Worst loss in NU history?

[Medill '03]

I'm not talking about margin of victory, though that could be a contributing factor. But the talk of Miami 1995 made me think: is this the worst loss in NU history? I'd imagine someone could say no, because it was necessary to set up the rest of the season. And at the time you couldn't know how bad it would be. Still, looking back, it's gotta be up there.

For personal reasons, and because it cost us a Rose Bowl appearance, I vote Iowa 2000.

 

[lou v]

I'm not talking about margin of victory, though that could be a contributing factor. But the talk of Miami 1995 made me think: is this the worst loss in NU history? I'd imagine someone could say no, because it was necessary to set up the rest of the season. And at the time you couldn't know how bad it would be. Still, looking back, it's gotta be up there.

For personal reasons, and because it cost us a Rose Bowl appearance, I vote Iowa 2000.

That's in the running, for sure. I would nominate Illinois State in 2016 for consideration. That was a dark, dark day. It came after the loss to WMU to open the season. My headline was, “The sky has fallen in Evanston.”

 

[HawkCat]

The 2000 Alamo Bowl was pretty brutal to sit through.

 

[Chilltown cat]

They lost to Army. Army had no passing game. Fitz had the team in awe of playing against servicemen...then they crumbled.

 

[kaTNap]

Michigan State 1981 needs to get at least a dishonorable mention.

 

[4IUSox2]

Can only speak to since I became a fan thru courtship/marriage. Wisconsin '97? Penn State '01?

 

[Alan Smithee]

Game at Air Force sucked, right up until the network pulled the plug, overtly in search of “a more competitive game.”

 

[mickbula]

Game at Air Force sucked, right up until the network pulled the plug, overtly in search of “a more competitive game.”

Wasn't that the terrible game when Pat Durr got his knee blown out by a cheap shot by a af cadet? This game under scrutiny was terrible. I'd have to agree with you.

 

[FrancisSearle75]

2013 Ohio State. This game changed the whole 2013 season. There was a lot of hype with this NU team. ESPN Gameday showed up. It was the game where NU would finally show the world that it was one of the marquee teams. Then they lost and lost the next six consecutive games. It was a real disappointing season.

2010 Illinois @ Wrigley was another bad loss. Mikel Leshoure rushed for 300+ yards. Evan Watkins' disappointing performance instantly ended the humor of EffYeahEvanWatkins.com.

 

[NURoseBowl]

God, this thread is giving me heartburn. Might throw New Hampshire '06 into this hamper of dirty laundry, along with that home loss to Duke that ended their quest to break our record losing streak. And for the hat trick, how about blowing that 38-3 lead to MSU at home? Sheesh . . .

 

[Medill '03]

2013 Ohio State. This game changed the whole 2013 season. There was a lot of hype with this NU team. ESPN Gameday showed up. It was the game where NU would finally show the world that it was one of the marquee teams. Then they lost and lost the next six consecutive games. It was a real disappointing season.

2010 Illinois @ Wrigley was another bad loss. Mikel Leshoure rushed for 300+ yards. Evan Watkins' disappointing performance instantly ended the humor of EffYeahEvanWatkins.com.

Both of these are on my short list as well. Along with Hawaii 2004.

 

[Medill '03]

God, this thread is giving me heartburn. Might throw New Hampshire '06 into this hamper of dirty laundry, along with that home loss to Duke that ended their quest to break our record losing streak. And for the hat trick, how about blowing that 38-3 lead to MSU at home? Sheesh . . .

I can't believe I saw all three of these games in person!

 

[Medill '03]

They lost to Army. Army had no passing game. Fitz had the team in awe of playing against servicemen...then they crumbled.

Saw that one in person, too. Really bad.

 

[Medill '03]

The 2000 Alamo Bowl was pretty brutal to sit through.

Yeah, real downer end to such a memorable year!

 

[NURoseBowl]

I can't believe I saw all three of these games in person!

HOLY PEPTO BISMOL, Batman!!!

 

[NJCat]

MSU in 2006. Blew a 38-3 lead. Might still the the all time FBS record for a blown lead.

 

[Medill '03]

That's in the running, for sure. I would nominate Illinois State in 2016 for consideration. That was a dark, dark day. It came after the loss to WMU to open the season. My headline was, “The sky has fallen in Evanston.”

This might be the single most painful loss to watch. At least last year we kind of knew after a while that our offense was historically bad. There's no way that 2016 team should've been so bad. That offense had Carr, Jackson, and Thorson, and couldn't score against Illinois State at home!!!!

 

[its_the_sauce]

Getting absolutely throttled at home to Duke in 98 ranks up there.

 

[CatVideos]

The game which I released the most uncontrollable angry rant was the 2013 Nebraska Hail Mary. The game that disappointed me the most was Wisconsin 1963.

 

[BosCat]

If we are talking non-impactful but just bleh regular season games - would go with series of Michgag games with hail mary passes, M00N (what the bleep was that 2pt conversion?), non-called illegal procedures

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Geez, football is coming back as of today. Seems like a Poorly timed topic.

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

I'm not talking about margin of victory, though that could be a contributing factor. But the talk of Miami 1995 made me think: is this the worst loss in NU history? I'd imagine someone could say no, because it was necessary to set up the rest of the season. And at the time you couldn't know how bad it would be. Still, looking back, it's gotta be up there.

For personal reasons, and because it cost us a Rose Bowl appearance, I vote Iowa 2000.

the nebraska loss at the alamo bowl. pounded deep into the ground. i think we were bigten champs.
horribly embarrassing. not sure what happened but it was devastating to the program.

