| I will be describing the 1971 Nebraska-Oklahoma | | | | nothing but talking about the Nebraska Oklahoma |
| football game as seen through the eyes of a 20 | | | | game. Life magazines cover featured the game, |
| year old die hard Nebraska football fan. I was | | | | along with Sports Illustrated. In 1971 there was |
| born in Nebraska and spent my first 10 years | | | | usually only one game broadcast and the others |
| there. In that time, my dad, who was a huge | | | | you had to read about or try and catch some |
| Nebraska fan from way back instilled what has | | | | highlights on a Sunday morning college football |
| lasted to this day a love for Nebraska football. In | | | | show. I had seen Nebraska play Colorado earlier |
| the late 50's we moved to Illinois and there was | | | | on television that year in which they won 35-7 |
| hardly any type of media coverage available for | | | | and had gone to two other games in person |
| Nebraska football. By 1963 Bob Devaney had | | | | (Missouri and Iowa St. where they won easily. |
| brought the Corhuskers to National prominence. | | | | They were now on the big stage. It was |
| By 1965 the cover of Sports Illustrated had | | | | something I could have only dreamt about 10 |
| Nebraska on its cover predicting them to finish | | | | years ago. |
| number 1. Big Red fever was taking on a national | | | | This football game itself ended up living up to all of |
| fan base. | | | | its hype. Mildren who hadn't been much of a |
| This trend continued, with a couple of lean years | | | | passer all year was killing Nebraska with his arm. |
| thrown in to become a stage setter for what | | | | Johnny Rodgers 1st quarter punt return for a |
| was to be the 1971 game of the century. | | | | touchdown was probably the deciding factor that |
| The Oklahoma Sooners were good, really good. | | | | couldn't be changed, as these two team |
| Their offense was nearly unstoppable, and they | | | | competed evenly down to the final minutes. |
| had a respectable defense. Nebraskas defense | | | | After the game was over and Nebraska had |
| was considered excellent while their offense was | | | | prevailed by a score of 35-31 I felt a sense of |
| quite good with Jerry Tagge, future Heisman | | | | pride and relief. I had just witnessed two great |
| winner Johnny Rodgers, and future first round | | | | teams go at it for 60 minutes and my team |
| draft pick Jeff Kinney. The Sooners had Jack | | | | came out on top. The 1971 Nebraska team |
| Mildren guide the Oklahoma offense which ran a | | | | regularly is ranked as the best college football |
| wishbone attack. It was a triple option offense | | | | team of all time, I'm always surprised Oklahoma |
| that didn't rely much on the pass. It didn't need | | | | wasn't usually ranked second. After the 1971 |
| to, Mildren had rushed for over 1000 yards at this | | | | season concluded, Nebraska ended up with a |
| point an Greg Pruitt was averaging 9.5 yards per | | | | unanimous number 1 ranking, followed by |
| carry. The teams had been ranked 1 and 2 for | | | | Oklahoma in second, and Colorado, which only |
| the entire season and something had to give. | | | | losses came to Nebraska and Oklahoma as third |
| I remember listening to Howard Cosell do a 5 | | | | in the polls. |
| minute radio show every morning, and doing | | | | |
