The 1996 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. This was the first season for Nebraska in the Big 12 Conference, which took on that name after their previous conference, the Big Eight Conference added four schools from the disbanded Southwest Conference. Nebraska was placed in the new conference's North Division along with Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, and Colorado.
The Cornhuskers entered the season as the two-time defending national champions, having won the first Bowl Alliance championship game at the Fiesta Bowl in January 1996, and were ranked #1 in the polls to start the season. Nebraska also entered the season with a winning streak of 25 games, having not lost since falling to Florida State in the 1994 Orange Bowl.
Nebraska opened the season with a rout of Michigan State in their home opener and traveled to face Arizona State, a team they had defeated 77–28 the year before. This time, the results were different as Nebraska was shut out in a 19–0 defeat to snap their winning streak. They would not lose again during the regular season, winning the Big XII North and climbing back up to #3 in the polls. Their division win earned the Cornhuskers a place in the first Big 12 Championship Game against the winner of the South Division, unranked Texas. With a potential national championship game berth at stake, Nebraska lost for the second time in 1996 as Texas defeated them 37–27 to secure the automatic Bowl Alliance berth for the conference.
Despite this, Nebraska managed to qualify for the Bowl Alliance as an at-large team and was invited to play in the Orange Bowl, where they beat Virginia Tech.
Schedule
Rankings
Personnel Roster
Depth chart
Game summaries
Michigan State
Arizona State
Colorado State
Kansas State
Baylor
Texas Tech
Kansas
Oklahoma
Missouri
Iowa State
Colorado
Texas
Virginia Tech
Rankings
Awards 1996 Husker Honors Award Name(s) All-America 1st team Aaron Taylor, Jared Tomich, Grant Wistrom All-America 2nd team Chris Dishman Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Grant Wistrom All-America Freshman 1st team Ralph Brown All-Big 12 1st team Chris Dishman, Jon Hesse, Jared Tomich, Mike Minter, Jason Peter, Aaron Taylor, Grant Wistrom All-Big 12 2nd team Eric Anderson, Michael Booker, Kris Brown, Jeff Ogard, Jamel Williams All-Big 12 3rd team Scott Frost, Terrell Farley, Ahman Green All-Big 12 honorable mention Ralph Brown, DeAngelo Evans, Brendan Holbein, Vershan Jackson, Jesse Kosch, Brian Schuster, Eric Stokes, Jon Vedral, Jamel Williams Big 12 coach of the Year Tom Osborne
NFL and pro players The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1996 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents. Name Team Dan Alexander Tennessee Titans Eric Anderson Amsterdam Admirals Michael Booker Atlanta Falcons Kris Brown Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Brown Chicago Bears Ralph Brown New York Giants Chris Dishman Arizona Cardinals Clint Finley Kansas City Chiefs Jay Foreman Buffalo Bills Ahman Green Seattle Seahawks Jon Hesse Green Bay Packers Russ Hochstein Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sheldon Jackson Buffalo Bills Vershan Jackson Kansas City Chiefs Eric Johnson Oakland Raiders Chad Kelsay Pittsburgh Steelers Bill Lafleur Barcelona Dragons Joel Makovicka Arizona Cardinals Mike Minter Carolina Panthers Tony Ortiz Scottish Claymores Jason Peter Carolina Panthers Carlos Polk San Diego Chargers Mike Rucker Carolina Panthers Eric Stokes Seattle Seahawks Jared Tomich New Orleans Saints Larry Townsend Berlin Thunder Adam Treu Oakland Raiders Eric Warfield Kansas City Chiefs Steve Warren Green Bay Packers Jamel Williams Washington Redskins Jason Wiltz New York Jets Grant Wistrom St. Louis Rams Jon Zatechka Berlin Thunder
References