LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne is urging fans to treat Texas players, coaches and fans with respect during Saturday’s game against the Longhorns.
The game has been built up as a grudge match because of last year’s controversial finish to the Big 12 championship game and Nebraska’s looming departure from the Big 12 to join the Big Ten.
Osborne said Wednesday that fans need to uphold their reputation for treating opponents well. He said only positive comments are appropriate in comments to the visitors and on signs fans bring.
Bob Knowles, a board member of the Nebraska Touchdown Club, said he suspects the sour attitude is mostly attributable to Nebraska’s 1-8 record against the Longhorns since the Big 12 started.
“If we were 8-1, I don’t think we’re having this conversation,” Knowles said. “It’s the losing that is the primary driving force, in my opinion, for why Nebraskans dislike Texas.”
Joe Jamail, a billionaire lawyer and Texas benefactor who had the field at DKR-Royal Memorial Stadium named after him, said he and other Longhorns fans have no animosity for Nebraska.
“It never occurred to me that a thinking human being would waste a lot of time dredging up a reason to despise someone,” the 84-year- old Jamail said with a chuckle. “People have been e-mailing me, calling us the ‘evil orange.’ What did they do all year, sit around and wait for this game? Show me a whole population that feels that way and I’ll show you a large population of people who are either bored to death or not capable of doing anything else.”
Jamail said he wouldn’t be in Lincoln for the game, and added a little dig: “I’ll never go to Nebraska. You have to get sent to Nebraska.”
Footnotes.
Alabama receiver Julio Jones (hand) practiced and caught passes, but his status for Saturday’s game against Mississippi is uncertain.
• Notre Dame star tight end Kyle Rudolph will have season-ending surgery Friday to repair a torn hamstring.
• Illinois offensive lineman Hugh Thornton has been ordered to perform community service for violating the terms of his court supervision by using a friend’s ID to get into a campus bar, but he is expected to play Saturday at Michigan State.
• Montana State quarterback Denarius McGhee is questionable for Saturday’s game at Northern Arizona because of a sprained left foot.
Denver Post wire services
