"Game of The Century" were you there?

[WishBone]

“Anticipation” was a song released by Carly Simon on Thanksgiving Day in 1971. How ironic that the anticipation was keeping me (and other Sooner fans) waiting for the biggest game to hit Norman, Oklahoma, and on the same day Carly’s song was released.

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska. A battle of unbeatens. No. 2 hosting No. 1.

For Oklahoma, it was the sequel to the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 produced 82 years later in Norman, Oklahoma. But, instead of cowboys and horses rumbling across the prairie, it was athletes and cleats racing along the gridiron. The Oklahoma Sooners pounded the turf for 5,635 yards, the most ever in OU football history. The Big Red averaged 469.6 yards per game or 7.1 yards each time they carried the pigskin.

This second land rush would famously be known as the Wishbone. The Sooners installed the offensive weapon in 1970, and in their first full season a year later, they destroyed the first nine opponents on their schedule by an average score of 42-16. Oklahoma climbed from 10th in the AP preseason poll to No. 2 with the 9-0 record.

The Cornhuskers, OU’s 10th opponent, stood tall atop the ranking when they rolled into Norman on Thanksgiving Day.

The two undefeated teams would square off for supremacy in the Big Eight Conference and the nation. To the winner: a bid to play the Orange Bowl and for the national championship. The 10-0 Huskers were the defending National Champions in the AP poll and coached by Bob Devaney.

Chuck Fairbanks was in his fifth season as Oklahoma’s skipper.

The build-up to this game was tagged as the “Game of the Century.” ABC televised the rivalry, and during numerous promotions of ABC’s Monday Night Football, one could hear Howard Cosell promote the game in his eastern drawl and pronouncing both teams in syllables: “Thanksgiving Day. A matchup of the two best college football teams—number one Ne-bras-ka at Ok-la-homa on ABC.”

Sports Illustrated wrote a feature on the game with OU halfback Greg Pruitt and NU’s wingback Johnny Rodgers on the cover. The cover headline read: “Irresistible Oklahoma versus immovable Nebraska.”

The Husker defense indeed was immovable as it led the nation in total defense, yielding 178.4 yards per game. Oklahoma’s defense allowed 288 total yards per game. The Huskers overpowered their opponents by an average score of 39-6.

Oklahoma’s fire-powered offense included Pruitt, quarterback Jack Mildren, fullback Leon Crosswhite, and halfback Joe Wylie. Nebraska countered with an I-formation featuring Rodgers, quarterback Jerry Tagge, tailback Jeff Kinney, and fullback Bill Olds.

Two Oklahoma players went on two earn first-team All-American honors—Pruitt, and center Tom Brahaney. Rodgers was the lone All-American on Nebraska’s offense, but the defense boasted three All-Americans, all on the front line—noseguard Rich Glover, end Willie Harper, and tackle Larry Jacobson.

Rodgers won the Heisman Trophy that year, and Glover captured the Outland and Lombardi Awards.

Brahaney and Glover going head-to-head in the trenches was one of the marquee matchups in the game—Brahaney (6-2, 220 pounds) and Rich Glover, the Cornhuskers’ 6-1, 233-pound middle guard.

OU held a 25-22-3 edge in the series.

The contest was such a huge draw that more than 1,500 press passes were distributed in addition to a sold-out (61,826) Memorial Stadium crowd. More than 5,000 Husker fans attended the game. I was fortunate to be there to cheer on the crimson and cream with one of my good friends, Jim Roberts.

Overcast skies loomed over Owen Field for this Thanksgiving Day clash with temps in the high 40s. A southerly breeze made it feel like 40 degrees. The day ended gloomy for the Sooners as they dropped a 35-31 decision to the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska struck first when Rodgers took Wylie’s punt early in the first quarter and weaved 72 yards for a touchdown. Fairbanks wanted a clipping call as Wylie was cut off from behind, but the officials didn’t see the infraction.

“This isn’t sour grapes, but there was a clip on the play,” Fairbanks said after the game. “There was a clip; I saw it.”

Pruitt also played on the punt coverage unit and returned punts for the Sooners. In my book, Legends of Oklahoma Sooners Football, Pruitt explained his missed opportunity to get to Rodgers.

“When you’re covering dangerous return guys, the best thing to do is stay in your lane. That way, you don’t give gaps by guys being ahead or behind; you try to stay even.”

John Carroll’s 30-yard field goal cut the Husker lead to 7-3 late in the opening period. Kinney’s one-yard plunge gave Nebraska a 14-3 advantage early in the second stanza.

The Sooners answered with an 80-yard, 13-play drive. Mildren’s three-yard TD run and Carroll’s extra point conversion put the Sooners back in the game trailing, 14-10, with 5:10 until intermission.

NU’s Rich Sanger missed a field goal, and OU took over at its 22 with 51 seconds left in the second quarter. Two plays later, Mildren fired a 43-yard pass to split end Jon Harrison to the NU 24. Mildren again sailed a pass to Harrison, who caught it in the left corner of the end zone with five seconds until halftime. Carroll’s kick gave the Sooners a 17-14 lead at the half.

Oklahoma had 311 total yards in the first 30 minutes, and Nebraska only had 91.

