Nebraska

Matt Rhule comments on handshake controversy in Nebraska-Iowa game

Published

1 year ago

December 4, 2024

Matt Rhule comments on handshake controversy in Nebraska-Iowa game

Head coach Matt Rhule met with the media on Wednesday in Lincoln inside the Hawks Championship Center to discuss Nebraska’s 2025 recruiting class that officially became Husker football players on the first day of the early signing period.

But before Rhule talked about the future of his program, he wanted to clear the air about something in the past: handshakes.

Or more more accurately, the lack of handshakes in Iowa City that Hawkeye players said motivated them.

During the coin toss just before kickoff in last week’s Black Friday rivalry game against Iowa, the Husker captains for the tilt — Elliott Brown, Emmett Johnson, DeShon Singleton and MJ Sherman — refused to shake the hands of Iowa’s captains.

“That’s not what we want to do. That’s not the right way to handle it,” said Rhule, who noted he didn’t know the captains didn’t shake the hands of Iowa’s players until well after the game.

When Nebraska’s players entered Kinnick Stadium for the first time a few hours before kickoff, the players made their way to the 50-yard line for their usual pregame prayer. However, there were armed police officers standing on the 50-yard line, keeping them from doing so.

The Nebraska players and coaches instead kept walking and prayed in one of the end zones.

“I do want to say, we showed up at the game and, really, for 12 years now, we show up to an away game and we always kind of go to the 50-yard line,” Rhule said. “Some guys will say a prayer for safety. Some guys will just break it down. Never really had any problems. We had a problem last year at Colorado for a few minutes. We had a problem this year at USC. But for the most part, we kind of go and do it.”

Rhule believes the presence of police officers had something to do with his players not shaking hands.

“When we came out to walk to the end zone, there were seven armed state troopers standing on the logo. And I think our players felt some type of way about police in pregame,” Rhule said. “They felt that. Wasn’t maybe channeled the right way. We’ve got great guys. We’ve got great leadership. Not the right decision, not what we wanted.”

Rivalry week in college football produced multiple fights between teams, including in the contests between Michigan-Ohio State, Florida-Florida State and North Carolina-North Carolina State, among others.

Knowing what happened in other rivalry games, Rhule was proud of how the Huskers and Hawkeyes handled business.

“I think when you watch that game, credit to both teams, it was between the lines,” Rhule said. “No unsportsmanlike fouls, no trash talking, no taunting. And watching college football, even after the game, I think both teams handled themselves in a way that a lot of people, lot of games, didn’t. So we’ll grow from that. We’ll learn from that.”

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Nebraska

Nebraska legend Ndamukong Suh picked for College Football Hall of Fame

Published

1 hour ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska legend Ndamukong Suh picked for College Football Hall of Fame

Nebraska legend Ndamukong Suh was selected to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class. Suh is one of 18 players announced by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Suh played at Nebraska from 2005 to 2009. His senior season is one of the legendary seasons in college football.

During that year, he played in 14 games and recorded 85 tackles, 20.5 for loss, and 12.0 sacks. He was a finalist for the 2009 Heisman trophy and was the first defensive player named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year.

The Portland, Oregon native was drafted second overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for Miami, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia during his NFL career.

Suh becomes the 21st Nebraska player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is the fourth Husker defensive lineman, joining Wayne Meylan, Rich Glover and Grant Wistrom.

The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted on Dec. 8, 2026, at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

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Nebraska

Two Nebraska schools receive national recognition for academic achievement

Published

13 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Two Nebraska schools receive national recognition for academic achievement

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Two Nebraska schools have been nationally recognized for academic achievement. One of the schools is here in Omaha.

Adams Elementary in Omaha and Bridgeport Elementary in Bridgeport are among the 63 schools nationwide named to the 2025 National ESEA Distinguished Schools.

Nebraska’s Department of Education says Adams Elementary was recognized for closing the achievement gap between student groups.

Bridgeport Elementary is recognized for exceptional student performance and academic growth.

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Nebraska

2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament Projections: Nebraska Jumps to No. 1 Seed, Michigan Falls

Published

1 day ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament Projections: Nebraska Jumps to No. 1 Seed, Michigan Falls

Is Nebraska for real? That’s the million-dollar question at the midway point of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.

The Cornhuskers sit at 16-0 heading into a home matchup against Oregon on Tuesday night. They’re one of just five remaining undefeated teams in Division 1, but is that enough for Fred Hoiberg’s team to be pegged as a No. 1 seed?

With a loaded week of college basketball on deck, FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy is here to share his latest NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament projections.

Here’s where DeCourcy’s projected bracket stands on Jan. 13.

EAST REGION

SOUTH REGION

MIDWEST REGION

WEST REGION

And it’s never too early to check in on the bubble.

According to DeCourcy’s projections, Texas A&M, Indiana, Missouri and Virginia Tech are the last four teams in the tournament, while UCLA, Ohio State, NC State and TCU are the first four out.

As for conference representation, the SEC leads the way with 10 teams in DeCourcy’s latest tournament projections, followed by the Big Ten and ACC with nine teams, the Big 12 with eight teams and the Big East with four teams. The West Coast Conference and Atlantic 10 also have two teams each.

Selection Sunday is two months away, and these projections will inevitably evolve. But for now, DeCourcy’s latest bracket forecast offers a clear snapshot of who’s rising, who’s falling, and which programs are already building the résumés they’ll need when March arrives.

Michael DeCourcy covers college basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on NCAA Tournament bracket projections. He has appeared on FOX Sports college basketball game broadcasts, while also serving as a college basketball studio analyst with Big Ten Network. He has been covering college basketball for nearly three decades at the Sporting News. You can follow him at @tsnmike.

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