2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The team was coached by Bo Pelini and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln , Nebraska . Before the season . Pelini returned to Nebraska as Head Coach after a previous one - year stint as Defensive Coordinator for Nebraska in 2003 . At the conclusion of the 2003 season , Pelini was appointed as Interim Head Coach , following the firing of Frank Solich , for Nebraska ' s appearance in the Alamo Bowl against the Michigan State Spartans , a contest in which Nebraska triumphed 17 – 3 , leaving Nebraska with a final AP Poll ranking of 19 and Coaches Poll ranking of 18 . Despite this performance and significant fan support , Pelini was passed over as Solich ' s permanent replacement in favor of Bill Callahan . During Pelini ' s absence from Nebraska , he served as Co - Defensive Coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2004 , and Defensive Coordinator for the LSU Tigers for 2005 – 2007 prior to his return to Nebraska following the dismissal of Callahan . Game notes . Western Michigan . Nebraska opened the season with expectations below average after finishing 5 – 7 in 2007 . However , there was a buzz in the air as first year head coach Bo Pelini returned to Lincoln to improve a maligned defense and to re - energize the program . Nebraska played very well as the defense seemed much improved from 2007 . LB Cody Glenn was the bright spot on defense and seemed to be in on almost every play . The offense continued to be as productive as usual with Joe Ganz at quarterback , en route to a 47 – 24 win . San José State . Nebraska came into its second game of the year with a little more certainty . San Jose State quickly put a stop to that . The Spartans marched all over Nebraska ' s defense on the first drive with Kyle Reed scoring on a 12 yard run . Nebraska scored two touchdowns to recapture the lead going into the second quarter . The game turned mostly defensive with SJSU scoring field goals in the second and fourth quarters . After SJSU ' s field goal in the fourth , Niles Paul returned the kickoff 85 yards for a Nebraska touchdown . The return sparked the Huskers as they scored three more touchdowns sealing the game . New Mexico State . Nebraska , entering the game 2 – 0 , felt confident going against the Aggies who were playing their first game of the season . The Aggies , on the second drive , went down the field with relative ease only to have their field goal kick blocked by Zach Potter . Nebraska ' s offense finally looked like it came together scoring 35 points . The scoring included Marlon Lucky taking a toss and throwing it downfield to quarterback Joe Ganz and then Ganz running 33 yards on an option play . Virginia Tech . Nebraska , 3 – 0 , headed into the Virginia Tech game looking for a signature win in the first year of Bo Pelini ' s first year . It would not be on this night , though . Virginia Tech got on the board first , blocking a Dan Titchner punt for a safety . The Hokies controlled the game for most of the night , until senior Nate Swift returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter . The Huskers needed a big defensive stop and seemed to have got it on a 3rd down run by Tyrod Taylor . Taylor was tackled out of bounds , but Nebraska defense tackle Ndamukong Suh appeared to have leaped on top of Taylor , prompting an official to throw a flag for a late hit . Bo Pelini , obviously upset , berated the official about the call until the official threw another flag for an unsportmanslike conduct on Coach Pelini . The penalties put Tech near the endzone and continued the Hokies drive , eventually having Taylor score and ice the game . Missouri . Missouri came into this game having not won in Lincoln since 1978 . That streak was broken as the Tigers romped over Nebraska scoring in bunches to roll all over Nebraska . Penalties were the biggest killers of NU as the Huskers had 14 of them for 101 yards . Texas Tech . After being routed by Missouri , Nebraska was expecting more of the same against Texas Tech . Instead , they found themselves in the midst of a battle . Nebraska went punch for punch with the Red Raiders . Todd Peterson caught a touchdown pass with : 29 left to tie the game at 31 forcing it into overtime . In overtime , the Red Raiders scored a touchdown but had their extra point blocked , opening the door for Nebraska to win . However , on 2nd down , Joe Ganz threw an interception to cornerback Jamar Wall , ending the game . This was Nebraska ' s first loss in overtime in school history . Iowa State . Playing Iowa State may have been the trick for Nebraska , having lost their last three games . Nebraska roared to a 21 – 0 lead at halftime . Iowa State stifled Nebraska offense