Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

In the 20 years prior to Bob Devaney’s 1962 arrival at the University of Nebraska, the football team had exactly 3 winning seasons. In Devaney’s first year at the helm, the Cornhuskers went 9-2 and won the Gotham Bowl. With the stadium sold out for the 7th game of that season, fans started a streak of sell-outs that is still alive today, currently at 361 games. In the past 45 years Nebraskans have acquired an identity that is often tied to the football program, its development, and its success. The Nebraska fan base has also developed a national reputation for its generosity, loyalty, and support. As the football team and athletics department developed they faced funding and growth challenges, Devaney’s beliefs and goals were occasionally challenged, and he fought hard for the program. While the game results are well known there is still more to learn about the administration and development of the early program. This paper will use archival materials in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries Archives and Special Collections to explore the development of “Husker Nation” before, during, and after Bob Devaney.