Big Ten Heat Wave: Nebraska DT Vomits on Field in 91-Degree Opener as College Football Battles Extreme Conditions
LINCOLN, Neb. — The heat is becoming as much a story as the scores in college football's opening weekend. For the second time in 24 hours, a Big Ten player was caught on camera vomiting on the field, this time during Nebraska's home opener against Ohio on Saturday.
Nebraska defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington threw up on the field in the first quarter after jumping offside in what was a sweltering 91-degree afternoon at Memorial Stadium. The Cornhuskers still cruised to a 49-21 win, but the incident highlights a growing concern across the sport: extreme heat is testing players, fans, and even mascots.
What happened during the Nebraska game?
With the score tied 7-7 and 6:29 left in the first quarter, Whittington jumped offside on a second-and-8 play at the Nebraska 49-yard line. Officials threw the flag, moving the ball back 5 yards to the Nebraska 44. As the play was whistled dead, the defensive tackle bent over and vomited on the field.
Whittington stayed in the game and was credited with one tackle. The junior transfer from Pittsburgh, who earned a single-digit jersey number from head coach Matt Rhule this season, remained in the defensive rotation throughout the contest.
Heat index near 100 degrees in Lincoln
Game-time temperatures in Lincoln sat in the upper 80s to low 90s, with reports listing readings of 87-93°F. The heat index was near or above 100°F. Inside Memorial Stadium, the combination of concrete and direct sunlight made conditions feel even hotter.
Nebraska wasn't alone. Across the country, multiple stadiums reported record or near-record heat on Saturday:
- South Carolina vs. Kent State kicked off at 95°F, the hottest game in Williams-Brice Stadium history, with a heat index of 113°F.
- Alabama vs. East Carolina was 96°F and felt like 110°F.
- USC's home opener against San Jose State drew 51,144 fans, but large sections looked empty as fans called the seats