1986 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 1986 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in the 1986 NCAA Division I - A football season . The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln , Nebraska . Game notes . Florida State . This was the first ever night game at Memorial Stadium . Nebraska ' s loss to FSU in Lincoln the previous year was avenged when the Cornhuskers came back from a halftime deficit , outscoring FSU 24 - 3 and holding the Seminoles to - 2 yards in the second half . Illinois . The outcome of this game was more or less sealed from the very first play , as Illinois QB Chris Lamb threw an interception that Cornhusker CB Brian Davis returned for a touchdown , and Nebraska never looked back . Oregon . Oregon made the first strike , but Nebraska then ran away from the Ducks , scoring 48 unanswered points , though the Cornhuskers suffered the loss of WB Von Sheppard to injury and saw PK Dale Klein ' s consecutive PATs streak ended at 60 . South Carolina . Nebraska survived a scare in Columbia , escaping with a victory due to recovering a Gamecock fumble with two minutes left to play to set up the go - ahead touchdown , and then intercepting a throw by South Carolina QB Todd Ellis at NU ' s 10 yard line with just 10 seconds remaining . Oklahoma State . Nebraska continued their string of domination over Oklahoma State in the second ever night game at Memorial Stadium , extending their win streak over the Cowboys to 25 . Missouri . Missouri scored first on a 29 yard field goal , but Nebraska owned the show for the rest of the game , scoring six straight touchdowns on their way to the win . Nebraska PK Dave Klein beat the Cornhusker career FG record of 22 when he extended his total to 24 in this game . Colorado . Unranked Colorado stunned the # 3 Cornhuskers , holding Nebraska to its lowest rushing yard total in eight years and ending Nebraska ' s 19 - year winning streak against the Buffaloes . Kansas State . The hapless Wildcats suffered Nebraska ' s wrath following their loss to unranked Colorado the week prior , as the Cornhuskers romped in the snow at Memorial Stadium and shut out Kansas State while allowing them just 106 total yards of offense . Iowa State . Nebraska struck first but then seemed to flame out , as Iowa State sent the Cornhuskers to the locker room behind 14 - 7 at halftime . After a rousing pep talk from Coach Osborne , the Cornhuskers stormed back in the 2nd half for the win . Kansas . Nebraska absolutely crushed Kansas in Lawrence , handing the Jayhawks their worst - ever loss and posting the biggest Cornhusker shutout since a 100 - 0 smashing of in 1917 . Oklahoma . The # 5 Cornhuskers , flying high after their 70 - 0 shutout against Kansas the previous week , looked ready to upset the # 3 Sooners , but it was not to be . Oklahoma found the end zone twice in the 4th quarter to tie the game , and forced a Nebraska punt with 1 : 22 remaining . After grinding back down the field , and with just 9 seconds remaining , Oklahoma PK Tim Lashar made a 31 yard kick to split the uprights for the win , handing the Sooners their 2nd consecutive Big 8 Championship title . LSU . Nebraska ' s 25th bowl appearance saw the Blackshirts setting two new bowl - game records by holding LSU to just 32 net rushing yards and 10 first downs as the # 5 Cornhuskers rolled up the upset win over the # 3 Tigers . Rankings . Awards . < br > NFL and Pro Players . The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1986 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi - pro team as draftees or free agents . < br >