Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers met in their annual rivalry game, where tensions ran high from the start. Before the game, Iowa’s team captains and Nebraska’s team captains met for the coin toss, but Nebraska’s players declined to shake hands with their opponents. According to Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins, this move was perceived as a personal slight.
As the game kicked off, emotions remained high, and Higgins reportedly got close to Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule when the Hawkeyes were on defense. Higgins had told Rhule during their interaction that “it probably wasn’t a good idea to not shake our hands,” and Rhule responded with a sarcastic “Who are you?”
Nebraska took an early 10-0 lead, but Iowa rallied to score 13 unanswered points. Iowa kicker Drew Stevens secured the win with a 53-yard field goal in the final seconds.
Despite the animosity on the field, Higgins made an effort to shake hands with Rhule after the game, telling him “good game.” Meanwhile, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz declined to comment on the pre-game events, saying he “didn’t see it and really can’t comment on it.”
Iowa player Nick Jackson contrasted his team’s values with Nebraska’s, saying “You see the difference. Be a Hawk.”
