1975 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Big Eight co-champion
Fiesta Bowl, L 14–17 vs. Arizona State
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 9
AP	No. 9
Record	10–2 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach	Tom Osborne (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Tom Osborne (7th season)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Monte Kiffin (3rd season)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons ←  1974 1976 →

1975 Big Eight Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Oklahoma +	6	–	1	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
No. 9 Nebraska +	6	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 16 Colorado	5	–	2	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Kansas	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Missouri	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Oklahoma State	3	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Iowa State	1	–	6	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Kansas State	0	–	7	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1975 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 13	1:30 pm	LSU*	No. 6	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		W 10–7	76,259	[1]
September 20	1:30 pm	Indiana*	No. 6	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		W 45–0	76,022
September 27	1:30 pm	TCU*	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		W 56–14	75,931
October 4	1:30 pm	Miami (FL)*	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE ( rivalry)		W 31–16	76,231
October 11	1:30 pm	Kansas	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE ( rivalry)		W 16–0	76,285
October 18	1:30 pm	at Oklahoma State	No. 4	Lewis Field Stillwater, OK		W 28–20	48,500
October 25	1:30 pm	No. 10 Colorado	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE ( rivalry)		W 63–21	76,509
November 1	12:00 pm	at No. 12 Missouri	No. 3	Faurot Field Columbia, MO ( rivalry)	ABC	W 30–7	68,195
November 8	1:30 pm	at Kansas State	No. 3	KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS ( rivalry)		W 12–0	41,300
November 15	1:30 pm	Iowa State	No. 2	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		W 52–0	76,131
November 22	1:30 pm	at No. 7 Oklahoma	No. 2	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK ( rivalry)		L 10–35	71,952
December 26	2:00 pm	at No. 7 Arizona State*	No. 6	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ ( Fiesta Bowl)	CBS	L 14–17	51,396
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Roster

