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 Russell Dennison #36 of the Oklahoma Sooners tackles running back Brandon Jackson #32 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Linebacker Russell Dennison #36 of the Oklahoma Sooners tackles running back Brandon Jackson #32 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

1. 1971 — No. 1 Nebraska 35, No. 2 Oklahoma 31

Probably to no one’s surprise, the 1971 “Game of the Century” remains the No. 1 game of all-time in the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry series.

Although the game was a dramatic back-and-forth affair, highly representative of what you would expect from the two best teams in the country, it will always be remembered for one play that happened early in the contest: the 73-yard punt return by Nebraska All-American and Heisman winner Johnny Rogers, four minutes into the game.

Nebraska increased its lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter before Oklahoma stormed back with 14 unanswered points on a three-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jack Mildren and a 24-yard scoring pass from Mildren to Jon Harrison to take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

There were three lead changes in the second half. Nebraska scored twice in the third quarter to regain the lead at 28-17, but an Oklahoma touchdown on a short run by Mildren cut into the Husker lead at 28-24.

The Sooners struck again midway through the final quarter on a 17-yard TD pass from Mildren to Harrison that gave Oklahoma its second lead in the game, 31-28. On the very next possession, Nebraska mounted a 12-play, 74-yard scoring drive that took five and a half minutes off the clock. The drive was capped off by a two-yard run by Nebraska’s Jeff Kinney with 1:38 remaining in the game.

The Sooners had one last chance on the ensuing possession, but ending up turning the ball over on downs when Nebraska’s Rich Glover batted a fourth-down pass by Midren. The Huskers held on to win 35-31 and went on to win a second consecutive national championship and finish with a perfect 13-0 record that season. Oklahoma would finish No. 2 in the rankings followed by Colorado at No. 3, all three from the Big Eight Conference.

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