Lincoln (Aug. 30, 1997) - Nebraska opened its 108th season of football with a dominating performance against overmatched Akron in Lincoln. Nebraska built a 38-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 59-14 victory in front of the 215th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.  The game also marked Nebraska’s 300th alll-time win in the stadium since it opened in 1923. 

The Huskers showed in game one that they would be a dominant running team in 1997. Nebraska amassed 472 yards and scored all eight of its touchdowns on the ground. Four Huskers scored two touchdowns each, led by quarterback Scott Frost who rushed for a then-career-high 123 yards on 11 carries.  Junior I-back Ahman Green tallied 99 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries before leaving the game at halftime. 

True freshman I-back Correll Buckhalter and junior fullback Joel Makovicka also had two rushing touchdowns each. Included in Makovicka’s day was a highlight-reel 20-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter in which he broke at least seven Akron tackles and carried four defenders into the end zone.  Makovicka finished the day with 59 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 11 and 20 years. 

The NU defense showed its domination by holding the Zips scoreless until reserves entered the game in the third quarter.