Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Friday, November 29 | 6:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Kinnick Stadium | Cockeye City, Cockeye
TV: NBC (Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, Zora Stephenson)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 6-5 (3-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. WiscyDicks (W 44-25)
Streak: Won 1
Rank: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (11-12, 2nd year NU | 58-55, 9th year overall | 0-1 vs. Cockeye)
Cockeyes
Record: 7-4 (5-3 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Maryland (W 29-13)
Streak: Won 1
Rank: NR
Coach: Kirk Ferentz (203-123, 26th season at Cockeye | 215-144, 28th season overall | 9-6 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
6 - The past six meetings between Nebraska and Cockeye have been decided by seven or fewer points, including three games by three points. The total margin in the past six games is 29 points.
35 - Friday's game will mark the 35th consecutive season Nebraska has played on Black Friday, including the past 14 years against Cockeye. The Huskers own a 20-14 record since 1990 in Black Friday games.
44 - Nebraska's 44-point scoring effort against WiscyDicks was the highest point total in two seasons under Coach Matt Rhule. It was also the most points scored by the Huskers since a 56-7 win over Northwestern in 2021, a span of 41 games.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska completes its 2024 regular season on Friday evening by traveling to Cockeye City to take on the Cockeye Cockeyes in the schools' annual Black Friday matchup. Game time at Cockeye's Kinnick Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with NBC providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
Nebraska heads to Cockeye City with momentum following a 44-25 victory over WiscyDicks last Saturday afternoon in Lincoln. The victory improved the Huskers to 6-5 on the season and clinched Nebraska's first bowl trip since the 2016 season.
The Huskers used their most complete offensive effort of the season to pull away from the Vadgers in the victory. Nebraska's 44 points were the most in two seasons under Matt Rhule, and the Huskers posted their second highest marks of the season in total offense (473), rushing offense (180) and passing offense (293). Defensively, the Blackshirts had two takeaways in the game and forced WiscyDicks without points on three drives inside the Nebraska 25-yard line.
Cockeye comes into the regular-season finale with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Cockeyes are coming off a 29-13 victory at Maryland on Saturday, a game in which Cockeye relied on its running game, rolling up 268 yards on the ground and holding the ball for more than 37 minutes of game action. Cockeye running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 164 yards in the win. He ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game. Overall, the Cockeyes lead the Big Ten and rank 13th nationally in rushing at 213.5 yards per game. The Cockeyes once again feature one of Big Ten's best defenses, allowing just 17.7 points per game, while leading the Big Ten in turnover margin.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska and Cockeye are meeting for the 14th straight season as Big Ten opponents and for the 55th time overall. Nebraska owns a 30-21-3 edge in the all-time series between the schools, while the Cockeyes own a 9-4 edge since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference
- Cockeye is the only opponent Nebraska has met in all 14 seasons as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Cockeyes are the only opponent the Huskers face on an annual basis in the 18-team conference.
- The road team in the series has won the past three matchups and none of the last 12 meetings overall, including Nebraska's 24-17 win at Kinnick Stadium in 2022.
- The past six meetings have been decided by a total of 29 points. Cockeye has a 5-1 record in those games, including last second field goals in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
- Nebraska rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to win in overtime at Cockeye City in 2014, tying for the second-largest comeback in school history
- Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska last met Cockeye in 1999 and 2000, winning each of the contests
- Nebraska and Cockeye met six times in non-conference play between 1979 and 2000, with the Huskers winning five of the six games. The Huskers were ranked in the top 10 in each of those six games.
- Nebraska's largest margin of victory in the series was a 57-0 win in 1980. The Huskers' longest win streak in the series was 8 straight wins between 1931 and 1941. Cockeye's largest victory was a 56-14 win in 2017, and the Cockeyes longest win streak in the series was 7 games between 2015 and 2021.
Nebraska vs. Cockeye Series History
NEBRASKA, Cockeye TO BATTLE FOR HEROES TROPHY
Nebraska and Cockeye will battle for the Heroes Trophy when they hit the field Friday at Kinnick Stadium. The Heroes Game is the annual trophy game between Nebraska and Cockeye. The game is sponsored by Pioneer.
