the big game. The dominant team had outrecruited everybody else and was sending by far the most talent to the NFL. The underdog had improved their speed and athleticism on defense but remained suspect. Did they have the horses to match up?
The dominant team looked the part early in the game, moving the ball with a flashy passing game and shutting down the underdog's running attack. The underdogs also threw an interception to kill their best-looking early drive. But their defense eventually gave them a short field after a turnover, and it was just 10-7 at halftime. The underdog's defense was keeping them in the game.
Th dominant team extended their lead to 17-7 in the second half, but the underdog kept fighting, and seemed to get stronger on both sides of the ball as the game wore on. Their running game gained traction and the pass rush was hitting home. A seldom-used fullback finished two touchdown drives, and Nebraska went on to beat Miami on their home field in the 1995 Orange Bowl, 24-17.
By no means is it an exact parallel to today's ND-Bama game. but the narratives are very similar. Those Nebraska teams never had top ten recruiting classes, but they were tough and athletic enough to emerge from years of being on the second tier to win three national titles in four years, starting with that 1994-95 season.
Just saying ... it could happen.