1926 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

1926 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Conference Big Eight Conference
1926 record 6-2-0 (5-1-0 MVIAA)
Head coach Ernest Bearg (2nd year)
Home stadium Memorial Stadium
1926 Missouri Valley football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Oklahoma A&M † 3 – 0 – 1     3 – 4 – 1
Nebraska 5 – 1 – 0     6 – 2 – 0
Grinnell 3 – 1 – 1     6 – 1 – 1
Missouri 3 – 1 – 1     5 – 1 – 2
Oklahoma 3 – 2 – 1     5 – 2 – 1
Kansas State 2 – 2 – 0     5 – 3 – 0
Iowa State 3 – 3 – 1     4 – 3 – 1
Drake 1 – 4 – 0     2 – 6 – 0
Kansas 1 – 5 – 0     2 – 6 – 0
Washington (MO) 0 – 6 – 0     1 – 7 – 0
† – Conference champion

The 1926 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska in the 1926 college football season. The team was coached by Ernest Bearg and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Before the season

Coach Bearg started his second year with a substantially increased roster, up to 60 players from the 35 players on the 1925 roster. No specific game was recorded as the season's Homecoming game.[1]

Schedule

[2]

Date Opponent Site Result Attendance
October 2 Drake Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 21-0 -
October 9 Missouri Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska L 7-14 -
October 16 at Washington University Francis Field • St. Louis, Missouri W 20-6 -
October 23 at Kansas Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, Kansas W 20-3 -
October 30 Iowa State Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 31-6 -
November 13 Kansas State Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 3-0 -
November 20* New York University Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska W 15-7 -
November 25* at Washington Husky Stadium • Seattle, Washington L 6-10 -
*Non-Conference Game

Roster

Stiner, Lonnie T
Andrews, Ralph FB
Ashburn, Clifford E
Ayres PLAYER
Beck, Victor FB
Betts PLAYER
Brant PLAYER
Brd PLAYER
Bronson, Willard QB
Brown, John QB
Burnham, Willard E
Busby PLAYER
Carcoski PLAYER
Dailey, Frank HB
Drath, Walter G
Durisch PLAYER
DuTeau G
Fish PLAYER
Gates PLAYER
Grow, Lloyd C
Hecht FB
Holm, Elmer G
Holmes PLAYER
Hooper PLAYER
Howell, Edward FB
Hunt PLAYER
James, Theodore E
Johnson PLAYER
Lawson, Vinton E
Lee, Evard E

  

Lindell, Don QB
Lucas, Leroy T
Mandery, Avard HB
Mandery, Roy E
Marrow, Wallace QB
McMullen, Dan G
Mielenz, Frank HB
Molzen, Cecil G
Morrison, Paul C
Nimmo PLAYER
Oehlrich, Arnold FB
Peaker, Harold QB
Presnell, Glenn HB
Raish, Clarence LG
Randels, Ray T
Reeves, Joe C
Reller PLAYER
Schews PLAYER
Schulz, William G
Shaner, George E
Sprague, Leon E
Staats PLAYER
Stephens, Robert QB
Sturak PLAYER
Voris, Earl HB
Weir, Joe E
Whitmore, Robert G
Wickman HB
Wyatt PLAYER
Zuver, Merle G [3]

Coaching staff

Name Title First year
in this position 		Years at Nebraska Alma Mater
Ernest BeargHead Coach19251925–1928Washburn
Leo ShererEnds Coach19231923–1928Nebraska
Charlie T. BlackBackfield Coach19261926–1930
Bernard OakesLine Coach19261926–1930
Ed WeirAssistant Line Coach19261926, 1929–1937, 1943Nebraska
Harold Hutchison 19261926Nebraska

[1][4]

Game notes

Drake

Drake at Nebraska
1 2Total
Drake 0
• Nebraska 21

Nebraska opened the 1926 season by trouncing conference foe Drake in Lincoln, in a game where nearly every player on the large roster found playing time, as the Cornhuskers avenged the surprise loss handed to them by Drake in 1925. This was the last game played between Nebraska and Drake, closing out one of the oldest series in Nebraska football history, dating back to 1898, with Nebraska dominating the matchup 6-2 all-time. [5][6]

Missouri

Missouri at Nebraska
1 2Total
• Missouri 14
Nebraska 7
  • Date: October 9
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

