A design change will let the university add another 1,000 or so seats at Memorial Stadium. The original plans called for adding 5,000 seats. But a designer came up with a plan to raise the new level of seats. That would then allow 50 rows, rather than 39.

"It adds about 1,000 seats and gives us 250 or so handicapped-accessible seats," adds NU spokesman Boyd Epley.

The plans have to be approved by the Regents. The entire project will cost $50 million.

The university is hoping to raise $40 million through private donations, with the new seats paying the rest. The project calls for an expanded athletic facility called "The Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex," named for the legendary Husker coach and his wife.