    5th season as DC/LB coach    9th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Colorado Cletus Fischer    OL coach    26th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska John Melton    13th season as TE/WB coach    24th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Wyoming Boyd Epley    17th season as S&C coach    17th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska George Darlington    DB coach    13th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Rutgers Milt Tenopir    12th season as OL coach    12th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Sterling Gene Huey    9th season as WR coach    9th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Wyoming Frank Solich    3rd season as RB coach    7th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Jack Pierce    7th year at Nebraska Bob Thornton    5th season as Sec coach    5th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Dan Young    3rd season as OL/K coach    3rd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Reed Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: 2011-01-17

Game notes

Florida State

#17 Florida State at #10 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #17 Florida State 7 10 0 0 17 #10 Nebraska 7 6 0 0 13 Date: 1985-09-07 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,943

Both teams started out evenly with a 7-7 tie after the first quarter, but Florida State led the Cornhuskers by 4 at the half and no one scored during the rest of this scorcher, as the mercury in Lincoln reached 93 °F (and 133 °F on the field). This was the last season opener Nebraska would lose until 2015.

Illinois

Illinois at #18 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Illinois 0 10 0 15 25 • #18 Nebraska 14 10 21 7 52 Date: 1985-09-21 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,149

Although Illinois started out behind 0-17, they came within 7 points of a tie before Nebraska ran away, as the Cornhuskers at one point scored 28 straight in a game whose outcome never was seriously in doubt.

Oregon

Oregon at #16 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Oregon 0 0 0 0 0 • #16 Nebraska 14 28 14 7 63 Date: 1985-09-28 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,947 Source: [2]

Scoring summary 1 6:08 NEB Rathman 1-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 7-0 1 1:04 NEB Kaelin 3-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 14-0 2 7:32 NEB Turner 1-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 21-0 2 6:28 NEB Miles 46-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 28-0 2 3:17 NEB Jones 25-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 35-0 2 0:41 NEB Miles 1-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 42-0 3 10:58 NEB Sheppard 8-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 49-0 3 4:15 NEB Sheppard 27-yard run (Klein kick) NEB 56-0 4 9:54 NEB Casterline 4-yard run (Cheloha kick) NEB 63-0

Oregon was rendered helpless in Lincoln as Nebraska punched in four touchdowns late in the 2nd quarter and rolled to a 63-0 shutout in Lincoln. The Ducks only crossed the center of the field twice and were unable to scrape up even 1/3 of the total time of possession.

New Mexico

New Mexico at #13 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total New Mexico 7 0 0 0 7 • #13 Nebraska 7 7 10 14 38 Date: 1985-10-05 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,902

Nebraska closed out the non-conference season against a New Mexico team that was not intimidated in Lincoln. The Lobos scored first and acquired 379 total yards of offense while winning the time of possession battle, but could not turn those accomplishments into scores as they also allowed nine sacks, four interceptions and lost a fumble.

Oklahoma State

#9 Nebraska at #5 Oklahoma State [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #9 Nebraska 0 17 3 14 34 #5 Oklahoma State 0 3 14 7 24 Date: 1985-10-12 Location: Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma Game attendance: 50,400

Nebraska pulled off the upset of Oklahoma State in Stillwater, as The Cowboys' passing attack was no match for the Cornhuskers' rushing attack when it was hampered by OSU's two lost fumbles and two thrown interceptions. Nebraska continued their unbeaten streak over Oklahoma State that began in 1961.

Missouri

#7 Nebraska at Missouri [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #7 Nebraska 6 9 3 10 28 Missouri 7 0 6 7 20 Date: 1985-10-19 Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri Game attendance: 62,733

21 of Nebraska's 28 points came off of the foot of PK Dale Klein, who not only tied the NCAA record of seven field goals in a game, but also became the first player to make seven straight in a game while also running his Nebraska field goal record streak up to nine.

Colorado

Colorado at #5 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Colorado 7 0 0 0 7 • #5 Nebraska 0 7 7 3 17 Date: 1985-10-26 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,014

Scoring summary 1 10:49 COL Craig Keenan 2-yard run (Larry Eckel kick) COL 7-0 2 9:21 NEB Doug DuBose 1-yard run (Dale Klein kick) Tied 7-7 3 14:37 NEB Tom Rathman 84-yard run (Dale Klein kick) NEB 14-7 4 5:26 NEB Dale Klein 32-yard field goal NEB 17-7

Colorado, playing without its 1st and 2nd string quarterbacks, still managed to hold Nebraska to a 7-7 halftime tie before a long touchdown run at the end of the 3rd quarter allowed the Cornhuskers to pull away.

