Top 10 Husker losses of all time - #5

Top 10 Husker losses of all time - #5





November 15th, 2003

Kansas State 7 0 10 21 - 38
Nebraska 0 7 0 2 - 9
@ Lincoln, NE
A - 78014


In our countdown over the past few days, we've seen losses that sting. We've seen losses that were unexpected. We've seen losses that cost championships. Hell, we've even seen losses that technically weren't losses. However, this is one of those times where context overrides all else in terms of the pain a loss inflicted on the mighty corn.

When looking back at the 2003 Huskers, there really wasn't all that much to be ashamed of prior to K-State's now annual beating of Nebraska. The Huskers were 18th in the nation at the time, fighting for a spot in the Big 12 Title game. They had only lost twice all season: Once to a talented Texas team in Austin, and once as Brad Smith's personal Playstation game in Columbia. Even after the eventual loss to the Wildcats on a cold November night in front of 78,000 John Deere owners, the Huskers still went on to beat Colorado in Boulder and beat Michigan State handily in the Alamo Bowl.

No, what is bad about this loss, is the sheer way things went down. It's widely known that this particular night was the night Frank Solich was kicked to the curb. It was also the night Steve Pederson introduced himself to the world as the biggest crack-pot, hypocrite, self-centered dictator since Mussolini. This loss was culminated not only by the piss pour performance of the Red and White, (no, I'm not saying "scarlet and cream"...that's just fucking stupid) but by the way K-State took them behind the woodshed, beat them senseless, slapped them around and then told them they fucked their wife the night before. We talked on Saturday how Miami let up on the throttle to keep NU within respectability standards. KSU did no such thing on this night.

Trash talking the entire way, the Cats taunted and teased the Huskers in their worst home loss in 45 years. Tied up at the half, KSU blew the doors open early and often in the third, breaking the game with the feet of El Roberson. As if that weren't bad enough, Roberson went to the air as the lead increased, throwing touchdown passes of 63 and 37 yards to James Terry.

As the game got out of hand, things got worse. A TD run by Ayo Saba with a minute and a half left, sent the Husker faithful into a state of despair and anger seldom seen in our lifetime. After the 38-9 ass-pounding, and the proud (yet pathetic) tradition of clapping for the opposing team after the game died, Husker defensive coordinator Bo Pelini blew a gasket, screaming down head coach Bill Snyder. Pelini, who's defense was humiliated in ways that would make Marv Albert blush, showed his true colors by throwing a tantrum at one of the Big 12's most successful coaches...one who exposed the blackskirts for what they were. The offense wasn't much better for the Hicks, finishing with 293 yards total offense, 98 of them passing. Jamal Lord, paving the way for underachieving shitty quarterbacks everywhere was an impressive 8-26 with 2 interceptions. On the other side of the ball, Roberson threw for an impressive 313 yards, while Darren Sproles scampered for 140 on 25 carries.

Did I mention this game was for the North title and was played in Lincoln? Did I mention world class prick and athletic director Steve Pederson was so enraged by the game, that he fired Frank Solich after the next week's game? (Ironically a win over a tough Colorado team in Boulder?)

This purple beat down brought down an empire, and ushered out the option era for good. In the off-season that followed, Pederson's first 4 choices turned him down, and the team was left with a second-year NFL flunky that to this day is still trying to find his identity as the college coaching genius that many of his fans think he is.

For kicking their ass all over their own turf, for sending Frank Solich into coaching oblivion, for humiliating a once proud fan base and literally killing a brand of football that stood the test of time for 40 years, the 2003 Kansas State Wildcats are responsible for the 5th worst loss in Husker history.

Tomorrow - "Those are some big holes"