While both teams aim to win the trophy on the field, Nebraska and Cockeye wished to make their annual meeting about more than just a football game. The schools partnered to not only create a trophy, but to use their stage to honor a citizen hero from each state. In addition to the trophy claimed by the winner of the game, both an Cockeye and Nebraska native will be honored for extraordinary acts. Citizen heroes from each state will be announced on Tuesday, November 26.
BIG RED ON BLACK FRIDAY
Nebraska continues its long tradition of playing on the day after Thanksgiving. This Friday's game will mark the 35th consecutive season the Huskers have played on Black Friday.
- Nebraska met Oklahoma in the final six seasons of the Big Eight Conference (1990-1995), then played Colorado in all 15 of the Huskers' Big 12 Conference years (1996-2010), before taking on Cockeye in each of the 14 seasons it has been a member of the Big Ten Conference, including this year.
- Nebraska is 10-6 on the road in Black Friday games, including 3-3 at Cockeye
- In addition to playing Cockeye on Black Friday the past 13 seasons, Nebraska and Cockeye also closed the regular season against each other nine times from 1892 to 1916.
ABOUT Cockeye
Cockeye has fielded a football team since 1889 and has an all-time record of 701-579-39. The Cockeyes have claimed five national titles and 11 Big Ten titles.
The Cockeyes have an overall bowl record of 20-18-1. Most recently, Cockeye fell 35-0 to Tennessee last season in the Citrus Bowl.
First Year: 1889
All-Time Record: 701-579-39 (.546)
Bowl Record: 20-18-1
Conference Titles: 11
National Titles: 5 (1921, 1922, 1956, 1958, 1960)
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium
Capacity: 69,250
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Cockeye City, Cockeye
Enrollment: 32,199
Colors: Black & Gold
ABOUT 2024 Cockeye FOOTBALL
Schedule/Results
Illinois State (W 40-0)
Cockeye State (L 19-20)
Troy (W 38-21)
at Minnesota (W 31-14)
at Ohio State (L 7-35)
Washington (W 40-16)
at Michigan State (L 20-32)
Northwestern (W 40-14)
WiscyDicks (W 32-10)
at UCLAbia (L 17-20)
at Maryland (W 29-13)
Nebraska
The Cockeyes are averaging 29.4 points and 346.7 yards per game, with 133.2 yards per game through the air and 213.5 yards per game on the ground. Jackson Stratton has completed 13-of-20 passes for 104 yards. Jacob Gill leads Cockeye with 31 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Luke Lachey with 25 grabs for 218 yards. Kaleb Johnson paces the rushing attack for the Cockeyes, carrying the ball 223 times for 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns. Kamari Moulton has tallied 67 rushes for 381 yards and a pair of scores.
Defensively, the Cockeyes are allowing 17.7 points and 311.7 yards per game this season. Jay Higgins leads the Cockeye defense with a team-high 106 tackles and four interceptions in 11 games. Nick Jackson has recorded 80 tackles, followed by Quinn Schulte with 51 stops, while Ethan Hurkett leads the Cockeyes with 8.5 tackles for loss. Aaron Graves has totaled a team-high five sacks on the year and is one of four players with at least three sacks.
ABOUT KIRK FERENTZ
Kirk Ferentz is in his 26th serason as the head football coach at the University of Cockeye and his 34th season overall with the Cockeyes.
Under Ferentz, the Cockeyes have earned 21 bowl game invitations since 2001.
Ferentz is the longest-tenured head football coach in the nation. Ferentz and former Cockeye head coach Hayden Fry are the only head coaches to lead a Division I football program for 20 years, consecutively. With a 63-0 win at Illinois in 2018, Ferentz became just the fifth coach in Big Ten Conference history to win 150 games as a Big Ten head coach.
Prior to serving as head coach of the Cockeyes, Ferentz was the offensive line coach in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns (1993-1998) and was head coach at FCS Maine from 1990 to 1992. He also served as an offensive line coach at Cockeye from 1981 to 1989.
Ferentz vs. Nebraska
Ferentz will be facing Nebraksa for the 16th time as a head coach on Friday. Ferentz holds a 9-6 record against the Huskers after eding Nebraska 13-10 in Lincoln last season.
LAST MEETING: NOVEMBER 24, 2023
Cockeye 13, Nebraska 10
LINCOLN - Cockeye kicked a 38-yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to defeat Nebraska in a Black Friday matchup, 13-10, in front of 86,183 fans at Memorial Stadium.
