2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
American college football season
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The 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. After the Colorado game, Solich was fired as head coach. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini served as interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl.
| 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football | |
|---|---|
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Alamo Bowl champion | |
Alamo Bowl, W 17–3 vs. Michigan State | |
| Conference | Big 12 Conference |
| North Division | |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 18 |
| AP | No. 19 |
| Record | 10–3 (5–3 Big 12) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Barney Cotton (1st season) |
| Offensive scheme | I formation |
| Defensive coordinator | Bo Pelini (1st season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 Kansas State x$ | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 19 Nebraska | 5 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Oklahoma x% | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Texas | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma State | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Tech | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas A&M | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baylor | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Kansas State 35, Oklahoma 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 2:30 pm | No. 24 Oklahoma State | ABC | W 17–7 | 78,058 | |||
| September 6 | 11:30 am | Utah State* | No. 23 |
| FSN | W 31–7 | 77,284 | |
| September 13 | 7:00 pm | Penn State* | No. 18 |
| ABC | W 18–10 | 78,008 | |
| September 25 | 6:45 pm | at Southern Miss* | No. 15 | ESPN | W 38–14 | 36,125 | [1] | |
| October 4 | 12:30 pm | Troy State* | No. 12 |
| W 30–0 | 77,825 | ||
| October 11 | 6:00 pm | at Missouri | No. 10 | TBS | L 24–41 | 68,349 | ||
| October 18 | 11:30 am | Texas A&M | No. 18 |
| FSN | W 48–12 | 77,604 | |
| October 25 | 11:30 am | Iowa State | No. 14 |
| PPV | W 28–0 | 77,483 | |
| November 1 | 11:00 am | at No. 16 Texas | No. 12 | ABC | L 7–31 | 83,308 | ||
| November 8 | 2:30 pm | at Kansas | No. 19 | FSN | W 24–3 | 50,107 | ||
| November 15 | 2:30 pm | Kansas State | No. 18 |
| ABC | L 9–38 | 78,014 | |
| November 28 | 11:00 am | at Colorado | No. 25 | ABC | W 31–22 | 53,434 | ||
| December 29 | 8:00 pm | vs. Michigan State* | No. 22 | ESPN | W 17–3 | 56,229 | ||
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Roster and coaching staff
| 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Depth chart
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Game summaries
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Nebraska | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: August 30
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 2:37 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 78,058
- TV announcers (ABC): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play), Bob Griese (Color), & Lynn Swann (Sideline)
Utah State
Utah State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Nebraska | 6 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 31 |
- Date: September 6
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 11:40 a.m. CST
- Game attendance: 77,284
- TV announcers (FSN): Joel Meyers (Play-by-play), Dave Lapham (Color), & Jim Knox (Sideline)
Penn State
Penn State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| • Nebraska | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 18 |
- Date: September 13
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 7:07 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 78,008
- TV announcers (ABC): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play), Bob Griese (Color), & Lynn Swann (Sideline)
Southern Miss
Nebraska at Southern Miss [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Nebraska | 17 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
| Southern Miss | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
- Date: September 25
- Location: M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- Game start: 6:45 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 36,125
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico (Play-by-play), Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit (Colors), & Dr. Jerry Punch (Sideline)
Troy State
Troy State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Nebraska | 3 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 30 |
- Date: October 4
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 12:30 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 77,825
Missouri
Nebraska at Missouri [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| • Missouri | 7 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 41 |
- Date: October 11
- Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
- Game start: 6:10 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 68,349
- TV announcers (TBS): Ron Thulin (Play-by-play), Charles Davis (Color), Erin Andrews, & Craig Sager (Sidelines)
Texas A&M
Texas A&M at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| • Nebraska | 20 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 48 |
- Date: October 18
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 11:40 a.m. CST
- Game attendance: 77,604
- TV announcers (FSN): Bill Land (Play-by-play), Dave Lapham (Color), & Jim Knox (Sideline)
Iowa State
Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Nebraska | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
- Date: October 25
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 11:40 a.m. CST
- Game attendance: 77,483
- TV announcers (PPV): Dave Armstrong (Play-by-play), Eric Crouch (Color), & Bill Doleman (Sideline)
Texas
Nebraska at Texas [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Texas | 7 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
- Date: November 1
- Location: Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas
- Game start: 11:10 a.m. CST
- Game attendance: 83,308
- TV announcers (ABC): Gary Thorne (Play-by-play) and David Norrie (Color)
Kansas
Nebraska at Kansas [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Nebraska | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Kansas | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
- Date: November 8
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas
- Game start: 2:40 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 50,107
- TV announcers (FSN): Bill Land (Play-by-play), Gary Reasons (Color), & John Rhadigan (Sideline)
Kansas State
Kansas State at Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Kansas State | 7 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 38 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
- Date: November 15
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Game start: 2:36 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 78,014
- TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Gary Danielson (Color), & Jack Arute (Sideline)
Colorado
Nebraska at Colorado [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Nebraska | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
| Colorado | 7 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 22 |
- Date: November 28
- Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
- Game start: 11:10 a.m. CST
- Game attendance: 53,434
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson (Play-by-play), Dan Fouts (Color), & Todd Harris (Sideline)
Michigan State
Michigan State vs Nebraska [box score]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| • Nebraska | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: December 29
- Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
- Game start: 8:05 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 56,229
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico (Play-by-play), Lee Corso Kirk Herbstreit (Colors), & Dr. Jerry Punch (Sideline)
Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| AP | RV | RV* | 23 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 19 |
| Coaches Poll | RV | RV | 24 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| BCS | Not released | 11 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 20 | Not released | ||||||||
After the season
Nebraska finished in 2nd place in the Big 12 North Division and tied for 4th conference-wide, with a final record of 10–3 (5–3). Prior to the season, Head Coach Frank Solich was feeling pressure to perform after a 7–7 (3–5) record the previous year (the first non-winning season since 1961), and had significantly revamped his coaching staff for 2003.
Despite the sweeping changes and the improvements they brought, which helped Nebraska to another 9-win season, Solich was fired at the conclusion of the regular season. Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini was named Interim Head Coach and led the Huskers to a 17–3 Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State. When new Head Coach Bill Callahan was announced in later weeks, most of the existing assistants (including Pelini) were also fired.
Pelini would later return as Callahan's replacement in 2008.
Awards
| Award | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| All-America 1st team | Josh Bullocks, Kyle Larson |
| All-America honorable mention | Richie Incognito, Demorrio Williams |
| All-Big 12 1st team | Josh Bullocks, Matt Herian, Richie Incognito, Kyle Larson, Demorrio Williams |
| All-Big 12 2nd team | Ryon Bingham, Barrett Ruud |
| All-Big 12 3rd team | Fabian Washington |
| All-Big 12 honorable mention | Daniel Bullocks, Josh Davis, Mike Erickson, Isaiah Fluellen, T. J. Hollowell, Trevor Johnson, Jammal Lord, Josh Sewell, Dan Vili Waldrop |
NFL and pro players
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2003 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.[4]