1. On October 21, 1892, the University of Nebraska football team played its first ever intercollegiate football game against Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. The Huskers emerged victorious with a score of 10-0, setting the stage for a storied football program that continues to thrive to this day.

2. Nebraska-native Charles E. Bessey, a pioneering botanist and advocate for the conservation of the state's natural resources, was born on October 21, 1845. Bessey held a prominent role as a professor and researcher at the University of Nebraska and is credited with advocating the wise use and preservation of Nebraska's diverse flora and fauna.

3. In 1953, Nebraska's very first television station, KMTV Channel 3, began broadcasting in Omaha. The station played a critical role in shaping the media landscape of the state and demonstrated the pioneering spirit of Nebraskans in embracing new technologies.

4. On October 21, 1862, Union and Confederate forces clashed in what is now known as the Battle of Old Fort Wayne in Nebraska. This relatively small engagement had significant implications for the larger conflict and demonstrated how the Civil War impacted the territories and western states.

5. In 2005, Nebraska-born actress Hilary Swank won her second Academy Award for her role in the film "Million Dollar Baby." Swank hails from the town of Lincoln and her success in Hollywood serves as a testament to the talent and creativity that emerges from the Great Plains region.