Nebraska squandered a 10-point lead against Northwestern in Saturday’s 34-31 loss.

The Cornhuskers also played their way off of an exclusive list which they belonged to for nearly 130 years.

Until now, Nebraska had never started any season 0-6. That’s a distinction few programs still boast after Nebraska played its way off the list.

To be exact, according to our research, only 15 programs have never had an 0-6 start in school history. For our criteria, teams must play a minimum of 40 years at the Bowl Subdivision level to qualify. That ensures that only programs with a long history are considered. The NCAA broke Division I-AA away from I-A for the 1978 season so that seemed to be a fitting starting point.

You might be surprised at some of the programs which have never started 0-6, and some of the schools which endured such ignominy long before it finally happened to Nebraska.

Never been 0-6

Arizona: Surprised? Us too. The Wildcats started 0-7-1 in 1957 when ties were still a thing in college football, but the tie came early.

Georgia: This is a program with almost as many 10-win seasons (23) as losing seasons (28) and that consistency carries onto this list.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets finished 0-6-2 in 1902 but again a tie was not a loss. Tech lines up right next to its state rival on this list.

Miami (Florida): The Hurricanes has some rough patches after their two decades of dominance ended in the early 2000s, but have never started worse than 0-4.

Michigan: The program with the most wins in college football history pops up on this list to the surprise of few.

Mississippi State: If Arizona was surprising, this one is shocking. Had two winless seasons but both with early ties.

North Carolina State: Rarely awful, rarely bother the big boys and often go bowling. Look up “perennial 7-5 pick” in the dictionary and you’d find the Wolfpack.

Notre Dame: The legendary program did have one 0-5 start, in 2007, then defeated UCLA. That was a close as the Fighting Irish came.

Ohio State: This stat is insane even for a program of this pedigree — the Buckeyes have never lost three straight to start a season, never mind six.

Oklahoma: The bluebloods started 0-5 in 1961 before defeating Kansas State. The Sooners have not come close to leaving this club since.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions started 0-4 in 2001 but have never come any closer to an 0-6 mark in a long history.

Purdue: Like N.C. State and Arizona, a middle-of-the-pack program which pops up here. The Boilermakers started 0-5 in 1975.

San Diego State: The only program outside the Power 5 to appear on this list. The Aztecs have started 0-5 twice in the past 16 years.

USC: Even the proud Trojans can have an off year. They started 0-5 in 1957 on their way to a 1-9 finish but have never come close since.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers finished 0-8-2 in 1960 but one tie came early. Another good-but-not-great part of a statistical oddity.

Have started 0-6

Not a complete list but some programs which have started 0-6 that you might not suspect.

Programs as accomplished as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Washington have finished seasons winless and didn’t even manage to tie a game.

Other major Power 5 programs who have started 0-6 at least once include Arkansas, Clemson, Colorado, Iowa, LSU, Michigan State, Oregon, Pitt, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

That just goes to show how hard it is to go 100-plus years without such a queasy start. It was a club Nebraska belonged to for generations, until Saturday.