Iowa St. 37
Nebraska 28

Nov. 13, 1976 • 1:30 p.m. Central
Cyclone Stadium •Ames, IA
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska7601528
Iowa St.17301737
First Quarter
ISU: Scott Kollman 21 field goal, 5:38
ISU: Dexter Green 1 run (Kollman kick) 3:35
NEB: Bobby Thomas 43 pass from Vince Ferragamo (Al Eveland kick) 1:29
ISU: Luther Blue 95 kickoff return  (Kollman kick) 1:14
Second Quarter
NEB: Monte Anthony 14 run (Eveland kick failed) 4:31
ISU: Kollman 31 field goal, 0:48
Fourth Quarter
NEB: Bobby Thomas 30 pass from Ferragamo (Eveland kick) 14:35
ISU: Dexter Green 3 run (Kollman kick) 9:26
ISU: Kollman 21 field goal, 5:46
ISU: Buddy Hardeman 16 run (Kollman kick)  2:40
NEB: Rick Berns 2 run (Dave Shamblin pass from Ferragamo) 2:21

                            NU      ISU
First Downs................ 14       19
Rushing, Net............ 38-77   70-321
Passing, Net.............. 199       47
  Comp-Att-Int ....... 12-27-1   3-11-1
Total Offense.......... 65-276   81-368
Return Yards .............. 30       45
Punts-Avg. ............ 7-35.7   6-37.7
Fumbles-Lost ............. 8-6      5-3
Penalties-Yards ......... 5-31     3-15

Attendance: 51,500

LEADING NU RUSHERS:
 Monte Anthony 47, Rick Berns 34
LEADING NU PASSER:
 Vince Ferragamo 199
NU TOTAL OFFENSE LEADER:
 Vince Ferragamo 174

MORE INDIVIDUAL STATS

NU OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Bobby Thomas
NU DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Clete Pillen

1976 Nebraska-Iowa State, dejectionThe loss sinks in for Jim Wightman (left) and Keith Steward. · Lincoln Star · Newspapers.com

Coverage

Recap
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo and the Huskers were forced to the air as the ground game sputtered.

Turnovers cost Huskers in upset loss to Cyclones

Iowa State, capitalizing on eight Nebraska fumbles and one interception, beat the Huskers for the first time in 16 years 37-28, thus setting up a photo finish in the Big 8 race.

Like a premonition of bad things to come, Iowa State drove 94 yards on their second possession to score on a 21-yard field goal. On the following kickoff, Nebraska’s Byron Stewart fumbled, and Scott Cole recovered for the Cyclones. Seven plays later, the score was ISU 10, NU 0.

Not content to sit on their 20-13 halftime lead, Iowa State attacked Nebraska on the ground, grinding out 321 yards while holding the Huskers to only 77. A stunned Nebraska had to resort to the pass to move the ball. Vince Ferragamo hit 12 of 27 passes for 199 yards, and split end Bobby Thomas caught four of those for 107 yards, including touchdown strikes of 43 and 30 yards.

But NU’s aerial bombardment was not enough to turn back the Cyclones. In the fourth quarter, a Nebraska fumble and interception resulted in two ISU scores that gave them a 37-20 lead. Nebraska scored once more to make the final 37-28.

The loss clouded the post-season bowl picture in the Big 8. NU would have clinched a tie for the Big 8 crown with a win, but instead the showdown with Oklahoma would decide the Orange Bowl representative.

Game stories
Pregame & team info
1976 schedule
05/01Reds 26, Whites 29
09/11@ LSUL 6-6
09/18@ IndianaW 45-13
09/25TCUW 64-10
10/02MiamiW 17-9
10/09@ ColoradoW 24-12
10/16Kansas St.W 51-0
10/23MissouriL 24-34
10/30@ KansasW 31-3
11/06Oklahoma St.W 14-10
11/13@ Iowa St.L 28-37
11/26OklahomaL 17-20
12/04@ HawaiiW 68-3
12/31Texas TechW 27-24
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