for the third quarter and scored a touchdown of their own , but going into the fourth , Nebraska took back momentum scoring twice to finish off the Cyclones . Baylor . Nebraska might have been sleeping in the first half as they let Baylor jump on them 20 – 17 going into the half . Nebraska came back from a halftime deficit for the first time since 2003 , scoring 15 points in the third and fourth quarters including a safety and a 9 yard touchdown catch by Nate Swift , a catch that broke Johnny Rodgers ' record for career catches . Oklahoma . Nebraska ran into an offensive explosion in Norman and in a matter of minutes was down 35 – 0 . Three first quarter turnovers doomed the Huskers as Oklahoma capitalized on all of them . Nebraska however did not lay down and fought through the circumstances to put up a respectable 28 as the Huskers looked to regroup . Kansas . Nebraska vowed the start of a new season heading into this game , one that consisted of three games . Needing only one win to become bowl eligible , Nebraska played exceptional on a frigid day in Lincoln . Nebraska and Kansas went blow for blow until the fourth quarter when a 52 yard touchdown run by Roy Helu Jr . and a 2 yard touchdown catch by Ndamukong Suh opened up the game for Nebraska . Kansas State . Nebraska felt confident heading into Manhattan as lame - duck coach Ron Prince had never beaten them , nor had former Nebraska commit , Josh Freeman . Also , Nebraska ' s defense got their blackshirts back for the first time this season . NU made a crucial mistake early allowing a 57 yard interception return for a touchdown . Barring that play and a long touchdown pass by Freeman , NU played sparkling defense in the first half . KSU scored only twice more one on a methodical drive by backup Carson Coffmann and a kickoff return by Brandon Banks . Colorado . Colorado came into this game fighting for bowl eligibility at 5 – 6 . Nebraska had already secured a spot in a bowl game , but a win would help improve where they would be headed . Colorado would have none of it , taking an early 14 – 0 lead . Nebraska came back taking a 24 – 17 lead and was looking to add on going into the half . On a fake field goal play , holder Jake Wesch was to flip it over his head and kicker Alex Henery was supposed to catch it and throw it , a play that was made against Kansas . This time , Colorado ' s Jimmy Smith picked off the flip in mid - air and returned it 58 yards to tie the game . Late in the fourth quarter , Nebraska trailed 31 – 30 . NU had the ball deep into Buff ' s territory when Patrick Mahnke sacked Joe Ganz for a 15 yard loss , setting up a 4th & 25 . It looked like Nebraska was out of Alex Henery ' s field goal range with the kick being 57 yards . Bo Pelini sent his kicker out anyway after Henery told him he could do it . Henery came onto the field and with 1 : 55 left , kicked the 57 yarder , giving Nebraska the 33 – 31 lead . On Colorado ' s next drive , Cody Hawkins pass was deflected by Zach Potter and intercepted by Ndamukong Suh who rumbled 30 yards for a touchdown , icing the game at 40 – 31 and sending Colorado home with no bowl . Nebraska finished the regular season 8 – 4 and Big 12 North Co - Division Champions with Missouri . Clemson . Nebraska defeated Clemson in a come - from - behind 26 – 21 finish at the 2009 Gator Bowl on January 1 , 2009 . All 21 of Clemson ' s points came following Nebraska turnovers . The game remained in doubt until the very end , as Clemson marched from their own 23 to the Nebraska 10 . With 1st and goal to go and about two minutes remaining on the clock , the Blackshirts made their stand , resulting in a 16 yard sack and three Clemson incompletions to seal the outcome of the game . The game was played only days after Head Coach Bo Pelini and Defensive Coordinator Carl Pelini returned from their father ' s funeral in Ohio . After the season . The reputation of the Blackshirts , whose trademark black jerseys quietly disappeared during the disappointing 5 – 7 ( 2 – 6 ) 2007 season , was restored with emphasis during 2008 as the coveted black jerseys were once again distributed to defensive starters on November 11 following a key emotional win over the Kansas Jayhawks . The season concluded January 1 , 2009 with a come - from - behind 26 – 21 Nebraska victory over the Clemson Tigers in the 2009 Gator Bowl . Nebraska finished as co - division Champions of the Big 12 North Division , with a final record of 9 – 4 ( 5 – 3 ) . Head Coach Bo Pelini ' s overall career record improved to 10 – 4 ( . 714 ) , 5 – 3 in conference , and 2 – 0 in bowl games . Pelini ' s 2008 regular season record of 9 – 4 was the highest among all 28 Division 1A teams with new head coaches and staffs that year . Awards . < br >