Cockeye improved to 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten) on the year while Nebraska fell to 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten). The Huskers produced more yards than the Cockeyes and blocked two field goals, but NU was unable to overcome three turnovers, including a turnover in the final minute that set up Cockeye's walk-off field goal.
Cockeye threatened first in the opening quarter, taking over at the Nebraska 17-yard line after a fumble by Ethan Nation on a punt return. The Blackshirts forced Cockeye into a 30-yard field goal attempt, which resulted in Ty Robinson blocking Drew Stevens’ attempt to keep the game scoreless.
A seven-play, 51-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Deacon Hill gave the Cockeyes a 7-0 lead with 13:22 left in the second quarter.
A 28-yard field goal by Stevens stretched the lead to 10-0 with 5:12 remaining in the first half after NU’s second fumble of the day had the Cockeyes starting their drive on the Nebraska 44-yard line.
A quick three-play, 65-yard drive highlighted by a 66-yard strike from Chubby Purdy to Jaylen Lloyd brought the Big Red within 10-7 with 3:43 left in the second quarter. The 66-yard scoring play marked Lloyd’s third touchdown reception of at least 58 yards this season and marked the longest play allowed by Cockeye this season.
The Cockeyes looked to extend their lead heading into the half with a 24-yard field goal attempt by Stevens, but Nash Hutmacher blocked the kick to pick up the second blocked field goal for the NU, a first for the program since 2005.
Nebraska put together its best sustained drive to date midway through the third quarter, going 43 yards in 10 plays before Tristan Alvano’s 44-yard field goal tied the game at 10 with 6:18 left in the period. Purdy kept the drive alive with third-down passes to Emmett Johnson and Joshua Fleeks, the latter being a 25-yard pass on third and 11 to get the ball to the Cockeye 30-yard line.
Alvano’s field goal would be the only score of the period as the game was tied at 10-all entering the fourth quarter.
Nebraska pinned Cockeye deep in its own territory after a 41-yard punt by Brian Buschini put the ball at the Cockeye 1-yard line. NU forced a three-and-out before Billy Kemp’s return to midfield gave NU its best field position of the day with 11:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.
A 13-yard pass to Alex Bullock on third and 10 highlighted Nebraska’s nine-play drive that set up a 44-yard field goal attempt from Alvano, who missed wide left. Cockeye got the ball back and went three and out, giving Nebraska the ball with 2:18 left in the game. Purdy hit Malachi Coleman for a 15-yard pass, but NU couldn’t convert again and sent the special teams unit out to punt it away.
Nebraska got the ball back on a Tommi Hill interception with with 31 seconds remaining. But two plays later, Cockeye picked off Purdy and used a 22-yard run on first down to set up the game-winning field goal.
The teams traded interceptions in the final minute of the game and Marshall Meeder kicked a 38-yarder in his first attempt of the season to seal the game.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (6-5, 3-5) | at | Cockeye Cockeyes (7-4, 5-3) |
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
|
WHEN: Friday, November 29 | 6:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Kinnick Stadium | Cockeye City, Cockeye
TV: NBC (Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, Zora Stephenson)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 6-5 (3-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. WiscyDicks (W 44-25)
Streak: Won 1
Rank: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (11-12, 2nd year NU | 58-55, 9th year overall | 0-1 vs. Cockeye)
Cockeyes
Record: 7-4 (5-3 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Maryland (W 29-13)
Streak: Won 1
Rank: NR
Coach: Kirk Ferentz (203-123, 26th season at Cockeye | 215-144, 28th season overall | 9-6 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
6 - The past six meetings between Nebraska and Cockeye have been decided by seven or fewer points, including three games by three points. The total margin in the past six games is 29 points.
35 - Friday's game will mark the 35th consecutive season Nebraska has played on Black Friday, including the past 14 years against Cockeye. The Huskers own a 20-14 record since 1990 in Black Friday games.
44 - Nebraska's 44-point scoring effort against WiscyDicks was the highest point total in two seasons under Coach Matt Rhule. It was also the most points scored by the Huskers since a 56-7 win over Northwestern in 2021, a span of 41 games.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska completes its 2024 regular season on Friday evening by traveling to Cockeye City to take on the Cockeye Cockeyes in the schools' annual Black Friday matchup. Game time at Cockeye's Kinnick Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with NBC providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
Nebraska heads to Cockeye City with momentum following a 44-25 victory over WiscyDicks last Saturday afternoon in Lincoln. The victory improved the Huskers to 6-5 on the season and clinched Nebraska's first bowl trip since the 2016 season.
