Football team to face Nebraska in Pigskin Classic in 2001
Decision comes three years after former coach Dennis Franchione pulled the 1-10 Frogs from the series

Skiff Staff

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced Thursday that the details of the Pigskin Classic between TCU and Nebraska had been worked out and the game will be played at 1 p.m. Aug. 25 at Memorial Stadium.

TCU Athletics Director Eric Hyman was unavailable for comment, and Associate Athletics Director Jack Hesselbrock is away with a family emergency.

Nebraska head coach Frank Solich had been wary of preseason games and the physical toll they take on players, but decided the extra practice time and an eight-game home schedule were worth it.

The Frogs had been scheduled to play in Lincoln last season and this fall, but former head coach Dennis Franchione backed out of the series in 1997 after TCU went 1-10 in 1997.

TCU’s current head coach Gary Patterson did not return phone calls.

TCU went 10-2 last fall and finished No. 21 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. Nebraska also was 10-2 and was ranked eighth after opening the season at No. 1.

Just three months ago, Nebraska said it would not play in the Kickoff Classic, another preseason game, because Solich was concerned about injuries, especially to quarterback Eric Crouch. He will miss spring practice for the second-straight year because of surgery on his throwing shoulder.

“We didn’t have a major interest in playing in a game until we figured out where Eric Crouch was (with his rehab),” coach Solich said. “I don’t think you want to enter into a preseason game without an experienced quarterback.”

Crouch said Wednesday he would not throw a football until May 1, but his rehabilitation was going well.

Nebraska is 4-0 in preseason games, winning three Kickoff Classics and the 1998 Eddie Robinson Classic.

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This story contains information from the Associated Press.