It was the era of mesh jerseys, oversized pads, and classic face masks. Bowl games with questionable selection criteria were the determining factor for crowning
a champion. The internet was still a fledgling curiosity that had not yet spawned its first “” webpage and no official had yet uttered the word “targeting.” The idea of an 18-team super conference was fanciful at best, ridiculous at worst. It was college football in 1999, and it was perfect.
But they’d exit the ‘99 season as arguably the best team in the country, finishing Number Two in the Coaches Poll despite not playing in the title game. Their defense was nothing short of otherworldly, their quarterback, Heisman-caliber, and their Special Teams were some of the best they ever put forth onto the gridiron.
Crouch, rotating in per Solich’s design, still shined early and often, drawing first blood in the contest with a 28-yard run. He’d score two more touchdowns before the afternoon was through, including one after thisthat still sneaks into highlight reels. Newcombe accounted for three scores himself, but also committed a trio of turnovers to match.
The Huskers heard about the Cyclone’s top five defense and waltzed to 524 yards of total offense. They saw their number one rushing offense going into the game and allowed them 146, nearly 200 yards below their average, which is more than they allowed Mizzou’s fourth ranked rushing engine, granting them a charitable 25 yards. Then they listened as Oklahoma State, just short of victory against Big Red in 1998, crowed that this year would be the one they’d break their 23-year losing streak.
With their newfound resolve, the Huskers re-introduced themselves the following week at home against a Texas A&M squad that upset them the year before, ending their 6-year streak of regular season conference wins. Suffice it to say they would not permit a similar outcome in ‘99. His I-Backs failing him again, Solich put the ball in Eric’s hands, calling his number a school QB record 27 times. Crouch made good use of his touches, darting and weaving for 158 yards and two touchdowns. They handed the Wildcats their only loss of the season, ultimately relegating them to the Holiday Bowl against Washington.
“I can die now,” Mike Brown quipped in the post-game presser. He and his teammates held Texas to 173 yards of total offense, their lowest output since 1991. Far from being disappointed, the Volunteers were foaming at the mouth for revenge after the trouncing they bore two years prior. They freely credited Nebraska and their Orange Bowl drubbing for teaching them to get bigger, stronger, and play the brand of football that would make the SEC famous in the next decade.
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