The Huskers used their most complete offensive effort of the season to pull away from the Vadgers in the victory. Nebraska's 44 points were the most in two seasons under Matt Rhule, and the Huskers posted their second highest marks of the season in total offense (473), rushing offense (180) and passing offense (293). Defensively, the Blackshirts had two takeaways in the game and forced WiscyDicks without points on three drives inside the Nebraska 25-yard line.
Cockeye comes into the regular-season finale with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Cockeyes are coming off a 29-13 victory at Maryland on Saturday, a game in which Cockeye relied on its running game, rolling up 268 yards on the ground and holding the ball for more than 37 minutes of game action. Cockeye running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 164 yards in the win. He ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game. Overall, the Cockeyes lead the Big Ten and rank 13th nationally in rushing at 213.5 yards per game. The Cockeyes once again feature one of Big Ten's best defenses, allowing just 17.7 points per game, while leading the Big Ten in turnover margin.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska and Cockeye are meeting for the 14th straight season as Big Ten opponents and for the 55th time overall. Nebraska owns a 30-21-3 edge in the all-time series between the schools, while the Cockeyes own a 9-4 edge since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference
- Cockeye is the only opponent Nebraska has met in all 14 seasons as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Cockeyes are the only opponent the Huskers face on an annual basis in the 18-team conference.
- The road team in the series has won the past three matchups and none of the last 12 meetings overall, including Nebraska's 24-17 win at Kinnick Stadium in 2022.
- The past six meetings have been decided by a total of 29 points. Cockeye has a 5-1 record in those games, including last second field goals in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
- Nebraska rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to win in overtime at Cockeye City in 2014, tying for the second-largest comeback in school history
- Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska last met Cockeye in 1999 and 2000, winning each of the contests
- Nebraska and Cockeye met six times in non-conference play between 1979 and 2000, with the Huskers winning five of the six games. The Huskers were ranked in the top 10 in each of those six games.
- Nebraska's largest margin of victory in the series was a 57-0 win in 1980. The Huskers' longest win streak in the series was 8 straight wins between 1931 and 1941. Cockeye's largest victory was a 56-14 win in 2017, and the Cockeyes longest win streak in the series was 7 games between 2015 and 2021.
Nebraska vs. Cockeye Series History
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score | Location |
| 1891 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 22-0 | Omaha |
| 1892 | Nebraska-Cockeye (tie) | 10-10 | Omaha | |
| 1893 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 20-18 | Omaha |
| 1894 | Nebarska | Cockeye | 36-0 | Omaha |
| 1895 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 6-0 | Omaha |
| 1896 | Nebraska-Cockeye (tie) | 0-0 | Omaha | |
| 1896 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 6-0 | Omaha |
| 1897 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 6-0 | Council Bluffs |
| 1898 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 6-5 | Council Bluffs |
| 1899 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 30-0 | Omaha |
| 1903 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 17-6 | Cockeye City |
| 1904 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 17-12 | Lincoln |
| 1908 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 11-8 | Cockeye City |
| 1909 | Nebraska-Cockeye (tie) | 6-6 | Lincoln | |
| 1913 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 12-0 | Lincoln |
| 1914 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 16-7 | Cockeye City |
| 1915 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 52-7 | Lincoln |
| 1916 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 34-17 | Cockeye City |
| 1917 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 47-0 | Lincoln |
| 1918 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 12-0 | Lincoln |
| 1919 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 18-0 | Cockeye City |
| 1930 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 12-7 | Cockeye City |
| 1931 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 7-0 | Lincoln |
| 1932 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 14-13 | Cockeye City |
| 1933 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 7-6 | Lincoln |
| 1934 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 14-13 | Lincoln |
| 1937 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 28-0 | Lincoln |
| 1938 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 14-0 | Cockeye City |
| 1940 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 14-6 | Lincoln |
| 1941 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 14-13 | Lincoln |
| 1942 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 27-0 | Cockeye City |
