Husker Football Notes, 10/15: NU joins elite 800-win club
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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Nebraska reached a program milestone Saturday night, capturing its 800th all-time triumph. The Huskers joined Michigan, Notre Dame and Texas in the elite club.
It wasn’t the first time Nebraska beat Kansas State for a milestone win. The Huskers defeated the Wildcats for win No. 500 in October of 1976. Twenty years later, NU beat K-State for No. 700.
Three Nebraska head coaches combined for 414 of the 800 victories.
Bob Devaney had a record of 101-20-2 (.829) from 1962-72, Tom Osborne was 255-49-3 (.836) from 1973-97, and Frank Solich 58-19 (.753) from 1998-2003.
Since 1970, the Huskers are the nation’s winningest program with 365 triumphs.
No Octavien: Although Nebraska backup weakside linebacker Steve Octavien returned to practice Thursday, he wasn’t included on the 70-man travel roster. The junior from Naples, Fla., now has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury.
Also absent from the Husker travel roster was senior long-snapper Lane Kelly, apparently because of injury. T.J. O’Leary, a sophomore from Omaha, handled the duties.
Greg Austin (knee) made the trip, but sophomore Andy Christensen started at left guard in the senior’s place. It marked Christensen’s first career start.
Meanwhile, starting middle linebacker Corey McKeon was helped off the field early in the third quarter, favoring his left leg. He didn’t return. That’s another tough blow to a linebacking corps that already had been thinned to four regular contributors in the three spots because of injuries.
Mann returns: Nebraska senior center Kurt Mann, who missed the previous five games because of mononucleosis, returned to action Saturday, entering the game with 8:57 left in the second quarter. He then started the second half in place of Brett Byford, who had been starting in Mann’s absence.
The 6-foot-4 Mann lost 27 pounds during his illness, dropping as low as 260. He played Saturday in the 275-280 range.
Skid ends: Nebraska won in Manhattan for the first time since 1996, ending K-State’s four-game home winning streak in the series. The Huskers lead the all-time series 74-15-2. The Wildcats have won five of the last nine meetings.
Etc.: Nebraska sophomore tight end Hunter Teafatiller, a sophomore walk-on from Kingsburg, Calif., has two receptions this season — both for touchdowns. ... Byford was Nebraska’s weekly honorary captain, joining regulars Brandon Rigoni, Adam Carriker and Zac Taylor. ... Saturday marked the fourth straight week Nebraska scored on its opening possession. .... Fourteen of wideout Maurice Purify’s 15 receptions this season have gone for first downs.
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