The 2015 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by first-year head coach Mike Riley and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. They were members of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference.
Nebraska struggled with many close losses in the 2015 season and finished the regular season with a 5–7 overall record, but was able to hand a playoff-bound and Big Ten champion Michigan State team their only loss of the regular season. Nebraska still qualified for a bowl game, one of three teams to do so with a 5–7 record (the others being in-conference rival Minnesota and San Jose State). This was due to the lack of six-wins teams to fill the 80 bowl slots in the FBS and because of their APR score in relation to other FBS teams that also had a 5–7 record. The Huskers took on the UCLA Bruins in the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara, California and won 37–29 to end the season with a 6–7 record.
Before the season Recruiting Scholarship recruits
Walk-on recruits
Schedule
Personnel
Depth chart
Rankings
Game summaries BYU
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner First meeting BYU snapped Nebraska's 29-game season-opening winning streak on a last-second 42-yard Hail Mary pass from backup quarterback Tanner Mangum to Mitch Mathews. This was Nebraska's first season opening loss since 1985. BYU outgained Nebraska in total offense 511 yards to 445 yards. Nebraska was led by Tommy Armstrong who went 24-of-41 through the air for 319 yards with three touchdown passes and 1 interception. Terrell Newby was the team's leading rusher with 46 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown and Jordan Westerkamp was the top Husker receiver with seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. Taysom Hill was 21-of-34 for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception before being knocked out of the game. His backup, Tanner Mangum was 7-of-11 for 111 yards with the game-winning hail mary touchdown pass. Hill was the leading Cougar rusher with 83 yards and two scores and Nick Kurtz was the top BYU receiver with five catches for 123 yards.
BYU Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning backTerrell NewbyWide receiverAlonzo MooreWide receiverLane HoveyWide receiverJordan WesterkampTight endDavid SuttonLeft tackleAlex LewisLeft guardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight guardChongo KondoloRight tackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive endGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleVincent ValentineDefensive endJack GangwishLinebackerJosh BanderasLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackDaniel DavieNickelbackAaron WilliamsStrong safetyNate GerryFree safetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
South Alabama
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner First meeting Nebraska used a balanced offensive effort and a stingy defense to put together four solid quarters of football in a 48–9 victory over South Alabama on Saturday night. Junior I-Back Terrell Newby raced to career highs with 28 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns on the night, he also hauled in two catches for 38 yards and another score in the win. Tommy Armstrong was 21-of-30 for 270 yards and two scores. Nebraska totaled 561 yards of offense in the game with 258 yards on the ground and 303 in the air. The Huskers held South Alabama to 332 total yards, with 313 through the air and limiting the Jaguars to just 19 total yards rushing.
South Alabama Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverStanley MorgonWide ReceiverBrandon ReillyWide ReceiverJordan WesterkampTight EndSam CottonLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleVincent ValentineDefensive EndFreedom AkinmolaunLinebackerMarcus Newby LinebackerChris WeberLinebackerMichael RoseCornerbackDaniel DavieStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
Miami (FL)
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 6–5 September 20, 2014 Nebraska, 41–31
Tommy Armstrong Jr. and the Huskers orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback, erasing a 23-point deficit in the final 8:36 of regulation, but Miami escaped with a 36–33 overtime win on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium. Trailing 33–10 after Miami's Michael Badgley connected on his fourth field goal of the game. Armstrong led Nebraska to 23 unanswered points to send the game to overtime tied at 33. Nebraska's comeback included a trio of fourth quarter touchdown passes from Armstrong to Alonzo Moore, Brandon Reilly and Stanley Morgan Jr., and a pair of two point conversion passes to Jordan Westerkamp and Cethan Carter. In overtime Armstrong opened the extra period with an interception on the first play. Miami took over and kicked a 28-yard field goal to end the game. Armstrong ended the day going 21-of-45 for 309 yards with 4 TDs and 3 INTs. Terrell Newby was the top Husker rusher with 14 carries for 82 yards and Jordan Westerkamp led Nebraska's receivers with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. The Huskers gained 462 yards in the game and allowed 511 to the Hurricanes. Nebraska fell to 1–2 for the first time since 1981.
