LINCOLN -- It's Football Night In Nebraska. How's this going to work?
At 31 million tickets and counting, Nebraska's 400th straight sellout a full-circle moment
Nebraska will celebrate 400 straight home sellouts Friday night against Illinois. The Streak is numbers. Somewhere along the way, it also became a love language between a fan base and its football team.
It's all about football multi-tasking, which is a skill that goes way back -- at least as far as Oct. 10, 1980.
On that Friday night in Kansas City, Mo. I was a high school beat writer patrolling the sidelines under the Friday night lights at Dasta Stadium at Rockhurst High School.
The stands were packed. "The Rock" was probably up. There was a timeout in the third quarter. All was quiet.
Suddenly, it happened..
A huge roar from the crowd. A stunning loud sound that gave you chills.
What in the world happened during a time out? I asked around. One of the trainers for Rockhurst, carrying a transistor radio, spread the news.
George Brett just hit a home run off Goose Gossage. The Kansas City Royals were going to their first World Series.
Seems there were more than a few radios in the high school stands that night.
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Now, here in 2024, the question is: how many radios will be in the high school stadiums around the state on Friday night? Or folks following Nebraska-Illinois on smart phones?
And I can't think of a better way to celebrate and honor the 400th Husker sellout at Memorial Stadium.
Don't fret for the high school players and fans. The folks who go to high school games each Friday night will still follow the lights. People who regularly attend high school games have a kid on the team or in the band or in the student section. Or they know someone who has a kid on the team or the band or the student section.
Those folks go to every game. Because kids grow up fast and you don't want to miss a moment. They'll still be there.
If those folks have Husker tickets, then their lucky neighbor or guy at the office -- or the online ticket broker -- will get to see a Nebraska game.
I see this as a missed marketing opportunity. I wish all the NSAA teams could play at 1 p.m. on Friday, as a solidarity salute to the passion for high school football in this state. A show to the network suits that you can push us around, but you can't take away our games.
And then everybody would have Friday. Night off to watch their favorite Big Ten team (sorry Bret Bielema) -- the one in red.
The one playing under the Friday Night Red Lights.
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It's fitting that this 400th mile marker comes on a night when Husker fans are being inconvenienced and asked to find a way to make this work on a work and school day.
A flexible, not-in-person school day at NU. Thank heavens for administrators who get it.
Nebraska fans are the greatest fans in college football. The toughest, most loyal, most resilient and passionate fan base.
It's easy to be loyal when you're winning nine and 10 games a year. But the last two decades have tested Nebraskans' mettle.
We discussed this in our World-Herald Pick Six Podcast on Thursday. Colleague Evan Bland compared the Sellout Streak to a long, fruitful marriage.
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I get it. Through better or for worse, sickness and in health, Osborne or Pederson.
Through the fall of a dynasty, so many coaching changes, COVID, the crash of a native son, and seven straight losing seasons, Husker fans kept showing up.
It's important to note that the true definition of a sellout is tickets sold, not fannies in seats. Lord knows there were some games with empty bleachers. Remember when Mike Gundy was up 40 at the half?
I firmly believe that Husker fans are undefeated against apathy. It will never set foot in this state. Football and being good at it means too much. Coaches and athletic directors will go away, not fans.
Does The Streak mean too much? World-Herald Sports Editor Sam McKewon leans that way, thinking it has held back some progress -- especially when it comes to facility improvements -- because NU officials know Husker fans are always going to be there.
It's a valid point. I think Memorial Stadium will still get its makeover. It's time to reward the fans with more leg room and better amenities. Never, ever take Husker fans for granted.
And that especially goes for the Big Ten.
Just because Husker fans always show up doesn't mean Fox/Big Ten should go back to the well over and over. They shouldn't. Michigan and Ohio State need to show their maize and scarlet faces on a Friday night before Nebraska does this again.
Nebraska fans will make this work. The atmosphere will be special. The crowd will be pumped. The Norfolk Drones figure to make another electric appearance.
Talk about Friday night lights.
It will be cool. All across the state, Nebraskans will be watching their favorite teams play their favorite game. Nebraska's Game, on Nebraska's Night.
You might even hear a cheer during a timeout.
Tom's Pick: Nebraska 28, Illinois 20.
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