1894 Nebraska Bugeaters football team

1894 Nebraska Bugeaters football
WIUFA co-champion
Conference	Western Interstate University Football Association
Record	6–2 (2–1 WIUFA)
Head coach	Frank Crawford (2nd season)
Home stadium	"M" Street Park

1894 Western Interstate University Football Association standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Missouri +	2	–	1	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Nebraska +	2	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Kansas	1	–	2	–	0			2	–	3	–	1
Iowa	1	–	2	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
+ – Conference co-champions

The 1894 Nebraska Bugeaters football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1894 college football season. The team was coached by second-year head coach Frank Crawford and played their home games at the "M" Street Park in Lincoln, Nebraska. They competed as members of the Western Interstate University Football Association.

For the first time in program history, Nebraska started the season with a returning head coach. Crawford left after the season to become the head football coach at Texas. NU played a pre-season exhibition game against Lincoln High.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 6		vs. Lincoln High School*	Lincoln, NE	W 8–0 (exhibition)
October 20		Grinnell*	"M" Street Park Lincoln, NE	W 22–0	650
October 27		Doane*	"M" Street Park Lincoln, NE	L 0–12
November 3		vs. Missouri	Exposition Park Kansas City, MO (rivalry)	L 14–18
November 10		at Omaha YMCA*	Omaha YMCA Ball Park Omaha, NE	W 36–6
November 17	3:50 p.m.	at Kansas	McCook Field Lawrence, KS (rivalry)	W 12–6	1,500	[1]
November 19		at Ottawa*	Ottawa, KS	W 6–0	400
November 29	3:00 p.m.	vs. Iowa	Omaha YMCA Ball Park Omaha, NE (rivalry)	W 36–0
December 25	3:00 p.m.	at Omaha YMCA*	Omaha YMCA Ball Park Omaha, NE	W 10–6	400
*Non-conference game

Coaching staff

Coach	Position	First year	Alma mater
Frank Crawford	Head coach	1893	Yale
Charles Thomas	Assistant coach	1893	Michigan
Jack Best	Trainer	1890	Nebraska
Arthur Weaver	Manager	1893

^[2][3]

Roster

^[4]

Bradt, Fletcher G Brandt, Fletcher PLAYER Cameron, John E Dern, George T Dungan, Will T Fair, Richard FB Flippin, George HB Frank, Harry FB Gardner PLAYER Hammang, John T Hayward, William FB Jones, Albin G Oury, W.Harry C Packard, Leonard E Shue, James E Smith G Spooner, Clinton QB Sweeney, F.W. FB Thomas FB Thorpe, Orley E Whipple, Otis E Wiggins, Frank E Wilson, Wilmer LG Yont, Alonzo HB

Game summaries

Lincoln High

Lincoln High vs. Nebraska

1 2 Total Lincoln High 0 • Nebraska 8 Date: October 6 Location: Lincoln, NE

For the first time, Nebraska played an exhibition game prior to the regular season. Results and statistics from this game did not count toward the season. ^[5][6]

Grinnell

Grinnell at Nebraska

1 2 Total Grinnell 0 0 0 • Nebraska 0 22 22 Date: October 20 Location: "M" Street Park, Lincoln, NE Game attendance: 650

Grinnell had won four of the previous five Iowa state championships prior to their first game against Nebraska. A hard-fought first half ended scoreless, but the underdog Bugeaters used three second-half touchdowns by George Flippin to pull away.^[5]

Doane

Doane at Nebraska

1 2 Total • Doane 6 6 12 Nebraska 0 0 0 Date: October 27 Location: "M" Street Park, Lincoln, NE

Doane scored once in each half to upset the Bugeaters.^[5]

At Missouri

Nebraska at Missouri

1 2 Total Nebraska 4 10 14 • Missouri 12 6 18 Date: November 3 Location: Kansas City, MO

See also: Missouri–Nebraska football rivalry

Nebraska's first conference game in 1894 was a trip to Missouri. The Tigers won 18–14.^[5]

At Omaha YMCA

Nebraska at Omaha YMCA

1 2 Total • Nebraska 30 6 36 Omaha YMCA 0 6 6 Date: November 10 Location: Omaha YMCA Ball Park, Omaha, NE

Nebraska's first-ever football game was a tightly contested game against the Omaha YMCA, but by 1894 the Bugeaters outmatched the YMCA's team of high school students and other Omaha residents. Nebraska led 30–0 lead at halftime, and won the game 36–6.^[5]

At Kansas

Nebraska at Kansas

1 2 Total • Nebraska 8 4 12 Kansas 6 0 6 Date: November 17 Location: Central Park, Lawrence, KS

See also: Kansas–Nebraska football rivalry

An officiating dispute delayed kickoff, but once underway Kansas took an early 6–0 lead. The Bugeaters pulled ahead 8–6 by halftime and kept the Jayhawks off the scoreboard in the second half to win for the first time against Kansas.^[5]

University of Kansas records suggest this game was played on November 22, 1894 in Lincoln.^[7]

At Ottawa

Nebraska at Ottawa

1 2 Total • Nebraska 6 0 6 Ottawa 0 0 0 Date: November 19 Location: Ottawa, KS Game attendance: 400

Though the game was planned just one week ahead of time, efforts were made to publicize the match, drawing over 400 locals from the area to watch. Nebraska padded its roster in preparation, adding head coach Frank Crawford as a quarterback and another (unnamed) football coach as a fullback. Nebraska's first half touchdown was the only scoring of the day. This was the only game ever played between Nebraska and Ottawa.^[5]

Iowa

Nebraska vs. Iowa

1 2 Total • Nebraska 12 24 36 Iowa 0 0 0 Date: November 29 Location: Omaha, NE

See also: Iowa–Nebraska football rivalry

Nebraska's final conference game was a trip to Omaha to meet Iowa. Nebraska, led by future Utah governor and United States Secretary of War George Dern, dominated the game en route to a 36–0 win. The win gave Nebraska a share of its first conference championship.^[5][8]

University of Iowa records suggest the final score of this game was a 14–12 Nebraska victory.^[7]

At Omaha YMCA

Nebraska at Omaha YMCA

1 2 Total • Nebraska 0 10 10 Omaha YMCA 6 0 6 Date: December 25 Location: Omaha YMCA Ball Park, Omaha, NE Game attendance: 400 Game weather: Cold

After a dominating Nebraska victory just weeks prior, the Omaha YMCA nearly upset the Bugeaters in a Christmas Day rematch. The YMCA led 6–0 at halftime but Nebraska answered with 10 points in the second half to win.^[5]

References

1. "K. S. U. Falls Downs". The Topeka Daily Capital. Topeka, Kansas. November 18, 1894. p. 1. Retrieved October 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
2. "Nebraska head coaches". HuskerMax. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
3. "1984 Coaching Staff". Husker Press Box. Retrieved November 10, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. "Nebraska Football 1894 Roster". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved November 9, 2009.
5. "1894 Game Recaps". Husker Press Box. Retrieved November 9, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
6. "the 1890s". HuskerMax. Retrieved November 9, 2009.
7. "Western Inter-State UniversityFoot Ball Association anomalies". HuskerMax. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
8. "Nebraskas, 36; Iowas, 0". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. November 30, 1894. p. 7. Retrieved October 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.