Kansas–Nebraska football rivalry
Sport | Football |
---|---|
First meeting | November 12, 1892 Kansas, 12–0 |
Latest meeting | November 13, 2010 Nebraska, 20–3 |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 117 |
All-time series | Nebraska leads, 91–23–3[1] |
Largest victory | Nebraska, 70–0 (1986) |
Longest win streak | Nebraska, 36 (1969–2004) |
Current win streak | Nebraska, 3 (2008–present) |
The Kansas–Nebraska football rivalry was an American college football rivalry between the Kansas Jayhawks and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The teams were conference opponents for over 100 years and played what was the longest uninterrupted annual series in college football history until it ended in 2010.
History
[edit]In 1892, Kansas and Nebraska were founding members of the Western Interstate University Football Association, one of college football's first conferences.[2] KU won the WIUFA championship, defeating NU 12–0 in Lincoln in the first meeting between the schools. The WIUFA dissolved in 1897, shortly after Nebraska defeated Kansas to clinch the title in a game that ended due to darkness after a lengthy argument over an NU touchdown.[2]
The series was paused in 1904 and renewed in 1906, the first of what became 105 consecutive seasons in which KU and NU met. Though the series was evenly matched in its early years (each team won eight of the first sixteen games), Nebraska gained the upper hand when the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (later the Big Eight Conference) was formed. From 1917 to 1943, Nebraska played twenty-seven consecutive games against KU without a loss.[3]
A stretch of Jayhawks success after World War II was followed by a dominant Cornhuskers run – from 1968 through 2004, Nebraska was 36–0 in the series with an average margin of victory of over four touchdowns, the longest win streak over a conference opponent in major college football history.[3] KU's streak-ending 2005 win was described as "euphoric," as was its famous 76–39 victory in 2007, the most points ever allowed by Nebraska.[4][5]
In 2010, Kansas and Nebraska were among six Big 12 schools that sought entry to the Big Ten, though only Nebraska joined.[6] At the time it ended, the rivalry was the longest uninterrupted series in college football history.[7] No future games are scheduled.
Game results
[edit]Kansas victories | Nebraska victories | Tie games |
|
See also
[edit]- List of NCAA college football rivalry games
- List of most-played college football series in NCAA Division I
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Kansas Jayhawks vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers football series history". Winsipedia.
- ^ a b Mark Fricke. "Nebraska Football In The 1890s" (PDF). library.la84.org. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Mitch Smith (November 11, 2010). "Huskers, Jayhawks meet for last time in 100-year rivalry". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ George Diepenbrock (November 6, 2005). "'Huskers are history!'". KU Sports. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ "Kansas Jayhawk Memories: KU Football beats Nebraska 76-39". Rock Chalk Talk. July 26, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Mike Dyce (July 27, 2015). "Oklahoma, Kansas tried to join Big 10". Fansided. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ Matt Tate (November 12, 2010). "Kansas vs. Nebraska game ends nation's longest uninterrupted college football series after 105 games". KU Sports. Retrieved October 26, 2020.