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Husker Nickname, Traditions & More
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
The term husker might confuse college football fans that lack an
understanding of an ear of corn’s anatomy. If your only acquaintance with
corn has been the canned variety, then you might know that the starchy
vegetable comes complete with a husk. A husk is a thin dry covering of a
seed or fruit and a husker is something or someone that strips the husk
away.
While Nebraska grows its fair share of corn, it was the University of Iowa’s
football teams that first were labeled the Cornhuskers. However Iowa
followers preferred Hawkeyes, opening the door for another school to adopt
the name.
Sure enough the nickname finally ripened in 1900 when former Lincoln
sportswriter Charles S. (Cy) Sherman grew tired of Nebraska’s nicknames
that included Antelopes, Old Gold Knights and Bugeaters. Sherman was
aware of the Cornhusker nickname that Iowa had used and began applying
it for his Nebraska stories. The Cornhusker name grew tall in Nebraska
circles and eventually became the state’s nickname as well.
NEBRASKA: STANDING ROOM ONLY SINCE 1962
Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium is home to what many believe to be
college football’s greatest fans. In 1992 Sports Illustrated went as
far as to name Cornhusker fans as the “Best Fans in College
Football.” The red and cream faithful have earned this
designation for two reasons. First of all they are well know for
great sportsmanship and often cheer the efforts of visiting
teams. If you’ve witnessed a game at Florida’s Swamp or LSU’s
Death Valley, you know that kind of treatment for the opposition
is a rarity.
You might argue that there’s nothing else to do in Lincoln on a
Saturday, but Nebraska fans have filled Memorial Stadium for
every game since 1962. That length of fan commitment easily
outpaces 2nd place Penn State by more than 80 games.
Memorial Stadium’s often-exceeded capacity is 72,700. Each
Husker home game attracts more than five percent of the state’s
population and the stadium becomes Nebraska’s third-largest city
on game days.
The overflowing crowds get pumped up when the Huskers
approach the stadium. The team goes through the “tunnel walk,”
down Big Red Boulevard and onto the field with the music
blasting and red-clad fans screaming at a frenzied pitch.
Nebraska fans also enjoy the performances of the Nebraska
Marching Band.
With the Big Red’s dominating style of play in the last few
decades, rooting for the Huskers usually pays off. “It’s incredible
cheering for a team that more than likely is always going to win,”
said 1998 Nebraska cheerleader Tommy Stockton. The stadium
in Lincoln is a sea of red and everybody sings and screams. It’s
an incredible feeling.”
| Long-time Nebraska supporter, Herbie Husker |
Traditions, Mascot, Nickname & More |