 

[eastbaycat99]

the nebraska loss at the alamo bowl. pounded deep into the ground. i think we were bigten champs.
horribly embarrassing. not sure what happened but it was devastating to the program.

What happened was that Nebraska was a really good team that had ended up in the Alamo Bowl due to some flukey stuff, and the Cats had a gimmick sort of offense and a defense with some serious flaws. Nebraska had a month to prep to stop our offense and exploit the holes in the Cats’ defense. They felt disrespected and disappointed with their season, and took it out on Northwestern.

 

[High Hopes Cat]

The game which I released the most uncontrollable angry rant was the 2013 Nebraska Hail Mary. The game that disappointed me the most was Wisconsin 1963.

I was at a good friend‘s wedding for that Nebraska game. Checking the score during the service. Not being able to scream and curse when we lost like that was a real problem.

 

[Medill '03]

Geez, football is coming back as of today. Seems like a Poorly timed topic.

Unless you're watching Northwestern football social media talk all week about the Miami game from 1995.

 

[NUCat320]

MSU in 2006. Blew a 38-3 lead. Might still the the all time FBS record for a blown lead.

I loved that game (well, didn’t mind) because NU finally scored some points. It was already a lost season, but at least it could become interesting.

Bemused, not angry, not sad.

 

[NUCat320]

Getting absolutely throttled at home to Duke in 98 ranks up there.

My first as a student

Seeing Scottie Montgomery climb the coaching ranks brings back those painful memories. (Dink and dunk to the guy with a single-digit number, maybe.)

 

[NUCat320]

NU at Iowa in 2000, the week after the Michigan game. Iowa was bad. It was Ferentz’s third conference win. Bob Sanders was listed as Demond Sanders on the depth chart, and was flying all over the place as a true freshman.

That dumpster fire led to, of course, the Alamo Bowl dumpster fire.

 

[Medill '03]

I loved that game (well, didn’t mind) because NU finally scored some points. It was already a lost season, but at least it could become interesting.

Bemused, not angry, not sad.

Oddly enough MSU pulled off that comeback without needing to do anything particularly special. They caught Chris Malleo playing MLB, and NU's D never adjusted to the shallow crossing patterns. In the end it wasn't really in doubt.

 

[GECat2]

My God, why would anyone start this thread! What's next? A thread dedicated to the one woman who broke your heart. How about a thread on which relatives ' death affected you the most. Sheesh!

 

[its_the_sauce]

Oddly enough MSU pulled off that comeback without needing to do anything particularly special. They caught Chris Malleo playing MLB, and NU's D never adjusted to the shallow crossing patterns. In the end it wasn't really in doubt.

We lost that game because Nick Roach went down with injury, end of story.

 

[CappyNU]

Oddly enough MSU pulled off that comeback without needing to do anything particularly special. They caught Chris Malleo playing MLB, and NU's D never adjusted to the shallow crossing patterns. In the end it wasn't really in doubt.

Right, Nick Roach suffered a season-ending injury on a NU punt that was nullified by an MSU penalty when we were up 24-3, we went on to score a TD, picked them on the next play, scored another TD, and then went into prevent mode with 9:30 to go in the 3rd hoping to hold on.

 

[mickbula]

Unless you're watching Northwestern football social media talk all week about the Miami game from 1995.

Wasn't Randy Walker the hc of that miami team that beat NU that rennaisance year?

 

[No Chores]

We lost that game because Nick Roach went down with injury, end of story.

Don't agree. We lost that game because NU's offense couldn't make a first down. Look at the drive charts after we took the 38 - 3 lead. They were virtually all 3 and outs.

 

[Deeringfish]

I'm going to go a whole different way and say Dan Persa's ruptured Achilles tendon. He was practically unstoppable prior to the injury and never returned to his full potential the following season.

 

[kaTNap]

Wasn't Randy Walker the hc of that miami team that beat NU that rennaisance year?

Correct!

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Ara Parseghian to TSISB.

 

[whoboppin]

What happened was that Nebraska was a really good team that had ended up in the Alamo Bowl due to some flukey stuff, and the Cats had a gimmick sort of offense and a defense with some serious flaws. Nebraska had a month to prep to stop our offense and exploit the holes in the Cats’ defense. They felt disrespected and disappointed with their season, and took it out on Northwestern.

Yep, Nebraska was a national title contending team that year. Started the season at #1, lost to OU (eventual national champ) then lost to KSU by 1 point in a blizzard. They win that game, they replay OU in the Big 12 title (likely win the rematch) and could have ended up in the national title game.

Instead, with the loss to KSU, at bowl season, the BCS picked Notre Dame over Nebraska for a BCS bowl game (even though Nebraska had beaten them earlier in the year). Nebraska was pissed and took it out on NW.

 

[Medill '03]

Right, Nick Roach suffered a season-ending injury on a NU punt that was nullified by an MSU penalty when we were up 24-3, we went on to score a TD, picked them on the next play, scored another TD, and then went into prevent mode with 9:30 to go in the 3rd hoping to hold on.

Yes, one of the clearest injury moments I can remember, along with Persa.

 

[kaTNap]

Yep, Nebraska was a national title contending team that year. Started the season at #1, lost to OU (eventual national champ) then lost to KSU by 1 point in a blizzard. They win that game, they replay OU in the Big 12 title (likely win the rematch) and could have ended up in the national title game.

Instead, with the loss to KSU, at bowl season, the BCS picked Notre Dame over Nebraska for a BCS bowl game (even though Nebraska had beaten them earlier in the year). Nebraska was pissed and took it out on NW.

(Fiesta Bowl): Oregon State 41 - Notre Dame 9
(Alamo Bowl): Nebraska 66 - Northwestern 17

I'd say the Huskers got the last laugh on that one.