Iowa trolls Nebraska after some Cornhuskers gamers decline pregame handshake
The Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers met on Friday of their annual rivalry sport.
Shortly earlier than kickoff, Iowa’s group captains and Nebraska’s team captains met on the 50-yard line for the coin toss. It is customary for gamers from opposing groups to greet each other and shake fingers earlier than referees clarify which aspect of the coin represents heads and which aspect will function tails.
However Nebraska’s gamers determined to not have interaction within the handshaking ritual with their opponents. At the very least one of many 4 Cornhuskers’ captains appeared to shake and look in the direction of the bottom because the Hawkeyes gamers approached.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Lengthy snapper Luke Elkin, #39, and punter Ty Nissen, #99 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, carry the Heroes Trophy off the sphere after the win in opposition to the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kinnick Stadium on November 29, 2024, in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa. (Matthew Holst/Getty Pictures)
Tensions have been already heightened earlier than the coin toss second after Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule walked via Iowa’s warmup space. Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins defined how his group took exception to Rhule’s pregame actions.
“Our guys are warming up, doing our pregame and their head coach walked via the warmup,” Higgins instructed reporters after the sport. “So we instantly knew what kind of sport this was.”
GEORGIA PULLS OUT EPIC WIN IN 8-OVERTIME THRILLER, ALL BUT CLINCH SPOT IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
However feelings remained excessive even after the sport kicked off. Higgins was seen getting near Rhule when the Hawkeyes have been on protection within the first quarter.
Higgins mentioned he had instructed Rhule through the interplay that “it most likely wasn’t a good suggestion to not shake our fingers.” The Iowa defender provided a three-word response saying, “Who’re you?”
Nebraska did handle to take an early 10-0, however the Hawkeyes scored 13 unanswered factors. Iowa kicker Drew Stevens made a 53-yard area purpose within the last seconds to safe the victory within the rivalry sport.
Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive again Ceyair Wright (15) defends a area purpose try by Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa Metropolis Press-Citizen / USA Right now Community through Imagn Pictures)
Higgins did make a concerted effort to shake hands with Rhule moments after the sport clock expired.
“After the sport, as a result of they did not need to shake our fingers earlier than the sport, I went as much as their head coach and shook his hand,” Higgins confirmed. “And instructed him, ‘Good sport.’”
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz watches warmups earlier than the soccer sport in opposition to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa Metropolis Press-Citizen / USA Right now Community through Imagn Pictures)
At one level throughout his postgame media session, Higgins requested his teammate, Nick Jackson, to level out the variations that exist inside Iowa’s program compared to Nebraska.
“Kirk Ferentz — would he ever do one thing like that?” Higgins requested, to which Jackson rapidly replied “no.”
“Be a Hawk,” Jackson mentioned. “You see the distinction.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Ferentz, who has coached at Iowa for greater than a quarter-century, declined to supply a powerful opinion on what transpired earlier than the sport.
“I heard some stuff within the locker room, however I wasn’t on the market,” Ferentz mentioned. “So I didn’t see it and actually can’t touch upon it. There are specific pregame etiquette most individuals observe, however once more, I didn’t see it.”
Comply with Fox Information Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
