Jan. 1, 1973

Having lost the chance at a shot at three consecutive national championships with a season-opening loss to UCLA and a season-ending loss to Oklahoma, Nebraska rolled into the Jan. 1, 1973, Orange Bowl ranked ninth in the country with a Heisman Trophy winner to showcase.

But more than simply playing for pride, the Huskers were driven to win the game for Bob Devaney, who was ending his program-making 11 years at Nebraska.

The Huskers did so in spectacular fashion, overwhelming No. 12 Notre Dame 40-6 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. The Huskers outgained the Irish 560 yards to 207, led by Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers.

Rodgers pulled off the scoring trifecta, running for touchdowns of 8, 4 and 5 yards, throwing a 52-yard TD pass to Frosty Anderson and catching a 50-yard pass from Dave Humm.

Devaney, who got his 101st win at Nebraska and the 136th of his career, was carried off the field on his players’ shoulders, a legend going out the right way.

— L. Kent Wolgamott