| Mode: | football |
| Year: | 2003 |
| Team: | Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| Conference: | Big 12 Conference |
| Division: | North Division |
| Short Conf: | Big 12 |
| Coachrank: | 18 |
| Aprank: | 19 |
| Record: | 10–3 |
| Conf Record: | 5–3 |
| Head Coach: | Frank Solich |
| Hc Games: | regular season |
| Hc Year: | 6th |
| Head Coach2: | Bo Pelini |
| Hc Games2: | interim; bowl game |
| Off Coach: | Barney Cotton |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Bo Pelini |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Off Scheme: | I formation |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Stadium: | Memorial Stadium |
| Champion: | Alamo Bowl champion |
| Bowl: | Alamo Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | W 17–3 vs. Michigan State |
The 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. After the Colorado game, Solich was fired as head coach. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini served as interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl.
See also: 2003 NCAA Division I-A football rankings.
Nebraska finished in 2nd place in the Big 12 North Division and tied for 4th conference-wide, with a final record of 10 - 3 (5 - 3). Prior to the season, Head Coach Frank Solich was feeling pressure to perform after a 7 - 7 (3 - 5) record the previous year (the first non-winning season since 1961), and had significantly revamped his coaching staff for 2003.
Despite the sweeping changes and the improvements they brought, which helped Nebraska to another 9-win season, Solich was fired at the conclusion of the regular season. Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini was named Interim Head Coach and led the Huskers to a 17 - 3 Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State. When new Head Coach Bill Callahan was announced in later weeks, most of the existing assistants (including Pelini) were also fired.
Pelini would later return as Callahan's replacement in 2008.
| Award | Name(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| All-America 1st team | Josh Bullocks, Kyle Larson | |
| All-America honorable mention | Richie Incognito, Demorrio Williams | |
| All-Big 12 1st team | Josh Bullocks, Matt Herian, Richie Incognito, Kyle Larson, Demorrio Williams | |
| All-Big 12 2nd team | Ryon Bingham, Barrett Ruud | |
| All-Big 12 3rd team | Fabian Washington | |
| All-Big 12 honorable mention | Daniel Bullocks, Josh Davis, Mike Erickson, Isaiah Fluellen, T. J. Hollowell, Trevor Johnson, Jammal Lord, Josh Sewell, Dan Vili Waldrop |
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2003 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.[3]