Most Nebraska football fans to a large extent can relate to the two Husker players' feelings in the wake of Saturday night's season-opening game against Akron being canceled because of lightning.
Fans, though, weren't actually suited up for on-field competition. They didn't go through warmups. They hadn't endured months of arduous conditioning followed by a grueling August of preseason camp. As for Gifford, a senior outside linebacker, he missed the final five games of 2017 and all of spring practice with a hip injury. Voted one of four captains by teammates last week, Gifford was ready to continue an impressive comeback story.