Gameday Notebook

Nebraska's 42-7 victory over Iowa Saturday was the identical score as the last time the two teams met in 1982. NU Quarterback Coach Turner Gill was the Cornhuskers' quarterback and NU Quarterback Coach Chuck Long was Iowa's quarterback. NU now holds a 25-13-3 all-time record against the Hawkeyes.

Sean Applegate's 47-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was his first catch since the opening game of the 1997 season against Akron. His previous long catch was nine yards in that same Akron game. Senior tight end T.J. Debates also caught a career-long 18-yard pass.

Three true freshmen saw action in Saturday's game including snapper John Garrison, free safety Taylor Gehman (on the punt team) and left guard Toniu Fonoti.

The 42-7 victory marked Nebraska's 14th straight season-opening win. The last opening game loss was a 17-13 loss to Florida State Sept. 7, 1985 in Lincoln. NU defeated Louisiana Tech 56-27 last year in Frank Solich's first opener as NU's head coach.

Eric Crouch was ABC/Chevrolet's player of the game. A $1,000 scholarship grant was given to the university in his honor. Crouch carried the ball five times for 92 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also threw for 67 yards, including a 38-yard completion to Matt Davison.

DeAngelo Evans became the 48th Husker to go over the 1,000-yard mark for his NU career with 69 yards Saturday.

Evans now has 1,063.

NU sported an improved offense in the opening game. The offense's 543 yards of total offense was more than all of the 1998 games except Kansas. The Huskers'196 passing yards would have been the third-best total last year. NU's 347 rushing yards would have ranked fourth out of 1998 games.

Split end Matt Davison extended his streak of games in which he has caught at least one pass to 18. He had four catches for 69 yards.

In the first punts of his career, senior walk-on Dan Hadenfeldt punted 33 yards to the Iowa three-yard-line (downed by Randy Stella); 54 yards to Iowa 4 (tackle by DeJuan Groce); 45 yards (1 yard return to the 20); but was blocked on his last attempt by Doug Miller (Tim Dodge returned for Iowa's only TD). All three of Hadenfeldt's kickoffs were touchbacks into the end zone.