Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma football: Five classic games in the OU-Nebraska gridiron rivalry

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 13: Wide receiver Mark Bradley #1 of the University of Oklahoma Sooners runs upfield against defensive back Cortney Grixby #26 the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers during the game on November 13, 2004 at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Nebraska 30-3. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 13: Wide receiver Mark Bradley #1 of the University of Oklahoma Sooners runs upfield against defensive back Cortney Grixby #26 the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers during the game on November 13, 2004 at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Nebraska 30-3. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Linebacker Travis Lewis #28 of the Oklahoma Sooners intercepts a pass thrown by quarterback Taylor Martinez #3 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Linebacker Travis Lewis #28 of the Oklahoma Sooners intercepts a pass thrown by quarterback Taylor Martinez #3 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

5. 1966 — Oklahoma 10, No. 4 Nebraska 9

The Sooners came into the 1966 OU-Nebraska game in Norman, having lost three of four games (they would only win six all that season), and they would lose a fourth time, to Oklahoma State, after the Nebraska game. Jim Mackenzie, the 15th head coach in the history of OU football, was the Sooners’ head coach in 1966, his one and only season at the helm. The 37-year-old head coach died of a heart attack the following April.

On the other side of the ball, Nebraska was ranked No. 4 in the country. Moreover, the Cornhuskers, coached by Bob Devaney, had won 19 games in a row and were 38-4 since the beginning of the 1963 season.

To the surprise of everyone at or following this Thanksgiving Day game, Oklahoma led 7-3 at halftime. Nebraska scored a touchdown in the third quarter to take the lead but failed on the extra-point try, making the score 9-7.

As has happened so many times in this rivalry over the years, Sooner Magic took hold late in the contest. The Oklahoma offense converted three consecutive third-and-longs with under a minute remaining in the game. The final third-down conversion put the Sooners in a position to kick a 21-yard field goal by OU’s Mike Vachon to complete the upset and give Oklahoma the highly improbable 10-9 victory.

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