Oklahoma Football: 30 Best Games in School History
By Chip Rouse
Sep 13, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Keith Ford (21) scores a touchdown during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Oct. 28, 2000 – Oklahoma 31, Nebraska 14
By the time Nebraska came visiting at Oklahoma, two weeks after the Sooners runaway romp over then-11th-ranked Texas in 2000, OU had risen to No. 3 in the AP rankings, and Nebraska was tenuously sitting at No. 1, ripe for the picking if you were a Sooner fan.
The Cornhuskers quickly put a fear in the hearts of the Oklahoma faithful with touchdowns in their first two possessions. The first-quarter ended with Nebraska owning a 14-0 lead, but that would quickly evaporate in the second quarter, when quarterback Josh Heupel led the Sooners on three touchdown drives and kicker Tim Duncan added a 19-yard field goal.
Just like that, it became a tale of two quarters, with Nebraska dominating the opening 15 minutes, and the Sooners coming roaring back with 24 unanswered points in the second quarter.
A 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by Derrick Strait in the third quarter closed out the scoring as Bob Stoops got his first win over Nebraska on the Sooner sidelines, and Oklahoma served notice that it was for real and back in the national spotlight.
The story of the game can be summed up in one telling statistic: Nebraska gained 169 yards in its first two possession, but just 159 total yard the remainder of the game.
Sports Illustrated trumpeted the Sooners resounding win over the top team in the land with a photo a Quentin Griffin in action and the headline: Back on Top: By crushing Nebraska, Oklahoma is No. 1 for the first time in 13 years.”
Next: Jan. 3, 2001 - Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2