Nebraska players refusing to shake the hands of the Iowa players before the Heroes game.

[Video via Curtis Feder]

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— Justin VanLaere (@storminspank.bsky.social) November 29, 2024 at 11:21 PM

“It’s unheard of,” said Iowa’s All-American linebacker Jay Higgins in a post-game interview. “When someone asks if you want to do a thumb war, YOU DO THE THUMB WAR.”

When asked if he knew the Cornhuskers would decline the offer to duke it out with their digits, Higgins said he was totally blind-sided.

“We didn’t even get to the ‘1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war’ part. You have to clasp hands to even get that far, but they just sat there.”

Did the circumnavigation of palms have any effect on the outcome of the game, which Iowa would end up winning 13-10? Higgins said he knew Nebraska was finished even before kickoff.

“If you’re Nebraska, how do you avoid losing twice in one day? You only play one game,” Higgins said with a grin.