Bussin' Bowl
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| Teams | |
|---|---|
| Trophy | The Bus |
The Bussin’ Bowl is an American college football rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The teams first played in 1905 and have met 13 times. The winner of each year’s game receives The Bus, a 40-pound statue of a bus that was first presented in 2022.
History[edit]
Pre-Big Ten meetings[edit]
The two storied midwestern programs first faced off on October 21, 1905, in Ann Arbor. Michigan, under the legendary coach Fielding H. Yost, was in the midst of a dominant era, and they showcased this by shutting out Nebraska 31-0.
Their second matchup came the following year in 1907, this time in Lincoln, Nebraska. In a much closer contest, the game ended in a 6-6 tie. In 1917, the two teams squared off for the third time, with Michigan once again proving victorious, this time by a score of 20-0.
Following their 1917 encounter, Michigan and Nebraska would go 45 years without meeting. The next chapter in their series unfolded in 1962, when the two teams met in Ann Arbor, as Nebraska secured their first victory over Michigan with a 25-13 win. This win was significant for Nebraska, as it came during the early years of Bob Devaney's coaching tenure, a period that would later see Nebraska rise to national prominence.
The next time Michigan and Nebraska would clash was during the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, where the teams were led by their programs’ most successful coaches: Bo Schembechler at Michigan and Tom Osborne at Nebraska. Schembechler’s Wolverines won out by a score of 27-23. Nearly two decades later, the two teams met again in the 2005 Alamo Bowl, with Nebraska coming out on top with a 32-28 victory. This was the teams final pre-Big Ten meeting, which stood at 3-2-1 in favor of Michigan.
Nebraska joins the Big Ten[edit]
After Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, the Cornhuskers were placed in the Legends Division alongside Michigan. In their first meeting as Big Ten opponents, the 20th-ranked Michigan Wolverines faced Nebraska in Ann Arbor. Michigan, under head coach Brady Hoke, was in the midst of a resurgent season, and they dominated the Cornhuskers with a convincing 45-17 victory. Nebraska rebounded in the next two seasons, securing the first consecutive wins in the series. In 2012, the Cornhuskers won 23-9 in Lincoln. In 2013, Nebraska once again beat Michigan, this time with a narrow 17-13 victory in Ann Arbor.
In 2014, the Big Ten realigned its divisions, placing Michigan in the East Division and Nebraska in the West, which meant that the two teams would no longer meet annually. The next meeting between Michigan and Nebraska came in 2018, with Michigan ranked 19th in the nation. The Wolverines delivered a commanding performance, defeating Nebraska by the largest margin in the series' history, 56-10.
The most recent encounters between Michigan and Nebraska have been lopsided in favor of the Wolverines. In 2021, the two teams met in Lincoln, with Michigan ranked 9th and Nebraska enduring what would be described as the greatest 3-9 season ever. Despite Nebraska's struggles, Michigan narrowly escaped with a 32-29 victory. In 2022, Michigan, ranked 3rd, dominated Nebraska with a 34-3 victory in Ann Arbor. The following year, in 2023, 2nd-ranked Michigan traveled to Lincoln and continued their dominance, winning 45-7.
