Part of the 1987–88 bowl game season, it matched the third-ranked independent Florida State Seminoles and the #5 Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference.
[3][4][5][6] Kickoff was just after 11:30 a.m. MST,[7] and underdog Nebraska scored first on a three-yard run by senior halfback Keith Jones with 9:31 left in the first quarter.
[5][6] Florida State got on the board in the second quarter when quarterback Danny McManus threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Herb Gainer.
With under five minutes left in the first half, running back Dayne Williams scored from four yards out to tie the game at fourteen.
Ten plays later, Florida State had advanced to the Nebraska 15 and McManus threw a touchdown pass to Ronald Lewis for the clinching 31–28 score.