By The Numbers: The Hostile History Between Michigan And Nebraska

Michigan football and Nebraska have played just 10 times throughout history, with the Wolverines leading the series, 5-4-1, but those contests don't tell the entire story of how the two programs have been intertwined through the years, long before the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011.

While four of the 10 meetings between the two programs finished in one-score games, including one tie, the most notable matchup was a hypothetical one in 1997, when the Wolverines and Cornhuskers split the national title two years before the championship game began being held.

After beating Washington State in the Rose Bowl, Michigan remained ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, while Nebraska leaped U-M and topped the coaches poll following a win over Tennessee in the Orange Bowl and some lobbying in front of the cameras postgame.

RELATED: Michigan Honing In On Stopping Nebraska's Triple Option, QB Run Game

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"I just want to say this about the national championship," then-Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost told CBS following the Orange Bowl, before adding that his head coach, Tom Osborne, 'deserved' the title since it was his last game before retiring, "if all the pollsters honestly think — after watching the Rose Bowl and watching the Orange Bowl — that Michigan could beat Nebraska, go ahead and vote Michigan, by all means!"

Well, the overwhelming majority of individuals with an AP ballot did, with Michigan receiving 51.5 first-place votes to Nebraska's 18.5 in the poll, while Nebraska garnered 32 first-place votes to Michigan's 30 in the coaches rankings.

And so a debate between the two schools' fan bases, former players, coaches, etc., has raged on in the nearly 24 years since, though both programs claim the title.

Frost is now the Cornhuskers' head coach, making the matchup a bit more personal for both sides since he returned to his alma mater in 2018. During his first season at the helm, the Wolverines dismantled his Huskers, 56-10. Michigan, which led by 39 points at halftime, actually had more points than Nebraska did yards for a total span of 16:26 in game time, including at the 9:01 mark of the third quarter, when the Wolverines had 46 points to Nebraska’s 20 total yards.

Frost, whose team is currently 3-3, has posted losing records in all three of his complete seasons back in Lincoln — 4-8 in 2018, 5-7 in 2019 and 3-5 in 2020 — and is searching for his first victory over a ranked opponent when the No. 9-ranked (AP Poll) Wolverines roll in to Memorial Stadium Saturday night.

Michigan head man Jim Harbaugh also has some history in the series outside of his one meeting as a coach, with the former Wolverine quarterback (1982-86) having started the 1986 Fiesta Bowl against the Huskers to conclude the 1985 campaign.

Harbaugh scored two rushing touchdowns — including a one-yard quarterback sneak to put the Wolverines ahead, 17-14, in the third quarter and a two-yard dash to extend the advantage later in the stanza — in a 27-23 Michigan win.

This matchup between the two traditional powers pits two of the eight FBS programs that have won more than 900 games throughout history against each other. The Wolverines lead the all-time list with 969 triumphs, while Nebraska ranks seventh with 908 victories.

Nebraska has a 67-87-5 record against teams with more than 900 victories, while Michigan touts a 104-87-8 mark against programs that reside in the '900-win club.'

Here is a look at the Wolverines' records against such squads.

1 Turnover on the season for Michigan, which is the only team in the nation that hasn't given the ball away on multiple occasions. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alan Bowman threw a fourth-quarter interception last week to mark the Wolverines' first giveaway. Nebraska has committed seven turnovers on the season.

1st College football team this century to begin the season 5-0 while committing one or zero turnovers is Michigan, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Wolverines have not yet trailed in a game in 2021.

7 Three-and-outs forced by the Michigan defense on 13 possessions against Wisconsin. The Wolverines have forced 21 three-and-outs on 58 drives for the season (36.2 percent). Seven is also the number of touchdowns the U-M defense, which ranks sixth nationally while allowing just 12.8 points per contest, has yielded through five weeks. Three of those scores occurred late in games against the Wolverines' backups.

18-8 Big Ten road record for Michigan during Harbaugh's tenure. The Wolverines now have an identical record — 18-8 — in home and away conference games under the head man.

21.8 Percent pressure rate, according to Sports Info Solutions, for Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who is tied for fifth in the country with 5.5 sacks.

43 Seconds is how long the final play of the 2005 Alamo Bowl lasted. The down featured a pass, seven laterals and a fumble, with Michigan ultimately being stopped short with no time left at the Husker 13-yard line. Nebraska won 32-28, though the play was not without controversy, with Cornhusker players flooding the field before the game was over but no penalty called by the officials.

48 Option runs used by the Nebraska offense this season, the sixth-highest mark in the country. The Huskers have gained 15 first downs and 382 yards, and scored three touchdowns, on such plays.

48-8 Record in night games at Memorial Stadium for Nebraska, since it began hosting home primetime affairs at the venue in 1986. Nebraska is 7-3 in home primetime games against Big Ten foes since joining the league in 2011.

55-14 Is the margin Nebraska has beaten its opponents by in the fourth quarter, with the defense allowing just seven of those 14 points. Opponents have scored just 16 first-quarter points against the Huskers.

56 Points for Nebraska against Northwestern last week, the most the Huskers have scored in their 11 seasons in the Big Ten. The 56-7 final score was the team's largest margin of victory in a league game since beating Texas Tech in 2000, 56-3, as a Big 12 member.

65th Night game in Michigan history will take place Saturday evening, with the Wolverines holding a 37-27 overall record in night contests, including a 24-16 mark on the road.

122.1 Passer rating when pressured for Michigan redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara against Wisconsin last week, which ranked fourth in the nation. In the first four games of the year, McNamara connected on just 44.4 percent of his throws for 138 yards when pressured. Against Wisconsin, he went 6-of-10 passing for 88 yards and one touchdown when facing heat from the defense.

326 Yards or fewer for Nebraska's opponent in all three league games this season (at Illinois, at Michigan State and versus Northwestern).

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