Many expected that the 2007 season would be a breakthrough year for Nebraska. However, the team fell well short of expectations. Nebraska was beaten by USC 49–31 in a nationally televised September 15 game, being outrushed by a 313 to 31 margin but outgaining USC in the passing game 389 to 144. A 41–6 thumping by Missouri started a five-game losing streak—the Huskers' first since 1958. On October 15, 2007, Steve Pederson, the athletic director who had hired Callahan, was fired. Pederson was replaced on an interim basis by Nebraska's legendary former head coach, Tom Osborne.