^{[2] [3]}

Andrews, George #96 (So.) DE Anthony, Monte #49 (So.) IB Avery, Scott #57 (Jr.) DT Belka, Jim #47 (Jr.) LB Block, King #55 (So.) LB Bonness, Bob (So.) DE Bonness, Rik #54 (Sr.) C Borg, Tim #19 (So.) DB Brock, Dan #94 (Jr.) DT Brown, Kenny (So.) WB Burns, Ed #17 (Jr.) QB Burrow, Jim #2 (Sr.) DB Butterfield, Dave #34 (Jr.) DB Cabell, Jake #24 (Jr.) DB Carpenter, Jeff #37 (So.) LB Clark, Kelvin #73 (So.) OT Clark, Mike (So.) OT Coccia, Tom #90 (Sr.) DE Cooley, Lawrence (So.) OG Costanzo, Rich #77 (Sr.) OT Coyle, Mike #42 (Sr.) PK Craig, Curtis #33 (So.) WB Davis, Tom #52 (So.) C Davis, Tony #25 (Sr.) FB Dervin, Joe (So.) LB Donnell, Dodie #45 (So.) FB Eichelberger, Percy #44 (Jr.) LB Eveland, Al #43 (Jr.) PK Everett, Earl #9 (Jr.) WB Ferragamo, Vince #15 (Jr.) QB Fischer, Tim #10 (So.) DB Folsom, Bob (Jr.) FB Fultz, Mike #72 (Jr.) DT Gade, Steve #56 (So.) C Galano, Bobby #59 (So.) OG Garcia, Randy #18 (So.) QB Gast, Reg #82 (So.) DE Gillespie, Dave #28 (Jr.) IB		Gissler, Dean #97 (Sr.) DT Glenn, Steve #71 (So.) OT Hansen, Jeff #48 (So.) LB Harvey, Ted #31 (So.) DB Hayes, Bob #76 (So.) OT Heiser, Tom #27 (Sr.) WB Higgs, Gary (Jr.) FB Hunter, Ken #78 (Jr.) OT Jenkins, Brad #92 (Sr.) TE Jones, Chuck #35 (Sr.) DB Jorgensen, Greg #63 (So.) OG Justice, Jason #38 (So.) FB Kane, John (Unk) LB Kraft, Bill #83 (So.) SE Kroneberger, Jon #64 (So.) OT Lee, John #69 (Sr.) MG Lehigh, Pat #6 (So.) DB Lessman, Randy #39 (Jr.) P Lindquist, Steve #68 (So.) OG Lingenfelter, Bob #70 (Jr.) OT Loken, Rocke #16 (So.) SE Luck, Terry #11 (Sr.) QB Malito, Chuck #89 (Jr.) SE Markley, Paul (So.) DB Markus, Steve (So.) LB Martin, Bob #87 (Sr.) DE Miller, Dan #58 (So.) OG Mills, George #75 (Sr.) DT Monds, Wonder #26 (Sr.) DB Mushinskie, Larry #88 (Sr.) TE Nitzel, Ron #85 (Jr.) SE Ohrt, Tom #74 (So.) OT O'Leary, John #14 (Sr.) IB Panneton, Rick #95 (Sr.) TE Payne, Dennis #13 (So.) DB Phillips, Ray #80 (Jr.) DE Pillen, Clete #61 (Jr.) LB Pittman, Randy #1 (So.) WB		Plucknett, John #50 (Jr.) MG Poeschl, Randy (So.) DT Porter, G.M. (Budge) (So.) DB Pruitt, Ron #91 (Sr.) DT Pullen, Jeff #36 (Jr.) MG Redding, Dave #84 (Sr.) DE Rick, Randy #22 (Jr.) DE Ridder, Tom (So.) DE Samuel, Tony #98 (So.) DE Schmidt, Dan #51 (Jr.) OG Schroeder, John (So.) OG Shamblin, Dave #81 (Jr.) SE Smith, Kent #23 (So.) DB Sorley, Tom #12 (So.) QB Spaeth, Ken #86 (So.) TE Stacey, Kurt #3 (So.) DB Stewart, Byron #30 (So.) IB Stovall, Rod #5 (So.) DB Talley, Chester #32 (Jr.) DE Thomas, Bobby #8 (Jr.) SE Thomas, Tom #53 (Sr.) C Thompson, Mike (So.) SE Thornton, Willie #65 (Sr.) MG Valasek, Larry #4 (So.) DB Vanous, Russ (So.) P Varner, Rich #67 (Jr.) OG Vernon, Kirby (So.) DB Waldemore, Stan #62 (So.) OG Walton, Darrell #7 (So.) WB Webb, Mitchell #99 (So.) MG Wied, Jerry #93 (Sr.) DT Wightman, Jim #46 (So.) LB Wilkins, Roger (So.) OT Williquette, Jim #41 (So.) DB Young, Larry #40 (So.) LB Zabrocki, Dale #21 (So.) IB Zanetich, Nick #66 (Jr.) OG

Depth chart

Coaching staff

Name	Title	First year in this position	Years at Nebraska	Alma mater
Tom Osborne	Head Coach Offensive Coordinator	1973	1964–1997	Hastings College
Monte Kiffin	Defensive Coordinator	1973	1967–1976	Nebraska
Cletus Fischer	Offensive Line		1960–1985	Nebraska
Jim Ross			1962–1976
John Melton	Tight Ends Wingbacks	1973	1962–1988	Wyoming
Mike Corgan	Running Backs	1962	1962–1982	Notre Dame
Warren Powers	Defensive Backs		1969–1976	Nebraska
Boyd Epley	Head Strength Coach	1969	1969–2003	Nebraska
Bill Myles	Offensive Line	1972	1972–1976
Jerry Moore	Wide Receivers	1973	1973–1978	Baylor
George Darlington			1973–2002	Rutgers
Milt Tenopir	Offensive Line	1974	1974–2002	Sterling

Game summaries

LSU

LSU at #6 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total LSU 0 0 7 0 7 • #6 Nebraska 0 7 3 0 10 Date: 1975-09-13 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,259

For the first time ever, the Cornhuskers were not able to suit up all players due to a new NCAA rule limiting the number of suited players to 60. Also, four players were ruled ineligible by the NCAA, further limiting the resources available to Nebraska. Still, the Tigers were unable to score until after the half, and their only touchdown was not sufficient to overcome the 10 Cornhusker points already on the board, and Nebraska started the season with a win.

