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On the evening of June 3, 1980, Grand Island was hit by a storm unlike any seen before. The Independent presents a 6-episode podcast series covering the events and aftermath of that terrible night.

As far as her parents know, Reina is the only child in Nebraska with the condition, but the family was able to connect with another young patient in Colorado.

Sure enough, with six seconds left Jamal Turner caught the first touchdown of his career, the finisher to an 80-yard drive that included a fourth-and-10 conversion.

Everything fell into place for Nebraska on the first day of 1971. The Huskers had their opening, and all they needed was for Jerry Tagge and company to run right through it to claim the school's first national championship.

It was a play that ended seven straight years of bowl game frustrations for the Huskers and gave Tom Osborne what he'd been waiting 22 years for — a Nebraska national championship.

Ice, oranges and a whole lot of drama. Add it all up, it was one of the more entertaining Huskers-Sooners clashes in the rivalry's history. Thanks to a 15-yard run from Calvin Jones, it was also a Nebraska win.

The distance: 17 yards

With the game on the line in College Station, Texas, Maurice Purify was the target. And despite a miserable day plagued by drops, the 6-foot-4 Purify, facing a smaller defender, was a good target to have.

In a season where road games often resulted in torn-down goal posts, Nebraska fans were the ones celebrating on the field this night. David Horne's six-yard touchdown against Texas A&M capped one of the Huskers' biggest comebacks.

Matt Davison never tires of talking about it. Neither do Husker fans. Yes, it's safe to say the Fleakicker — perhaps the most iconic play in Husker football history — just refuses to get old inside the Cornhusker State.

"I like where we're at. You certainly have to reflect on where you came from, and I have a lot of faith in Mike and his staff to make adjustments."

“So many people helped me, I want to help others the same way,” says the Nebraska track standout.

Vincent Valentine seemed ready to take control of Nebraska's defense, but then decided to jump to the NFL, Steven M. Sipple writes.

We can only imagine how much Tom Izzo dislikes Tim Miles now.

For one thing, Mike Riley and the Huskers need to ramp up recruitment of linemen on both sides of the ball, Steven M. Sipple writes.

Rimington Trophy winner Ryan Kelly said Alabama's strong core of leaders was crucial to winning national championship.

Nobody’s declaring a sudden, dramatic turnaround for the Nebraska men’s basketball team based on consecutive blowouts against arguably two of the worst-looking conference opponents the Huskers have faced in decades.

Lawrence Phillips deserved his prison time. He was a troubled man, but wasn't a hopeless case, Steven M. Sipple writes.

Lawrence Phillips was found dead early Wednesday in his prison cell. The former Husker running back was 40.

For the first time since 1971, the Nebraska men's basketball team has won back-to-back conference games by at least 20 points after Tuesday's 84-59 drubbing of the Gophers.

Only an unforeseen, freak injury or a stunning coach’s decision will keep Shavon Shields from making his 100th consecutive start Tuesday night.

The more Andy Janovich learns about former Husker great Tom Novak, the more he'll understand the significance of the award, and why he's an excellent fit for it, Steven M. Sipple writes.

"He took the initiative to go above and beyond what the normal player was doing and that's what separated him." Now wide receiver Derrion Grim arrives to Lincoln, hoping to leave his mark.

"You gain hopefully more trust as you go. Both ways. Them for me and me for them," Mike Riley said of his coaching staff.

Ex-Husker defensive tackle Maliek Collins missed only two practices during his college career, Steven M. Sipple writes.

Let's take a closer look at the key talking points surrounding each position group as Husker football heads into 2016.

It's been drilled into your mind like a bad ad jingle by this point. Five Husker losses by a total of 13 points. Seven by 31.

“It’ll help recruiting. It will us in the offseason with weight room conditioning, and then in the spring."

Nebraska had a brief, quiet celebration after sweeping BYU 26-24, 25-17, 25-23 in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. One more win to Omaha.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It was about one year ago that Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook sat in the lobby of a Seattle hotel. Just a few hours earlier, for the third consecutive season, Nebraska had come up one win short…

In the spring of 2014, Cougars volleyball coach Heather Olmstead spent four days studying John Cook's Husker program, including what it takes to handle high expectations.

Rare is the opportunity for a five-win team to make a bowl trip, but there are still a few more pages left to this Nebraska football season. Go West, young men. The Huskers found out Sunday they will take on…

Last season was an inconsistent, up-and-down affair for the Nebraska volleyball team.

Enough, apparently, was enough.

"Honestly, we're excited about the possibility of having Nebraska come to our game," said the Foster Farms Bowl executive director.

But instability is the theme in the wake of junior starter Tommy Armstrong's late-season struggles, Steven M. Sipple writes.

The expectations for the start of Amber Rolfzen’s college career would have been difficult for many players to meet.

It's up to Nebraska coaches to better recognize quarterback Tommy Armstrong's strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly. Or go a different direction, Steven M. Sipple writes.

Maybe you bought the best bird. Maybe you really did. It won't matter. The leftover turkey will taste better in Iowa than Nebraska this weekend.

Nebraska defensive tackle Maliek Collins calls Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard "one of a kind."

Illuminating Lincoln: Lighthouse, the public art project commemorating 25 years of Lincoln’s Lighthouse after-school programming, raised more than $250,000 at auction in October.

Halfway through the 2014 football season, Mississippi State was ranked No. 1 and Ole Miss No. 3.

Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst said he’s respectfully asked Chancellor Harvey Perlman to cease discussing the contract of the athletic director or any possible extensions.

When Johnny Carson was honored for his achievements as a late-night talk show host at the Kennedy Center, fellow broadcaster Walter Cronkite noted that 1993 had been a good year for the state of Nebraska.

Meanwhile, undefeated Iowa knows exactly how it wants to win, its identity as evident as the old gold in its uniforms, Steven M. Sipple writes.

Fyfe joins the select company of Ron Kellogg III, Monte Christo and Matt Turman as quarterbacks since 1994 who have started at least one game after beginning their careers as walk-ons.

For what it's worth, Palm has Nebraska playing Duke in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City on Dec. 26. Snicker if you like, but such a trip would be worth plenty to the Huskers. In fact, reaching any bowl…