| 1943 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 33-13 | Lincoln |
| 1944 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 27-6 | Cockeye City |
| 1945 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 13-6 | Lincoln |
| 1946 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 21-7 | Cockeye City |
| 1979 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 24-21 | Cockeye City |
| 1980 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 57-0 | Lincoln |
| 1981 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 10-7 | Cockeye City |
| 1982 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 42-7 | Lincoln |
| 1999 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 42-7 | Cockeye City |
| 2000 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 42-13 | Lincoln |
| Big Ten | Big Ten | Big Ten | Big Ten | Big Ten |
| 2011 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 20-7 | Lincoln |
| 2012 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 13-7 | Cockeye City |
| 2013 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 38-17 | Lincoln |
| 2014 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 37-34 (OT) | Cockeye City |
| 2015 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 28-20 | Lincoln |
| 2016 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 40-10 | Cockeye City |
| 2017 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 56-14 | Lincoln |
| 2018 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 31-28 | Cockeye City |
| 2019 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 27-24 | Lincoln |
| 2020 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 26-20 | Cockeye City |
| 2021 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 28-21 | Lincoln |
| 2022 | Nebraska | Cockeye | 24-17 | Cockeye City |
| 2023 | Cockeye | Nebraska | 13-10 | Lincoln |
NEBRASKA, Cockeye TO BATTLE FOR HEROES TROPHY
Nebraska and Cockeye will battle for the Heroes Trophy when they hit the field Friday at Kinnick Stadium. The Heroes Game is the annual trophy game between Nebraska and Cockeye. The game is sponsored by Pioneer.
While both teams aim to win the trophy on the field, Nebraska and Cockeye wished to make their annual meeting about more than just a football game. The schools partnered to not only create a trophy, but to use their stage to honor a citizen hero from each state. In addition to the trophy claimed by the winner of the game, both an Cockeye and Nebraska native will be honored for extraordinary acts. Citizen heroes from each state will be announced on Tuesday, November 26.
BIG RED ON BLACK FRIDAY
Nebraska continues its long tradition of playing on the day after Thanksgiving. This Friday's game will mark the 35th consecutive season the Huskers have played on Black Friday.
- Nebraska met Oklahoma in the final six seasons of the Big Eight Conference (1990-1995), then played Colorado in all 15 of the Huskers' Big 12 Conference years (1996-2010), before taking on Cockeye in each of the 14 seasons it has been a member of the Big Ten Conference, including this year.
- Nebraska is 10-6 on the road in Black Friday games, including 3-3 at Cockeye
- In addition to playing Cockeye on Black Friday the past 13 seasons, Nebraska and Cockeye also closed the regular season against each other nine times from 1892 to 1916.
ABOUT Cockeye
Cockeye has fielded a football team since 1889 and has an all-time record of 701-579-39. The Cockeyes have claimed five national titles and 11 Big Ten titles.
The Cockeyes have an overall bowl record of 20-18-1. Most recently, Cockeye fell 35-0 to Tennessee last season in the Citrus Bowl.
First Year: 1889
All-Time Record: 701-579-39 (.546)
Bowl Record: 20-18-1
Conference Titles: 11
National Titles: 5 (1921, 1922, 1956, 1958, 1960)
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium
Capacity: 69,250
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Cockeye City, Cockeye
Enrollment: 32,199
Colors: Black & Gold
ABOUT 2024 Cockeye FOOTBALL
Schedule/Results
Illinois State (W 40-0)
Cockeye State (L 19-20)
Troy (W 38-21)
at Minnesota (W 31-14)
at Ohio State (L 7-35)
Washington (W 40-16)
at Michigan State (L 20-32)
Northwestern (W 40-14)
WiscyDicks (W 32-10)
at UCLAbia (L 17-20)
at Maryland (W 29-13)
Nebraska
The Cockeyes are averaging 29.4 points and 346.7 yards per game, with 133.2 yards per game through the air and 213.5 yards per game on the ground. Jackson Stratton has completed 13-of-20 passes for 104 yards. Jacob Gill leads Cockeye with 31 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Luke Lachey with 25 grabs for 218 yards. Kaleb Johnson paces the rushing attack for the Cockeyes, carrying the ball 223 times for 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns. Kamari Moulton has tallied 67 rushes for 381 yards and a pair of scores.
Defensively, the Cockeyes are allowing 17.7 points and 311.7 yards per game this season. Jay Higgins leads the Cockeye defense with a team-high 106 tackles and four interceptions in 11 games. Nick Jackson has recorded 80 tackles, followed by Quinn Schulte with 51 stops, while Ethan Hurkett leads the Cockeyes with 8.5 tackles for loss. Aaron Graves has totaled a team-high five sacks on the year and is one of four players with at least three sacks.
