Lincoln — Okay, Lucy. How's it go-ing to go this time?The Nebraska-Wisconsin football series is right out of a "Peanuts" script. The Badgers hold the ball, smiling, while the Charlie Brown of the Big Ten lands on his back.
Again. The Huskers and Badgers play for the Freedom Trophy on Saturday, although for the folks in Lincoln, the trophy is just a rumor. Since joining the Big Ten in 2011, NU has lost 11 of 12 meetings with Wisconsin.
The Badgers have won 10 straight, some in cruel and unusual fashion. 2014: Nebraska took a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter. Then Wisconsin scored eight straight touchdowns on a helpless NU defense.
Melvin Gordon rushed for 408 yards, a NCAA FBS record. 2015: NU was up, 21-20, when Wisconsin kicker Rafael Gaglianone missed a 39-yard field goal with 1:26 left. Nebraska went three-and-out with Wisconsin calling three time outs.
Then Gaglianone got a second chance and won it with a 46-yard field goal. 2016: Ranked No. 7, Nebraska tied the game at Camp Randall with 10 points in the fourth quarter.
But Wisconsin won in overtime. 2021: Braelon Allen's 53-yard touchdown run broke a 28-28 tie late in the fourth quarter. NU drove to the Wisconsin 11 but a penalty and four incompletions ended the game.
2022: In a battle of interim coaches, NU was up 14-3 going into the fourth quarter at home. But Wisconsin rallied with two touchdowns and won it on quarterback Graham Mertz's two-yard run with 35 seconds left. 2023: Another overtime loss at Camp Rand.