Match-up: #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Florida
Date: January 2, 1996
Outcome: 62-24 Nebraska
When Florida came out of the tunnel, I almost had a bit of pity for them. They're just so excited. After Nebraska came out of the tunnel they just ran to their sideline. Florida, however, ran to midfield jumping up and down and climbing all over each other.
You can just tell they're thinking "We're going to be national champions!" In a way they're almost like a little kid coming up to you saying they're going to be a firefighter/astronaut/policeman when they grow up. Since you don't want reality to break their hearts just yet, you just smile and nod while saying "Yeah, sure you are."
My mom and dad went to this game and left 18 month old me at my grandma's. My dad told me before the game Florida fans were "Gator-Chomping" every Nebraska fan they could find. After the game, he said he was walking around Gator-Chomping every Florida fan he could find.
Coming into this game Florida was actually the favorite. Both Florida and Nebraska we're undefeated and Nebraska had blown out everybody they'd played up to that point, but Florida was still picked to win by all those guys wearing suits on ESPN. This just goes to show you that even though they're paid big bucks to put on a shirt and tie and spout statistics, they're predictions aren't any better than yours or mine.
The Fiesta Bowl was a very appropriate bowl as it was definitely a party atmosphere throughout the whole game. This doesn't really feel like a game, but rather a 3 hour celebration of Nebraska football. This game was the absolute peak of Nebraska football. Sure Nebraska would win a national championship 2 years later, but this game was the highest high Nebraska would ever achieve. Nebraska's never had a team better than the 1995 Cornhuskers and college football has never had a better team.
It's hard to believe that Nebraska actually trailed 10-6 after the first quarter. At this point the broadcast crew seems to think Florida has this one in the bag. One commentator even says Nebraska better not fall too far behind or they'll have trouble getting back in the game. Well Nebraska stormed back with a 29-point 2nd quarter and never looked back. I could list stats for days about this team and about this game.
I could talk about how Nebraska out-gained Florida on the ground by over 500 yards.
I could talk about how Nebraska picked off future Heisman trophy winner Danny Wuerffel 3 times and sacked him 7 times.
Date: January 2, 1996
Outcome: 62-24 Nebraska
When Florida came out of the tunnel, I almost had a bit of pity for them. They're just so excited. After Nebraska came out of the tunnel they just ran to their sideline. Florida, however, ran to midfield jumping up and down and climbing all over each other.
You can just tell they're thinking "We're going to be national champions!" In a way they're almost like a little kid coming up to you saying they're going to be a firefighter/astronaut/policeman when they grow up. Since you don't want reality to break their hearts just yet, you just smile and nod while saying "Yeah, sure you are."
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| Florida QB Danny Wuerffel was sacked 7 times, once for a safety. |
My mom and dad went to this game and left 18 month old me at my grandma's. My dad told me before the game Florida fans were "Gator-Chomping" every Nebraska fan they could find. After the game, he said he was walking around Gator-Chomping every Florida fan he could find.
 |
| Throwing "The Bones" is better. |
The Fiesta Bowl was a very appropriate bowl as it was definitely a party atmosphere throughout the whole game. This doesn't really feel like a game, but rather a 3 hour celebration of Nebraska football. This game was the absolute peak of Nebraska football. Sure Nebraska would win a national championship 2 years later, but this game was the highest high Nebraska would ever achieve. Nebraska's never had a team better than the 1995 Cornhuskers and college football has never had a better team.
It's hard to believe that Nebraska actually trailed 10-6 after the first quarter. At this point the broadcast crew seems to think Florida has this one in the bag. One commentator even says Nebraska better not fall too far behind or they'll have trouble getting back in the game. Well Nebraska stormed back with a 29-point 2nd quarter and never looked back. I could list stats for days about this team and about this game.
I could talk about how Nebraska out-gained Florida on the ground by over 500 yards.
 |
| I mean, seriously? 472 yards to -28? How does that even happen??? |
I could tell you about how the 1995 Huskers never scored less than 35 points in a game and never gave up more than 28. Their offense averaged 53 points per game. Their closest margin of victory was 14 points. The next closest was 23 to #7 Colorado.
I could tell you about how the 1995 Huskers gained 4,398 rushing yards over the whole season while only giving up 862.
And I could tell you the 38-point victory in this 62-24 game is the largest margin of victory ever in a national championship game.
I could tell you all this and so much more until it becomes absolutely overwhelming. From the 2nd quarter on, the entire game is one long highlight reel of Nebraska running up and down the field, sometimes quite literally dragging 7 gators behind them.
Florida just couldn't do anything right in this game. Nebraska only punted once in the 4th quarter and Florida's returner fumbled it away. They couldn't even field a punt! Gator coach Steve Spurrier is seen at least 2 dozen times shaking his head in disbelief. I'm pretty sure he still checks into therapy weekly to talk about this game. At one point a Florida offensive lineman is seen shooing a TV camera away as he heads back to his sideline.
I don't really feel like there's anything more to be said about this game. It's been pretty well documented. So I'll just leave you with a highlight reel of the game so you can remember what it was like to be alive in '95.
Join me next week as I cap of my national championship reviews with Nebraska's 42-17 win over Peyton Manning and the Tennessee Volunteers.
In the meantime, check out my thoughts on Nebraska's previous national championship wins below.
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