The Matchup
Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium to complete its regularly scheduled 2020 contests this Saturday when the Huskers play host to Big Ten West foe Minnesota. Game time at Memorial Stadium is set for 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM with coverage on the Huskers Sports Network beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday’s game will mark the latest home game in the 131-year history of Nebraska football.
Nebraska comes into the matchup with Minnesota carrying a 2-4 record following a 37-27 road victory over Purdue on Saturday. The Huskers jumped to a 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game and made timely plays in all three phases of the game to hold on for the 10-point victory.
The Huskers will look to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season on Saturday. Nebraska last won consecutive games in weeks 3 and 4 of the 2019 season when the Huskers defeated Northern Illinois and Illinois.
Minnesota will bring a 2-3 record to Lincoln and the contest will be the Gophers’ first game in 22 days. Minnesota defeated Purdue, 34-31, in Minneapolis on Nov. 20, but had its next two games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Coach P.J. Fleck’s team has one of the Big Ten’s most explosive and balanced offenses, averaging better than 400 yards per game. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim is among the nation’s rushing leaders, averaging 163.4 yards per game, while scoring 13 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Tanner Morgan is one of the Big Ten’s most experienced quarterbacks and leads an efficient passing game.
Series History: Nebraska vs. Minnesota
Saturday’s game will mark the 61st all-time meeting between Nebraska and Minnesota. The Golden Gophers hold a 33-25-2 edge in the all-time series between the two schools. The Huskers own a 12-9 advantage in Lincoln, including an 11-8 mark at Memorial Stadium.
• Nebraska owns a 5-4 advantage over the Gophers since joining the Big Ten Conference. The Huskers’ most recent win in the series in 2018 marked the first Nebraska victory for head coach Scott Frost.
• Nebraska has played Minnesota more than any other Big Ten opponent. The schools met 51 times before Nebraska joined the Big Ten, including 19 straight seasons from 1934 to 1952. NU also played Minnesota eight straight years from 1967 to 1974. Saturday’s matchup marks the 10th consecutive meeting between the programs as conference foes.
• Nebraska won 16 straight games in the series between 1963 and 2012, before a Minnesota victory in 2013.
Nebraska Set for December Football
Saturday’s game will be the second of three consecutive December Saturdays that Nebraska is scheduled to play to conclude the 2020 season. The stretch began last Saturday at Purdue, and will conclude with a Champions Week crossover game with a Big Ten East foe on Dec. 19.
• The Dec. 12 matchup with Minnesota this weekend is the latest home game in school history.
• The December games mark Nebraska’s first December regular-season games since a matchup with Kansas State in the Tokyo Bowl on Dec. 5, 1992.
• Since that 1992 game, Nebraska’s only December contests had been conference championship games (6 times) or bowl games (11 times).
• Before last Saturday at Purdue, the last time Nebraska played a December game at home or on an opponent’s home field was a Dec. 4, 1982, game at Hawaii.
Husker Seniors to Be Honored
Saturday’s game will mark the final scheduled home game of the 2020 season. Before Saturday’s game Nebraska will recognize 17 members of the senior class. The 2020 seniors could return for the 2021 season due to NCAA eligibility relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ten of the 17 players being honored have been in the program for at least five seasons.