Indiana

Indiana at #6 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Indiana 0 0 0 0 0 • #6 Nebraska 10 14 14 7 45 Date: 1975-09-20 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,022

Nebraska intercepted an Indiana pass on the first play to set the tone as the Cornhuskers rolled with ease over the Hoosiers in Lincoln. A total of twelve Nebraska runners added ground yards to their career totals in this game as the team collected 300 yards rushing, while the Blackshirts obtained a shutout.

TCU

TCU at #4 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total TCU 0 7 0 7 14 • #4 Nebraska 14 14 14 14 56 Date: 1975-09-27 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 75,931

After Nebraska punched in two 1st-quarter touchdowns, TCU never got closer to the lead again, scoring only 14 of their own the entire game while the Cornhuskers put 14 more in each quarter. Another dominating performance was turned in by the Blackshirts, who allowed only one touchdown and held the Horned Frogs to just 16 yards on the ground.

Miami

Miami at #4 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Miami 6 3 0 7 16 • #4 Nebraska 0 7 10 14 31 Date: 1975-10-04 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,231

Someone forget to tell Miami to give up before the game started, and the Hurricanes came out intending to make it a game as they jump started the scoring with two field goals to lead 6-0 and another to lead 9–7 at the half, and Nebraska first 7 points were set up by a turnover instead of any serious offensive production. Halftime adjustments and superior conditioning took over for the rest of the game, however, as Nebraska ran off 24 unanswered points, making Miami's final touchdown with just over two minutes remaining too little, too late.

Kansas

Kansas at #4 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Kansas 0 0 0 0 0 • #4 Nebraska 3 3 3 7 16 Date: 1975-10-11 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,285

Nebraska prevented a 1st half Kansas field goal on their way to posting a second shutout, closing their long five-game opening home stand with a 5–0 record. Although the Cornhuskers did not score big nor often, it made no difference as the scoreless Jayhawks watched the game slip farther from their reach as time ticked away. Kansas completed only 2 of 10 passes, and obtained only 7 first downs, while the Cornhuskers had double the Jayhawks yards by both ground and air.

Oklahoma State

#4 Nebraska at Oklahoma State [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #4 Nebraska 14 7 7 0 28 Oklahoma State 0 7 13 0 20 Date: 1975-10-18 Location: Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma Game attendance: 48,500

Nebraska's first road game of 1975 was not an easy win, despite the strong 14–0 start. Oklahoma State pulled within 14 by the end of the half and within 7 in the 3rd quarter. After another set of touchdowns, the Cowboys were still down by just 8 in the 4th when they capitalized on a bad Cornhusker punt snap and took over inside the Nebraska 25. The Blackshirts made a stand when Oklahoma State got inside the Nebraska 5, and forced the Cowboys to go 3-and-out on three scoring attempts to preserve the win.

Colorado

Colorado at #4 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Colorado 7 0 14 0 21 • #4 Nebraska 21 21 21 0 63 Date: 1975-10-25 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,509 Source: [4]

Scoring summary 1 COL Dave Williams 74-yard run (Mackenzie kick) COL 7-0 1 NEB Thomas 42-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Coyle kick) Tied 7-7 1 NEB John O'Leary 10-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 14-7 1 NEB Anthony 2-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 21-7 2 NEB Davis 1-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 28-7 2 NEB John O'Leary 1-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 35-7 2 NEB Jenkins 5-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Coyle kick) NEB 42-7 3 NEB Anthony 1-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 49-7 3 NEB Higgs 2-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 56-7 3 NEB Gillespie 14-yard run (Coyle kick) NEB 63-7 3 COL Dave Williams 6-yard run (Mackenzie kick) NEB 63-14 3 COL Kelleher 3-yard run (Mackenzie kick) NEB 63-21

Statistically, the game was close save for Nebraska's 350-268 rushing edge and 2-0 interception margin, but the scoreboard told another story. Even though Colorado scored first at the start of the game, the Cornhuskers unleashed a scoring onslaught that put the Buffaloes behind 42–7 at the half, putting the game far out of reach long before Nebraska backups entered the game in the 4th quarter.

