Conference Big Eight Conference Head coach Fred Dawson (1st year) | 1921 record 7–1 (3–0 MVIAA) Home stadium Nebraska Field | |
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The 1921 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska in the 1921 college football season. The team was coached by Fred Dawson and played their home games at Nebraska Field in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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Before the season
Former head coach Schulte stepped down to focus on coaching other sports at Nebraska, but remained involved with the team as the lineman coach. New head coach Dawson arrived from Princeton, inheriting a team that had eighteen lettermen returning, the highest number ever for the program to date. Nebraska also rejoined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association after a two-year stint as an independent, so the high number of returning starters raised aspirations for a conference title. A new league rule was enacted that restricted preseason practices to the two weeks prior to the first game, so much work was to be done after the summer break to be ready.
After the season
Coach Dawson's first season was a clear success, with all games won except for the hard-fought Notre Dame loss, and an undisputed league championship secured in Nebraska's return to league play. The program's overall record improved to 181-61-15 (.733), while the conference record was improved to 27-3-2 (.875).