Kansas State

#5 Nebraska at Kansas State [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #5 Nebraska 7 17 3 14 41 Kansas State 3 0 0 0 3 Date: 1985-11-02 Location: KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas Game attendance: 41,200

Kansas State managed to prevent any single Nebraska runner from exceeding 100 yards, and even though Nebraska only completed six passes, it made no difference as the Wildcats were held to just a 1st-quarter field goal while the Cornhuskers had little trouble putting up 41 points. Nebraska PK Dale Klein set a Nebraska and personal record when he kicked a 50-yard field goal, his 12th of the season.

Iowa State

Iowa State at #3 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa State 0 0 0 0 0 • #3 Nebraska 7 14 21 7 49 Date: 1985-11-09 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,920

The #3 Cornhuskers romped in Lincoln as the Blackshirts extended their touchdown prevention streak to 11 quarters. Nebraska IB Doug DuBose entered record territory, becoming the 10th Nebraska player to post 2,000 yards, became the third (after Jarvis Redwine and Mike Rozier) to have two 1,000 yard seasons, and was the first Cornhusker to do so before their senior season.

Kansas

Kansas at #2 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Kansas 3 0 3 0 6 • #2 Nebraska 10 28 11 7 56 Date: 1985-11-16 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,863

Despite a 0-6 turnover margin deficit, #2 Nebraska rolled the Kansas Jayhawks up in a 56-6 drubbing that saw the Cornhusker defense extend their touchdown-free series to 15 quarters. Without the five lost fumbles and one interception given up by Nebraska, the blowout of Kansas would have been far worse.

Oklahoma

#2 Nebraska at #5 Oklahoma [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total #2 Nebraska 0 0 0 7 7 • #5 Oklahoma 14 3 10 0 27 Date: 1985-11-23 Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma Game attendance: 75,004

Oklahoma completely shut down Nebraska's offensive machine, as the Cornhuskers' only score came on a 76-yard fumble return for a touchdown with just 26 seconds left to play, very narrowly avoiding what would have been Nebraska's first shutout in 147 games. There were only 19 total passes and 5 completions in the entire game, and although Nebraska had not previously allowed more than 157 ground yards this season, the vaunted Oklahoma wishbone attack netted the Sooners 423 yards.

Michigan

#7 Nebraska vs #5 Michigan [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total #7 Nebraska 0 14 0 9 23 • #5 Michigan 3 0 24 0 27 Date: 1986-01-01 Location: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona Game attendance: 72,454

Although Nebraska led 14-3 going into halftime, turnover-free Michigan cashed in on each of several Cornhusker mistakes in the third quarter to run off 24 points and pull away, handing Nebraska its second consecutive defeat to a #5 team.

Rankings

Ranking Movement

Poll	Pre	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6	Wk 7	Wk 8	Wk 9	Wk 10	Wk 11	Wk 12	Wk 13	Wk 14	Wk 15	Final
AP	9	10	18	18	16	13	9	7	5	5	3	2	2	8	7	7	11
Coaches																	10

After the season

Awards

^[3]

Award	Name(s)
All-America 1st team	Bill Lewis, Jim Skow
All-America 2nd team	Doug DuBose
All-America 3rd team	Tom Rathman
All-America honorable mention	Tim Roth, Brian Blankenship
All-Big 8 1st team	Brian Blankenship, Bill Lewis, Doug DuBose, Tom Rathman, Dale Klein, Jim Skow
All-Big 8 2nd team	Danny Noonan, Brian Washington, Tim Roth, Dan Wingard, Chris Spachman, Marc Munford

NFL and pro players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1985 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.^[4]

Name	Team
Brian Blankenship	Pittsburgh Steelers
Dana Brinson	San Diego Chargers
Brian Davis	Washington Redskins
Doug DuBose	San Francisco 49ers
LeRoy Etienne	San Francisco 49ers
Todd Frain	Washington Redskins
Keith Jones	Cleveland Browns
Mike Knox	Denver Broncos
Bill Lewis	Los Angeles Raiders
Paul Miles	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marc Munford	Denver Broncos
Danny Noonan	Dallas Cowboys
Tom Rathman	San Francisco 49ers
Tim Rother	Los Angeles Raiders
Jim Skow	Cincinnati Bengals
Neil Smith	Kansas City Chiefs
Steve Taylor	Edmonton Eskimos
Broderick Thomas	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brian Washington	Cleveland Browns
Dennis Watkins	Philadelphia Eagles
Tom Welter	St. Louis Cardinals

References

1. "Football - 1985 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
2. Eugene Register-Guard. 1985 Sept 29.
3. 1985 Husker Honors
4. "All Time NFL Huskers". Archived from the original on 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-05-31.