CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1998 Nebraska

9–⁠4 (5–⁠3 Big 12), coached by Frank Solich, finished No. 19 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Nebraska in 1998, game by game: won vs. Louisiana Tech 56–27; won vs. UAB 38–7; won at California 24–3; won vs. No. 9 Washington 55–7; won vs. Oklahoma State 24–17; lost at No. 18 Texas A&M 21–28; won vs. Kansas 41–0; won vs. No. 19 Missouri 20–13; lost vs. Texas 16–20; won at Iowa State 42–7; lost at No. 2 Kansas State 30–40; won vs. Colorado 16–14; lost vs. No. 5 Arizona 20–23+48−10Won 56–27 vs. Louisiana Tech+29Louisiana TechWon 38–7 vs. UAB+31UABWon 24–3 at California+21CaliforniaWon 55–7 vs. No. 9 Washington+48No. 9 WashingtonWon 24–17 vs. Oklahoma State+7Oklahoma StateLost 21–28 at No. 18 Texas A&M-7No. 18 Texas A&MWon 41–0 vs. Kansas+41KansasWon 20–13 vs. No. 19 Missouri+7No. 19 MissouriLost 16–20 vs. Texas-4TexasWon 42–7 at Iowa State+35Iowa StateLost 30–40 at No. 2 Kansas State-10No. 2 Kansas StateWon 16–14 vs. Colorado+2ColoradoLost 20–23 vs. No. 5 Arizona-3No. 5 Arizona
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 29vsLouisiana TechW 56–⁠2777%
Sep 5vsUABW 38–⁠790%
Sep 12atCaliforniaW 24–⁠381%
Sep 26vs9WashingtonW 55–⁠774%
Oct 3vsOklahoma StateW 24–⁠1782%
Oct 10at18Texas A&ML 21–⁠2866%
Oct 17vsKansasW 41–⁠091%
Oct 24vs19MissouriW 20–⁠1381%
Oct 31vsTexasL 16–⁠2083%
Nov 7atIowa StateW 42–⁠788%
Nov 14at2Kansas StateL 30–⁠4042%
Nov 27vsColoradoW 16–⁠1479%
Dec 30Bowls & playoffvs5ArizonaHoliday BowlL 20–⁠2356%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Arizona 23–⁠20 in the Holiday Bowl; No. 19 in the final AP poll; tied for 4th in the Big 12.

In program history: The 20th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 129 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 4
  2. Wk 2: 4
  3. Wk 3: 3
  4. Wk 4: 2
  5. Wk 5: 2
  6. Wk 6: 2
  7. Wk 7: 8
  8. Wk 8: 7
  9. Wk 9: 7
  10. Wk 10: 14
  11. Wk 11: 11
  12. Wk 12: 17
  13. Wk 13: 14
  14. Wk 14: 13
  15. Wk 15: 14
  16. Final: 19

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1998.

Record
9–⁠4
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 4th in Big 12
AP final
No. 19 peak No. 2
Points
403–⁠206
Coach
Frank Solich
Elo
1739 −14 this season
SP+ rating
22.7 No. 9 of 112; offense No. 21, defense No. 8
SRS
20.2 No. 6 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Charlie McBride
Offense
I formation
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1999

The 1999 draft
Rd 2Mike Rucker DECarolina Panthers
Rd 4Joel Makovicka RBArizona Cardinals
Rd 4Jason Wiltz DTNew York Jets
Rd 5Jay Foreman LBBuffalo Bills
Rd 7Chad Kelsay LBPittsburgh Steelers
Rd 7Kris Brown KPittsburgh Steelers
Rd 7Sheldon Jackson TEBuffalo Bills

All-Big 12

3 first team, 6 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1998 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1998 Big 12 standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Kansas State8–⁠011–⁠210
Texas A&M7–⁠111–⁠311
Texas6–⁠29–⁠315
Nebraska5–⁠39–⁠419
Missouri5–⁠38–⁠421
Colorado4–⁠48–⁠4
Texas Tech4–⁠47–⁠5
Oklahoma3–⁠55–⁠6
Oklahoma State3–⁠55–⁠6
Kansas1–⁠74–⁠7
Iowa State1–⁠73–⁠8
Baylor1–⁠72–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.