Fun Facts: Iowa-Nebraska. The battle between Ogallala and Ottumwa

Iowa and Nebraska. Some call it flyover country. Why not? You wouldn’t fly under it. And now, Fun Facts:

1. The last five games in this series were decided by one score.

2. Nebraska has lost its last four home finales.

3. Iowa has allowed 12.4 points per game, its lowest average since its 1981 Rose Bowl team allowed 11.7.

4. One more defeat guarantees Nebraska its seventh-straight losing season.

5. Iowa remains 130th (last) in the nation in total offense. It has played four teams that are ranked 120th are worse.(Michigan State, Minnesota, Rutgers, Northwestern). Nebraska is 114th.

6. Huskers defensive back Omar Brown had eight interceptions during his three seasons at Northern Iowa. He is third on Nebraska in tackles and has forced two fumbles.

7. The Hawkeyes haven’t allowed a first-quarter touchdown in their last eight games and the Huskers haven’t haven’t surrendered one in their last six games.

8. Nebraska is one of only five FBS programs that have averaged at least nine wins over the last 50 seasons. The others are Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

9. Combined, the Hawkeyes and Huskers have gained 6,188 yards. LSU has gained 6,184 by itself.

10. Nebraska is next-to-last in the nation in turnover margin, making 1.36 more per game than its opponents.

11. Iowa ranks in the top 10 nationally in fewest rushing touchdowns allowed, scoring defense, total defense, opponents’ red zone conversions, opponents’ plays of 10 or more yards, and fewest penalties.

12. Huskers Coach Matt Rhule’s first Temple team went 2-10. His third went 10-3. His first Baylor team went 1-11. His third went 11-3.

13. The last three times Nebraska needed a Black Friday win in Lincoln to become bowl-eligible, it lost in 2004 to Colorado and in 2015 and 2019 to Iowa.

14. Nebraska has scored 206 points and allowed 206 points. It has rushed for 1,095 more yards than its opponents, while its opponents have 991 more passing yards.

15. Nebraska quarterback Chubba Purdy’s given name is Preston. He was nicknamed “Chubba” as a 1-year-old by his father because Preston weighed 38 pounds. He’s at 210 today. And yes, he’s Brock Purdy’s brother.

16. Iowa needs to score 97 points against the Huskers to raise its average to 25 points per game.

17. The governors of Nebraska and Iowa are named Jim and Kim. Dr. Jim Yong Kim was president of the World Bank from 2012 to 2019. He was the valedictorian, class president and football quarterback at Muscatine High School.

18. The 3,000-foot Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge links Nebraska and Iowa. The bridge is commonly called “Bob.”

19. Iowa and Nebraska are among 21 U.S. states ending in the letter ‘A.’ Also ending in ‘A’ are Canada, Cuba, Omaha, Ottumwa, Ogallala, Ottumwa, Rihanna, Madonna, CIA, NASA, the NCAA and the YMCA.

20. They call Iowa-Nebraska the Heroes Game. There was a 1977 film called “A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich.”