Nebraska vs. Texas 1960 -- HuskerMax™

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Huskers upset
No. 4 Longhorns
on hot Austin night

Pat Fischer returned a punt 76 yards for a score and had a hand in all of Nebraska's points as the Cornhuskers opened the 1960 season by upsetting Texas, 14-13.

NU had to repel a desperate Longhorn rally in the final minute to preserve the victory.

Fischer, a senior who switched from halfback to quarterback during the offseason, scored both Nebraska touchdowns and passed for the two-point conversion that proved the difference in the game, which was played in mid-80s evening heat in Austin.

Favored by 15 points and ranked No. 4 in the AP poll, Texas opened the game according to form. The Longhorns drove 80 yards in 18 plays in the first quarter, with fullback Ray Poage pounding out tough yardage on the ground. Quarterback Mike Cotten scored on a six-yard keeper, and the extra-point kick was true.

FISCHER

Half a dozen plays into the second quarter, Fischer broke free on his 76-yard return through the middle of UT's punt coverage. An errant snap foiled the conversion kick, and NU trailed by a point.

In the third quarter, Nebraska needed to drive just 34 yards for a TD after a Texas quick kick netted only 30 yards, thanks to a 14-yard return by Pat Clare. Facing fourth down on the Texas one yard line on the drive's 10th play, Fischer faked a handoff and raced around end to score. On the conversion try, Ron Meade faked the kick, and Fischer, the holder, rolled right and passed to fullback Bill "Thunder" Thornton for two points, making the score 14-7.

The Longhorns answered with a 73-yard, 18-play drive capped by a two-yard TD run by Cotten in the fourth quarter. But when Cotten tried to run for two extra points off left tackle, a foursome of Huskers stopped the Texas QB a yard short.

Texas trailed by a point, 14-13, but wasn't finished. After a Husker punt with 4:35 remaining, Cotten drove the Longhorns inside the Nebraska 20, but NU's defense stiffened and Ray Barton's 34-yard field goal try with half a minute left fell short. Texas had lost its season opener for just the fifth time in school history, and NU coach Bill Jennings enjoyed a victory ride to midfield on his players' shoulders.

LJS | AP | PHOTOS: 1, 2
SERIES HISTORY | NU ROSTER

HuskerTapes.com

Nebraska 14
Texas 13

Sept. 17, 1960
Austin, TX

Nebraska ........... 0  6  8  0   —   14
Texas .............. 7  0  0  6   —   13

First quarter
UT - Mike Cotten 6 run (Ray Barton kick), 4:20
     18 plays, 80 yards
Second quarter
NU - Pat Fischer 76 punt return (kick failed), 11:50
Third quarter
NU - Fischer 1 run (Bill Thornton pass from Fischer), 2:15
     10 plays, 34 yards
Fourth quarter
UT - Cotten 2 run (run failed), 6:15
     18 plays, 73 yards

                           NEB       TEX
First downs ............... 10        13
  By rushing ............... 9        10
  By passing ............... 1         3
  By penalty ............... 0         0
Rushes-yards (net) .... 47-143    55-185
  Yards gained ........... 156       203
  Yards lost .............. 13        18
Yards passing (net) ....... 10        77
  Comp-Att-Int ......... 1-3-1    5-11-1
Total offense ......... 50-153    66-262
Punts-Average ......... 7-38.1    7-36.9
Fumbles-Lost ............. 3-0       0-0
Punt returns-Yards ...... 3-97      4-21
Kickoff returns-Yards ... 3-57      3-23
Int. returns-Yards ....... 1-0      1-13
Penalties-Yards ......... 2-20      2-10

Attendance: 37,702 (40,000 per UT records)


MORE STATS HERE

PURCELL

NOTES: Never before had the Huskers beaten a team ranked as high as No. 4 in the AP poll, and the feat would not be topped until Nebraska's 1971 win against No. 2 Oklahoma. … Fischer was named to the UPI backfield of the week, and Bill Jennings was named national coach of the week for the third time in as many seasons. End Don Purcell also earned national recognition for his play against the ’Horns. … Nebraska went from unranked to No. 12 in the ensuing AP poll, while Texas slid to No. 15. Texas finished the season 7-3-1, the Huskers 4-6. … A knee injury was troubling Fischer the week before the game. He would finish the season with a nation-leading 21.2 yards per punt return.

“I would say our kicking game and defense were most instrumental. Our backfield speed is much better this year, our line was rugged, and we were able to move the ball and keep good field position.”

— Nebraska head coach Bill Jennings,
on the difference between the 1959 and 1960 Nebraska-
Texas games. (Texas won 20-0 in Lincoln in 1959.)

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