Cornhuskers face first road challenge

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Sept. 24, 2003
HATTIESBURG The University of Southern Mississippi (2-1, 2-0 Conference USA) will provide No. 15 Nebraska its first road test of the young 2003 season when the Cornhuskers roll into Hattiesburg for their Thursday night matchup.
The Cornhuskers (3-0, 0-0 Big 12), who will be playing in Mississippi for the first time in school history on Thursday, opened the year with three straight home games.
Nebraska has defeated Oklahoma State, Utah State and Penn State by a combined score of 66-24 playing in the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium.
I'm really looking forward to that,'' said Nebraska head coach Frank Solich at the team's weekly news conference of playing on the road. If you're going to be a good football team, you have to play well on the road. It's not just when your home fans are in your corner. When things are stacked against you on the road, you need to step up.''
USM will kick off against Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The game will be televised on ESPN.
The Cornhuskers have not fared well when they have left the state of Nebraska in recent history.
The program that has won five national championships (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995 and 1997) has lost five of six last year away from home, including the Independence Bowl to Ole Miss in Shreveport, La. During a 7-7 season, the 'Huskers only road victory was at Texas A&M.
USM coach Jeff Bower has asked fans to make the 33,000-capacity M.M. Roberts Stadium, that has added 2,500 extra seats with temporary bleachers in the South end zone, a