At the spot where one of the most jubilant moments in Husker football history took place, it has now become synonymous with one of the most crushing losses in quite some time. The BYU Cougars executed the Hail Mary play to beat the Huskers 33-28 in the season opener for both teams.
For NU, the loss was the first season opening loss since 1985, nearly three decades of starting the season with a win. The Cougars backup quarterback Tanner Mangum connected with wide reciever Mitch Mathews from 42 yards out on the game winning miracle play, stunning the nearly 90,000 Husker faithful into silence.
Mike Riley will have to wait at least another week to notch his first victory as the Huskers head coach and the team will have to figure out how to move on from such a difficult beginning to the season, something no team at Nebraska has had to do in nearly three decades. They'll get their first chance next Saturday evening when South Alabama comes to Lincoln.