Establishment of trophy[edit]
The origins of the Bussin' Bowl trace back to 2018 when two former NFL players, Taylor Lewan, a former Michigan offensive lineman, and Will Compton, a former Nebraska linebacker, started a podcast called Bussin' with the Boys while teammates on the Tennessee Titans.[2]
In March 2022, the idea for the Bussin' Bowl was born. During an episode of the podcast, Nebraska head coach Scott Frost appeared as a guest and was pitched the idea of creating a rivalry trophy game between Michigan and Nebraska. Frost agreed to the concept on the condition that Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh also had to agree. Later that month, Lewan and Compton interviewed Harbaugh, who signed a piece of paper, committing to the formation of the Bussin' Bowl.[3]
Despite Frost’s firing later in 2022, his successor, Matt Rhule, has shown support for the Bussin' Bowl, ensuring the continuity of the series. However, with the Big Ten's newest realignment, the future of the Bussin' Bowl remains uncertain.[2]
Given the unconventional manner in which the trophy was conceived, some have questioned whether the rivalry and its trophy hold the same weight as more traditional college football rivalries. Lewan, however, has been quick to defend the legitimacy of the Bussin’ Bowl, drawing parallels to one of Michigan’s most storied rivalry trophies: the Little Brown Jug. He pointed out that the origin of that rivalry with Minnesota was equally unconventional, as it started with Michigan accidentally leaving behind their water jug in 1903.[2] Michigan players have embraced the Bussin’ Bowl with enthusiasm. Following their 2023 victory against the Cornhuskers, Michigan players posed with Lewan and the trophy, celebrating their win and showcasing their pride in the new tradition. [4]
1997 split National Championship[edit]
Part of the animosity between Michigan and Nebraska in their football rivalry can be traced back to the controversial split national championship in 1997. Both teams finished the season undefeated, with Michigan claiming the top spot in the final Associated Press (AP) poll and Nebraska securing the No. 1 ranking in the Coaches' Poll.[5]
Michigan, led by head coach Lloyd Carr and Heisman-winning cornerback Charles Woodson, capped off a perfect season with a victory over Washington State in the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, Nebraska, under head coach Tom Osborne in his final season, also went undefeated and won the Orange Bowl against Tennessee in dominant fashion. The debate over which team deserved the undisputed national title created a rift between the fanbases and has fueled tension ever since.[5]
Michigan supporters argued that their team played a tougher schedule and had the Heisman Trophy winner in Woodson, while Nebraska fans pointed to their dominant performances and Osborne's farewell season as reasons for their claim to the title. The split decision, with Michigan winning the AP title and Nebraska taking the Coaches' Poll, left both fanbases feeling slighted and set the stage for future clashes. This shared history of the 1997 national championship has lingered over the rivalry, adding an extra layer of intensity whenever the two teams meet on the field.[5]
Accomplishments by the two rivals[edit]
As of August 13, 2024[1]
| Team | Michigan | Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| National titles | 12 | 5 |
| CFP appearances | 3 | 0 |
| Bowl appearances | 52 | 53 |
| Postseason bowl record | 23–29 | 26–27 |
| Rose Bowl Game appearances | 21 | 2 |
| Rose Bowl Game wins | 9 | 0 |
| Big Ten divisional titles | 3 | 1 |
| Big Ten titles | 45 | 0 |
| Consensus All-Americans | 88 | 54 |
| Heisman Trophies | 3 | 3 |
| All-time program record | 1,004–353–36 | 917–424–40 |
| All-time win percentage | .734 | .678 |
Game results[edit]
| Michigan victories | Nebraska victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 21, 1905 | Ann Arbor, MI | Michigan | 31–0 | ||||
| 2 | November 25, 1911 | Lincoln, NE | Tie | 6–6 | ||||
| 3 | October 27, 1917 | Ann Arbor, MI | Michigan | 20–0 | ||||
| 4 | September 29, 1962 | Ann Arbor, MI | Nebraska | 25–13 | ||||
| 5 | January 1, 1986 | Tempe, AZ | #5 Michigan | 27–23 | ||||
| 6 | December 28, 2005 | San Antonio, TX | Nebraska | 32–28 | ||||
| 7 | November 19, 2011 | Ann Arbor, MI | #20 Michigan | 45–17 | ||||
| 8 | October 27, 2012 | Lincoln, NE | Nebraska | 23–9 | ||||
| 9 | November 9, 2013 | Ann Arbor, MI | Nebraska | 17–13 | ||||
| 10 | September 22, 2018 | Ann Arbor, MI | #19 Michigan | 56–10 | ||||
| 11 | October 9, 2021 | Lincoln, NE | #9 Michigan | 32–29 | ||||
| 12 | November 12, 2022 | Ann Arbor, MI | #3 Michigan | 34–3 | ||||
| 13 | September 30, 2023 | Lincoln, NE | #2 Michigan | 45–7 | ||||
| Series: Michigan leads 8–4–1[1] | ||||||||
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Winsipedia - Michigan Wolverines vs Nebraska Cornhuskers football series history".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/bussin-bowl-how-taylor-lewan-will-compton-started-trophy-game/
- ↑ https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-jim-harbaugh-nebraska-scott-frost-big-ten-bussin-bowl-ncaa
- ↑ https://www.detroitnews.com/picture-gallery/media/photo/2023/09/30/michigan-wolverines-at-nebraska-cornhuskers/71019792007/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2017-07-20/college-football-michigan-nebraska-relive-crazy-finish-1997-gave
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