Alabama 20
Nebraska 3

Sept. 2, 1978 • 8:05 p.m. Central
Birmingham, AL • ABC
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Nebraska30003
Alabama076720
First Quarter
NEB: Billy Todd 48 field goal, 8:14
Second Quarter
ALA: Major Ogilvie 4 pass from Jeff 
     Rutledge (Roger Chapman kick) 3:06
Third Quarter
ALA: Tony Nathan 1 run (kick failed) 1:26
Fourth Quarter
ALA: Rutledge 1 run (Alan McElroy kick) 2:17

                            NEB      ALA
First Downs ................ 11       17
  By rushing ................ 8       11
  By passing ................ 3        5
  By penalty ................ 0        1
Rushes-Net Yards ....... 38-110   65-264
Passing Net ................ 64       54
  Comp-Att-Int ........ 10-23-2   5-13-0
Total Offense .......... 61-174   78-318
  Avg. per play .......... 2.85     4.08
Punts .................. 8-40.9   7-41.4
Fumbles-Lost .............. 2-2      3-1
Punt returns-Yards ........ 0-0     3-22 
Kickoff returns-Yards .... 3-70     1-27
Penalized-Yards .......... 4-52     6-59
Third-down conv. ......... 3/14    11/19
Possession time ......... 25:44    34:16

RUSHING
NEB: I.M. Hipp 14-54, Rick Berns 12-42, Jeff Quinn 3-29, Andra Franklin 2-5, Sorley 7-minus-20.

ALA: Nathan 16-78, Billy Jackson 14-62, Rutledge 19-56, Lou Ikner 3-23, Steve Whitman 6-20, Ogilvie 4-18, Joe Jones 3-7.

PASSING
NEB: Sorley 9-21-2 60; Quinn 1-2-0 4.
ALA: Rutledge 5-13-0 54.

RECEIVING
NEB: Berns 3-15, Tim Smith 3-18, Junior Miller 2-13, Kenny Brown 2-18.

ALA: Bruce Bolton 2-30, Ogilvie 2-14, Whitman 1-10.

ATTENDANCE: 77,023 (stadium record)

NU OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF GAME
  Billy Todd 48 yard field goal,
  Tim Smith punting for 40.9 average

NU DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF GAME
  George Andrews, 19 tackles
  (ABC Defensive Player of Game)

MORE INDIVIDUAL STATS

Coverage

Recap

1978 Nebraska-Alabama, Rick BernsRick Berns tries to get past Alabama’s Don McNeal. · Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal · Newspapers.com

Huskers can’t solve Tide’s defense

Nebraska’s Cornhuskers traveled to Birmingham to open the 1978 season against Paul “Bear” Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tide showed why they were ranked No. 1 in the nation as they turned back the Huskers 20-3.

With a national ABC-TV audience and a record crowd of 77,023 looking on, Nebraska jumped to an early 3-0 lead on a 48-yard field goal by Billy Todd, with 8:14 left in the first period. Nebraska had moved to the Alabama 31 on their first possession before the drive stalled and the Huskers settled for the field goal.

The teams played even until midway through the second quarter when Alabama had a 99-yard, seven-minute drive with Major Ogilvie catching a four-yard Jeff Rutledge pass for the score.

In the second half, Alabama controlled the line of scrimmage and scored two more times. The Crimson Tide added their second touchdown in the third quarter when an intercepted pass led to 39-yard drive with halfback Tony Nathan going over from the one.

Another Husker turnover resulted in the final Tide score when NU fumbled on its own three yard line late in the fourth quarter. Alabama recovered the miscue and scored three plays later, on a one yard Rutledge run, to make the final score 20-3.

Game on YouTube
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Pregame & team info
1978 schedule
04/29White 14, Red 13
09/02@ AlabamaL 3-20
09/09CalW 36-26
09/16HawaiiW 56-10
09/30@ IndianaW 69-17
10/07@ Iowa St.W 23-0
10/14Kansas St.W 48-14
10/21@ ColoradoW 52-14
10/28Oklahoma St.W 22-14
11/04@ KansasW 63-21
11/11OklahomaW 17-14
11/18MissouriL 31-35
01/01OklahomaL 24-31
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