Missouri

#3 Nebraska at #12 Missouri [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #3 Nebraska 10 6 7 7 30 #12 Missouri 0 7 0 0 7 Date: 1975-11-01 Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri Game attendance: 68,195

Nebraska Head Coach Tom Osborne notched his first career win against 12th-ranked Missouri, in Columbia, with style and a little help from well-executed trickery. The 'Bummeroosky" play worked flawlessly, even fooling the TV cameras, as Nebraska lined up in punt formation and snapped to FB Tony Davis, who immediately passed the ball back through the legs of IB John O'Leary and then faked a pass to a bait receiver. As the entire Cornhusker unit moved to simulate the punt fake play, the Tigers chomped on the bait and took off to the right in pursuit while O'Leary remained motionless with the ball hidden until no one remained before jaunting 40 yards untouched for the touchdown.

Kansas State

#3 Nebraska at Kansas State [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • #3 Nebraska 9 0 3 0 12 Kansas State 0 0 0 0 0 Date: 1975-11-08 Location: KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas Game attendance: 41,300

It was a battle of the defenses as the Blackshirts rang up their 3rd shutout on the season, while Kansas State managed to hold Nebraska to just 12 points.

Iowa State

Iowa State at #2 Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa State 0 0 0 0 0 • #2 Nebraska 14 17 7 14 52 Date: 1975-11-15 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 76,131

Iowa State probably knew they were going to have a bad day when they fumbled the opening kickoff, allowing Nebraska to convert that turnover into 7 points. Iowa State never saw the scoreboard as Nebraska put up yet another shutout for the season, their 4th, on the way to dismantling Iowa State 52–0.

Oklahoma

#2 Nebraska at #7 Oklahoma [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total #2 Nebraska 3 0 7 0 10 • #7 Oklahoma 0 7 7 21 35 Date: 1975-11-22 Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma Game attendance: 70,286

Nebraska scored first on a field goal, but scoring production fizzled as Oklahoma led 7–3 at the half. The Cornhuskers took advantage of a Sooner fumble in the 3rd quarter to go up 10–7, but Nebraska soon committed its own turnover to help Oklahoma get back up front, and it didn't stop there. Two more subsequent, painful Cornhusker turnovers sealed the game as Oklahoma converted each for points and handed Nebraska their first loss of the year and forced them to share the Big 8 title.

Arizona State

#6 Nebraska at #7 Arizona State [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total #6 Nebraska 0 7 7 0 14 • #7 Arizona State 3 3 0 11 17 Date: 1975-12-26 Location: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona Game attendance: 51,396

Nebraska led the Sun Devils through the entire game until the 4th quarter, when a fierce Arizona State Rally brought the score to a 14–14 tie and then 17–14 on a Sun Devil field goal with 4:50 remaining in the game. The Cornhuskers were driving again and progressed to the Arizona State 21 with 2 minutes to go when the Cornhuskers lost an ill-timed fumble to end their hopes for the win. As it turned out, Nebraska's only two losses for the season ended up being to the teams ranked #1 and #2 in the season's final polls.

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
AP	7	6	6	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	2	7	6	9
Coaches															9

Awards

^[5]

Award	Name(s)
All-America 1st team	Rik Bonness, Bob Martin, Wonder Monds
Big 8 Offensive Newcomer of the Year	Vince Ferragamo
All-Big 8 1st team	Rik Bonness, Dave Butterfield, Mike Fultz, Bob Martin, Wonder Monds
All-Big 8 2nd team	Jimmy Burrow, Mike Coyle, Tony Davis, Steve Hoins, John Lee, Bob Lingenfelter, Clete Pillen, Dan Schmidt, Bobby Thomas

NFL and Pro Players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1975 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents. ^[6]

Name	Team
George Andrews	Los Angeles Rams
Monte Anthony	Baltimore Colts
Rik Bonness	Oakland Raiders
Ed Burns	New Orleans Saints
Jim Burrow	Green Bay Packers
Kelvin Clark	Denver Broncos
Tom Davis	Toronto Argonauts
Tony Davis	Cincinnati Bengals
Vince Ferragamo	Los Angeles Rams
Mike Fultz	New Orleans Saints
John Lee	San Diego Chargers
Bob Lingenfelter	Cleveland Browns
Terry Luck	Cleveland Browns
Bob Martin	New York Jets
Wonder Monds	Ottawa Rough Riders
John O'Leary	Montreal Alouettes
Ray Phillips	Cincinnati Bengals
Stan Waldemore	New York Jets

References