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Nebraska reveals next game date for red balloons

Cory Nightingale

By Cory Nightingale

Published:

Nebraska football and those red balloons that have been a combination for so long appear to be making their return on Oct. 5 when the Cornhuskers face Rutgers in their homecoming game at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen recently said that the longtime tradition that was discontinued in 2022 should be back and more colorful than ever when the Scarlet Knights come to Lincoln for the Week 6 matchup. Nebraska, which is 3-1 so far this season, visits Purdue this Saturday before returning home to face Rutgers.

“Homecoming. I think that’s the plan,” said Dannen, who took over as Nebraska athletic director in March. “I’d love to do them at homecoming every year and then pick another game out. Weather permitting, right, and we’re not into something that’s going to prohibit it, I’d like to see them for Rutgers.”

The Nebraska red balloons tradition was discontinued in 2022 by then-athletic director Trev Alberts, who had cited a helium shortage as the reason for ending the celebration. It was reinstituted on a limited basis when Colorado visited early this season.

The releasing of the red balloons after the 1st Nebraska score of a game is a tradition that goes back to the 1960s. While the technical tradition is any score, most Husker fans have long made it so that the balloons are not released until Nebraska scores a touchdown.

Cory Nightingale