The original 31,000-seat structure was built in 1923.

1946 – Completion of Schulte Field House at north end of stadium (construction began in 1941, but was interrupted by World War II).
1964 – South end zone section installed, making the stadium a horseshoe, raising capacity to the 48,000 mark.
1965 – Center portion of north end zone section added, raising capacity to more than 53,000.
1966 – Both wings of the north end zone added, raising capacity to more than 65,000 and making Memorial Stadium into a bowl.
1967 – New press box, with guest section added, providing a beautiful and practical press facility.
1970 – Installation of AstroTurf.
1972 – South end zone extended, 9,400 seats added, raising capacity to 73,650.
1973 – Athletic office building completed, housing dressing and training facilities for varsity football.
1977 – Installation of new AstroTurf replacing the 1970 turf, and a new scoreboard over the North Stadium.
1980 – Completed top deck of press box for additional photo and visiting radio/TV space.
1981 – New West Stadium weight room and new visitor’s locker room in Schulte Field House.
1982 – Expansion of Schulte Field House indoor practice area.
1984 – New artificial All-Pro Turf playing surface installed.
1985 – Completion of Hewit Center (dining area/study hall) in West Stadium.
1989 – Expansion of strength complex and Hewit Center.
1992 – New Astroturf-8 artificial turf installed.
1994 – Installation of Mitsubishi Instant Replay boards and completion of Michael Grace production studio (HuskerVision) in West Stadium. Remodeling of Section 14 to accommodate disabled, reduced seating to 72,700.
1995 – South Stadium training room remodeled and new interview room and player lounge completed during season.
1997 – Groundbreaking began on a $36-million stadium improvement project to take place over a two-year period. East concourse was renovated with new restrooms and concessions and stadium lights were installed on the east side.
1998 – Stadium was rededicated on April 24, and the football field was named in honor of Hall of Fame Coach Tom Osborne, who retired as the winningest active coach in college football with a 255-49-3 career record. Lights installed on the west side.
1999 – Stadium Improvement project completed, including 42 skyboxes, a club seating area, stadium view lounge, new press box and renovated concourses, concessions and restrooms. Seating raised to 74,056. FieldTurf installed in August, making Nebraska the first Division-I collegiate program to use the synthetic surface.
2000 – Increased club seating reduces capacity to 73,918.
2001 – Expansion of team meeting room/players' lounge near locker room in lower South Stadium. Expansion of HuskerVision and Hewit Center study area in West Stadium.
2004 – Additional lockers added to South locker room to house entire football squad during construction of Osborne Athletic Complex on north end of stadium. North Field House torn down.
2005 – Replaced FieldTurf, changing subsurface of field.
2006 – More than 6,500 seats, including Skyline Suites and seating for disabled, and one of the nation's largest in-stadium replay screens are added in North Stadium, bringing stadium capacity to 81,067. Completion of the Osborne Athletic Complex and Hawks Championship Center on North end of stadium. Nebraska's football offices, locker room and administrative offices move from South to North Stadium.
2009 – Upgrade of all HuskerVision screens to high-def format. Two HuskerVision replay boards added to the stadium along with electronic ribbon boards on the East and West Stadium facades.
2010 – Addition of Student Life Complex in West Stadium. Expansion of Nebraska football trophy displays in North Stadium.
Current – East Stadium expansion project. Planned completion for 2013 season. Approximately 6,000 new seats, including about 36 indoor/outdoor suites.