Nebraska stumbled early in the season when Missouri came into Lincoln and shut down the Cornhuskers despite their quick jump to an early 7-0 lead. Those would be the last points scored in the game, as Missouri managed 14 in response. Nebraska produced respectable offensive output over the course of the game, but was unable to create any points for their efforts. Missouri's win helped them chip away at the series lead held by the Cornhuskers, moving them to 5-14-1.[5][7]


Washington University

Nebraska at Washington University
1 2Total
• Nebraska 20
Washington University 6

This game amounted to a win for both teams. Nebraska scored the points to carry the outcome in their third conference game of the season, while the Washington Bears were pleased to have scored points at all against conference heavyweight Nebraska. Although the Washington Bears and Nebraska Cornhuskers had shared the same conference since 1907 (except for 1919-1920 when Nebraska was an independent), this was only the second game played between these programs. It was also the last, with a split final record of 1-1 after accounting for Nebraska's loss to the Bears back in 1918. [5][8]

Kansas

Nebraska at Kansas
1 2Total
• Nebraska 20
Kansas 3

After a slow start where Nebraska was only able to come up with a single score in the first half, the Cornhuskers pulled away to notch another conference win for the year, and padded their series lead over Kansas to 22-9-2. [5][9]

Iowa State

Iowa State at Nebraska
1 2Total
Iowa State 6
• Nebraska 31
  • Date: October 30
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

The Cornhuskers scored first early on in the opening minutes of the game, but a lost Nebraska fumble not long after made it look like a battle was forming up. Iowa State capitalized on the turnover for what would be their only score of the day, as the Cornhuskers eventually rolled up 31 points to secure their fourth win of the season. The Cyclones slid further behind in the series, to 4-16-1. [5][10]

Kansas State

Kansas State at Nebraska
1 234Total
Kansas State 0 000 0
• Nebraska 0 030 3
  • Date: November 13
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

The Kansas State Aggies gave Nebraska the biggest battle of the season, perhaps emboldened by nearly winning against the Cornhuskers in 1925 for the first time prior to settling for a tie that year. Somehow the Cornhuskers were able to hang on to the game and fight back. Repeatedly, Kansas State attempted field goals which were summarily blocked by Nebraska, and the Cornhuskers themselves were frequently on their heels and forced to punt out of trouble. Nebraska managed one field goal in the third quarter, which was the only score of the game for either side. Kansas State was sent back to Manhattan in disappointment and still winless against the Cornhuskers in eleven tries. [5][11]

New York University

New York University at Nebraska
1 2Total
New York University 7
• Nebraska 15
  • Date: November 20
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

New York University, in their first ever game against Nebraska, drew first blood with an early touchdown, but the game was controlled by the Cornhuskers for the rest of the contest as Nebraska closed out the last home game of 1926 with a win. [5][12]

Washington

Nebraska at Washington
1 2Total
Nebraska 6
• Washington 10

Reciprocating for last year, the Cornhuskers traveled to Seattle to play there for the first time. Both teams had been waiting for this rematch of the 1925 game which had ended in a 6-6 tie. With the Huskies barely holding a four point lead in the final minutes, Nebraska marched down the field in a series recorded as one of the best ever to date put together by the Cornhuskers. As the seconds ticked away, Nebraska arrived at the Washington 8-yard line with a first down. On their fourth subsequent attempt to steal the win, time ran out as Nebraska's last effort fell short at the 3. Washington sent Nebraska home with their victory denied, and was left holding a tenuous 1-0-1 lead in the series. [5][13]

After the season

Coach Bearg's second season was an improvement over 1925, as Nebraska finished 2nd in the conference, and his career record improved to 10-4-2 (.688). The program's overall record was nudged slightly upward to 207-71-19 (.729), while Nebraska's conference winning percentage all-time remained unchanged at 45-7-5 (.833).

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 252)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  2. ↑ "Football - 1926 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  3. ↑ "Nebraska Football 1926 Roster". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  4. ↑ "Nebraska head coaches". HuskerMax. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 "the 1920s". HuskerMax. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  6. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 255)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  7. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 256)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  8. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 257)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  9. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 258)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  10. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 259)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  11. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 260)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  12. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 261)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  13. ↑ "1927 Cornhusker - University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 262)". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2009-12-25.