Miami Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverLane HoveyWide ReceiverBrandon ReillyWide ReceiverJordan WesterkampTight EndCethan CarterLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleKevin WilliamsDefensive EndFreedom AkinmoladunLinebackerMichael RoseLinebackerJosh BanderasLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackDaniel DavieStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
Southern Miss
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 4–1 September 7, 2013 Nebraska, 56–13
Tommy Armstrong, Drew Brown, Andy Janovich, Brandon Reilly and Jordan Westerkamp all produced career days to lead Nebraska to a 36–28 win over Southern Miss on Homecoming at Memorial Stadium. Brown tied an NCAA record by kicking five field goals in the first half to help Nebraska jump to a 22–0 halftime lead. He also tied the Memorial Stadium record for field goals made in a game. Westerkamp notched a career-high with 11 receptions for 118 yards and Reilly notched a career-high with 112 yards. Andy Janovich notched career highs rushing and receiving from the fullback position and Tommy Armstrong notched a career-high with 431 yards of total offense. The Husker defense for the fourth game this year allowed 300+ yards passing as Southern Miss threw for over 400 yards. The Golden Eagles mounted a comeback in the second half, but came up short as the Huskers held on for the 36–28 win to end the non-conference season.
Southern Miss Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverStanley MorgonWide ReceiverBrandon ReillyWide ReceiverJordan WesterkampTight EndCethan CarterLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleKevin WilliamsDefensive EndFreedom AkinmoladunLinebackerMarcus NewbyLinebackerChris WeberLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackJonathan RoseStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
Illinois
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 9–2–1 September 27, 2014 Nebraska, 45–14
For the fourth time in five contests, the outcome of Nebraska's game was not decided until the opponent's final offensive play, and for the third time, Nebraska walked away on the short end of the stick with a 14–13 loss to Illinois to open the Big Ten season. The game was decided on a one-yard touchdown pass from Wes Lunt to Geronimo Allison with 10 seconds remaining to complete the Illini's 13-point fourth quarter deficit. Nebraska gained 292 yards on the day, and allowed 382 yards. Tommy Armstrong had his worst passing day of the year, going 10-of-31 for 105 yards with an interception in the loss. Linebacker Chris Weber led the Blackshirts with a career-high 17 tackles, with three tackles for loss.
Illinois Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverAlonzo MooreWide ReceiverBrandon ReillyWide ReceiverJordan WesterkampTight EndCethan CarterLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleKevin MauriceDefensive EndJack GangwishLinebackerChris WeberLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackJonathan RoseNickelbackJoshua KaluStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackChris Jones
Wisconsin
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 4–5 November 15, 2014 Wisconsin, 59–24
For the fourth time this season, Nebraska lost a game in the final seconds on the opponent's last offensive possession as Wisconsin kicked a 46-yard field goal with 0:04 remaining to seal a 23–21 win in Lincoln. With the loss, Nebraska drops to 2–4 for the first time since 1959. It is the seventh time in the last eight Nebraska games that the outcome has been decided by a single score. Wisconsin outgained the Huskers 469 yards (147 rush, 322 pass) to 325 yards (196 rush, 129 pass). Tommy Armstrong was 11-of-28 for 129 yards with a touchdown pass. Andy Janovich had three carries for 59 yards and a touchdown and Terrell Newby had 15 carries for 59 yards to lead the rushers, while Tommy Armstrong had 50 yards on eight carries and a score. Alonzo Moore was the top receiver with one catch for 41 yards and the touchdown. Byerson Cockrell lead the team in tackles with 10.
Wisconsin Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverDe'Mornay Pierson-ElWide ReceiverStanley MorgonWide ReceiverJordan WesterkampTight EndCethan CarterLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleNick Gates
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McMullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleVincent ValentineDefensive EndJack GangwishLinebackerMarcus NewbyLinebackerChris WeberLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackJonathan RoseStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
Minnesota
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 22–31–2 November 22, 2014 Minnesota, 28–24
Nebraska clinched their first Big Ten victory under Mike Riley with a 48–25 win over Minnesota in Minneapolis. Nebraska jumped to a 17–7 lead and then scored 21 unanswered to secure the win. Tommy Armstrong was 18-of-26 for 261 yards and had eight carries for 38 yards to lead the Huskers. Terrell Newby rushed 13 times for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win with the Huskers gaining 464 total yards of offense while Blackshirts held Minnesota to 366 yards and forced three turnovers.
Minnesota Game starters
PositionPlayerQuarterbackTommy ArmstrongRunning BackTerrell NewbyWide ReceiverAlonzo MooreWide ReceiverDe'Mornay Pierson-ElWide ReceiverTaariq AllenTight EndCethan CarterLeft TackleAlex LewisLeft GuardDylan UtterCenterRyne ReevesRight GuardChongo KondoloRight TackleZach Streup
PositionPlayerDefensive EndGreg McmullenDefensive tackleMaliek CollinsDefensive tackleVincent ValentineDefensive EndJack GangwishLinebackerMarcus NewbyLinebackerJosh BanderasLinebackerDedrick YoungCornerbackJonathan RoseStrong SafetyNate GerryFree SafetyByerson CockrellCornerbackJoshua Kalu
Northwestern
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Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 6–2 October 18, 2014 Nebraska, 38–17