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Missouri Tigers-Nebraska Cornhuskers
History
1st Meeting	November 5, 1892
Last Meeting	October 8, 2009
Next Meeting	October 30, 2010
Number of Meetings	103
All-Time Series	Nebraska: 64-36-3
Largest victory	Nebraska: 62 (62-0 in 1972)
Current Streak	Nebraska: Won 1
Longest Mizzou Win Streak	6 (1957-1962)
Longest Nebraska Win Streak	24 (1979-2002)
At Columbia	Nebraska leads 26-19-2
At Lincoln	Nebraska leads 34-15-1
At neutral sites	Nebraska leads 4-2-0

The Missouri–Nebraska Rivalry is the second oldest football rivalry in the Big 12 Conference and third oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River.^[1][2][3][4] The Missouri Tigers and Nebraska Cornhuskers have met 103 times in football since 1892.^[5] Nebraska leading the series 64-36-3.^[6]

The Missouri–Nebraska Rivalry remained fiercely competitive through 1978, with Nebraska leading the overall series by only 5 games. Beginning with the 1979 game, Missouri dropped the next 24 matches through 2002, which gave Nebraska the dominant position in the series. Historically, the rivalry was a favorite among fans of both teams, resulting in many of the record setting crowds at both Faurot Field in Columbia and Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. As Missouri began to pile up the losses in the early 1980s, fans began to lose interest in the series.

Following a close overtime game in Columbia in 1997, the rivalry began to gain attention from fans once again. A miraculous touchdown catch by Nebraska's Matt Davison tied the ballgame at the end of regulation, which allowed number one ranked Nebraska to barely escape a loss to an unranked Missouri team. Davison caught the ball after it bounced off the hands, chest, foot of Missouri safety and foot of teammate Shevin Wiggins in what is now known as the infamous Flea Kicker play. Nebraska went on to share the national title with Michigan.^[7] An unranked Missouri finally broke the curse in 2003 with a 41-24 victory over number ten ranked Nebraska. Fans, players, and coaches from both sides have remarked that in recent years the rivalry has returned to the prior levels of intensity that was felt prior to the 1980s.^[8]

A Missouri campus tradition came to an end following the Tigers' win over Nebraska in 2005. Anytime the goalposts were torn down at Faurot Field, they were carried out of the stadium, around the columns, and then finally to Harpo's Bar and Grill at 29 S. Tenth Street in downtown Columbia, in a tradition that dated back to 1971. Students rushed the field and tore down the goal posts following the Missouri wins in 2003 and 2005. Following the 2005 incident, 20 fans were arrested on trespassing charges and the University announced it would be forming an internal task force to reduce fan rowdiness. In May 2006, Missouri athletic director Mike Alden announced that collapsible goalposts would be installed for the upcoming 2006 season, effectively ending any future incidents with students rushing the field to tear down the goalposts.^[9]

Victory Bell

The Victory Bell (sometimes known as the Missouri-Nebraska bell) is awarded to the winner of the Nebraska and Missouri football game annually.^[10] The exchange is organized by the Innocents Society of Nebraska and QEBH of Missouri.^[11][12]

The tradition dates back to 1892, when the bell was taken from a church in Seward, Nebraska by members of Nebraska fraternities Phi Delta Theta and Delta Tau Delta. At the time, the members of the two fraternities occupied the same house. When the two groups moved into separate houses, there was a dispute over who should keep the bell. Annual scholastic or athletic contests were held, with the bell being used as a trophy. This rivalry abated, yet still the ownership of the bell was left in question.

In 1926, the athletic director at Missouri, Chester D. Brewer, suggested an annual award be established for the annual Missouri-Nebraska football game. The bell was selected to be the prize to end the conflict between the fraternities, and an 'M' and an 'N' were engraved on opposite sides of the bell.^[13] The exchange was coordinated by the Innocents Society and Missouri’s prestigious Q.E.B.H. Society. Missouri won the first game in 1927 7-6, and the scores from the games are engraved on the bell stand until 1954.^[11] In 2005, the scores were updated to the current date.

Series History

Missouri victories are shaded ██ gold. Nebraska victories are shaded in ██ red. ^[14]

¹ Missouri forfeited. More information at 1892 Nebraska Bugeaters football team
² Beginning of the continuing NCAA-record sellout streak at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
³ In overtime - the Flea Kicker game.

References