Led by first-year head coach Bob Devaney, the Huskers were 8–2 (5–2 in Big 8, third) in the regular season,[1] and played their home games on campus at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Undefeated through October,[2] their loss to Missouri on November 3 marked the start of Nebraska's current NCAA record of 400 consecutive sellouts.

At the chilly Gotham Bowl in New York City in mid-December, they defeated Miami 36–34 to finish at 9–2.

[3][4] Hired in February, Devaney was previously the head coach for five seasons at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

He coached Nebraska for eleven seasons, won consecutive national titles (1970, 1971), and was the athletic director from 1967 to 1992.