ABOUT KIRK FERENTZ
Kirk Ferentz is in his 26th serason as the head football coach at the University of Cockeye and his 34th season overall with the Cockeyes.
Under Ferentz, the Cockeyes have earned 21 bowl game invitations since 2001.
Ferentz is the longest-tenured head football coach in the nation. Ferentz and former Cockeye head coach Hayden Fry are the only head coaches to lead a Division I football program for 20 years, consecutively. With a 63-0 win at Illinois in 2018, Ferentz became just the fifth coach in Big Ten Conference history to win 150 games as a Big Ten head coach.
Prior to serving as head coach of the Cockeyes, Ferentz was the offensive line coach in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns (1993-1998) and was head coach at FCS Maine from 1990 to 1992. He also served as an offensive line coach at Cockeye from 1981 to 1989.
Ferentz vs. Nebraska
Ferentz will be facing Nebraksa for the 16th time as a head coach on Friday. Ferentz holds a 9-6 record against the Huskers after eding Nebraska 13-10 in Lincoln last season.
LAST MEETING: NOVEMBER 24, 2023
Cockeye 13, Nebraska 10
LINCOLN - Cockeye kicked a 38-yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to defeat Nebraska in a Black Friday matchup, 13-10, in front of 86,183 fans at Memorial Stadium.
Cockeye improved to 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten) on the year while Nebraska fell to 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten). The Huskers produced more yards than the Cockeyes and blocked two field goals, but NU was unable to overcome three turnovers, including a turnover in the final minute that set up Cockeye's walk-off field goal.
Cockeye threatened first in the opening quarter, taking over at the Nebraska 17-yard line after a fumble by Ethan Nation on a punt return. The Blackshirts forced Cockeye into a 30-yard field goal attempt, which resulted in Ty Robinson blocking Drew Stevens’ attempt to keep the game scoreless.
A seven-play, 51-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Deacon Hill gave the Cockeyes a 7-0 lead with 13:22 left in the second quarter.
A 28-yard field goal by Stevens stretched the lead to 10-0 with 5:12 remaining in the first half after NU’s second fumble of the day had the Cockeyes starting their drive on the Nebraska 44-yard line.
A quick three-play, 65-yard drive highlighted by a 66-yard strike from Chubby Purdy to Jaylen Lloyd brought the Big Red within 10-7 with 3:43 left in the second quarter. The 66-yard scoring play marked Lloyd’s third touchdown reception of at least 58 yards this season and marked the longest play allowed by Cockeye this season.
The Cockeyes looked to extend their lead heading into the half with a 24-yard field goal attempt by Stevens, but Nash Hutmacher blocked the kick to pick up the second blocked field goal for the NU, a first for the program since 2005.
Nebraska put together its best sustained drive to date midway through the third quarter, going 43 yards in 10 plays before Tristan Alvano’s 44-yard field goal tied the game at 10 with 6:18 left in the period. Purdy kept the drive alive with third-down passes to Emmett Johnson and Joshua Fleeks, the latter being a 25-yard pass on third and 11 to get the ball to the Cockeye 30-yard line.
Alvano’s field goal would be the only score of the period as the game was tied at 10-all entering the fourth quarter.
Nebraska pinned Cockeye deep in its own territory after a 41-yard punt by Brian Buschini put the ball at the Cockeye 1-yard line. NU forced a three-and-out before Billy Kemp’s return to midfield gave NU its best field position of the day with 11:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.
A 13-yard pass to Alex Bullock on third and 10 highlighted Nebraska’s nine-play drive that set up a 44-yard field goal attempt from Alvano, who missed wide left. Cockeye got the ball back and went three and out, giving Nebraska the ball with 2:18 left in the game. Purdy hit Malachi Coleman for a 15-yard pass, but NU couldn’t convert again and sent the special teams unit out to punt it away.
Nebraska got the ball back on a Tommi Hill interception with with 31 seconds remaining. But two plays later, Cockeye picked off Purdy and used a 22-yard run on first down to set up the game-winning field goal.
The teams traded interceptions in the final minute of the game and Marshall Meeder kicked a 38-yarder in his first attempt of the season to seal the game.