Kinney added two more TDs in the third period to give Nebraska a 28-17 lead. The Huskers capitalized on an Oklahoma fumble at the NU 47, then marched 61 yards to the second score.

The Sooners retaliated with a 73-yard drive in seven plays. Harrison, on a reverse, took a pitch from Mildren, pulled up, and heaved a 51-yard pass to tight end Al Chandler to the NU 16. Mildren carried on four straight plays and scored from the three with 28 seconds left in the third stanza. Carroll’s foot pulled OU within four, 28-24.

Nebraska drove into Sooner territory but fumbled, and noseguard Lucious Selmon recovered at the OU 31. From there, the Sooners marched 69 yards to regain the lead 31-28 with 7:10 to go. Mildren sailed a 17-yard scoring strike to Harrison for the lead.

Crimson hearts sunk when Nebraska answered with a 74-yard drive. Kinney scored his fourth touchdown from three yards out. Sanger’s foot gave the Huskers a 35-31 lead with 1:38 to go. The Sooners could not answer. Mildren’s fourth-down desperation pass from the OU 15 was batted away by Glover.

Kinney rushed for 174 yards to lead the Huskers’ power attack. Mildren led the Sooners with 130 yards rushing and completed five of 10 passes for 137 yards. Nebraska outrushed the Sooners 297-279. OU had more total yards (467-362) and first downs (22-19), but statistics do not win games.

Glover had 22 tackles in the game, but Brahaney remembered that the Sooners racked up a bunch of yards up the middle. The Sooners’ 279 yards on the ground were the best against the Huskers’ defense that had yielded an average of 63.3 rushing yards per game.

“He was in on a lot of tackles,” Brahaney said about Glover in my Legends book. “But we ran up the middle well against them. They were stunting pretty much one side or the other every play.”

Thanksgiving dinner later in the evening didn’t have the taste of victory as my family and relatives gathered for the feast with long faces.

The Sooners dropped to 9-1 and No.3 in the AP poll and headed to the Sugar Bowl to meet Auburn. OU smashed Oklahoma State, 58-14, the next week in Stillwater. Four weeks later, Oklahoma walloped No. 5 Auburn, 48-22, to finish the season 11-1 and second in the AP poll. Nebraska went on to beat Hawaii and Alabama in the Orange Bowl to claim the national championship. Colorado’s football team lost only to OU and Nebraska that season and finished third in the AP poll–the first and only time three teams from one conference finished in the top three nationally.

[OU Chinaman]

...I WAS THERE!!!

I had become acquainted with OU halfback Joe Wylie my senior year in HS and the '71 Game of the Century was a tough ticket, but Wylie managed to get two tickets for me & my father.
We picked them up at what was the "will call" window in those days.

Ironically, Wylie was involved in the game's ultimate outcome when on Johnny Rodgers punt return for 6, Joe was clipped! (Block in the back as it's now termed)
Most everyone has seen the replay and its unmistakable. There's no doubt about it. The refs missed the call! And he wasn't just clipped...Wylie was pancaked from behind right as he was about to meet Rodgers.

(A lot of people believe Jon Harrison was also clipped as he was just about to tackle Rodgers from behind as he raced south down the east sideline.)

I vaguely remember a story of Johnny Rodgers having been involved in a robbery, a liquor store or maybe a convenience store, sometime before the game.
Today, he wouldn't have even been allowed on the Cornhusker team for that game; another irony in the missed call (violation of rules) allowing him to score what proved to be the winning margin.

That Thanksgiving Thursday was overcast, a gray misty day, almost dreamlike. Surreal even.

It was the most bitter and disheartening SOONER loss of my lifetime as an OKLAHOMA fan.
I remember on the drive back home after the game, I was silent, staring out the window.

My father, (who will celebrate his 90th birthday tomorrow) said, "I guess you think that's just about the end of the world, huh?" I said nothing.
He said, "Let me tell you something, son. That was just a football game. We're headed home to celebrate THANKSGIVING with our family. Don't let this game dampen your appreciation for all your blessings. In time, the pain and disappointment will pass."
I said nothing.

And now, 53 years later I can say unequivocally,...

HE WAS WRONG!

I've never been able to let it go! It still hurts.
I know the 1971 OKLAHOMA team was the best in the country.
But, for a missed call we would have been recognized as such. (]We, being used metaphorically)

That game is indelibly marked in my sub-concious. It will echo for me across all time and eternity!

Having said that....IT'S STILL TO THIS DAY, THE VERY BEST FOOTBALL GAME I'VE EVER SEEN PLAYED!

[SoonerinLA]

A Happy and Healthy birthday wish for your dad, OU Chinaman. And yes, he was wrong!

[inconnu]

It was wild and crazy at that game! However, it was one of those too many games where we got jobbed by the refs! Yes, there were several clips by the bugeaters on that kick return by Johnny Rodgers, and late in the game the bugs' QB knee hit the ground while possessing the ball, and it wasn't called. We coulda/woulda/shoulda won that game!

[SoonerGGS]

Yep, was there and my Dad also took me to the game.

The challenging part was Thanksgiving dinner. We had Nebraska relatives that came down for the game and Thanksgiving so had to endure all that.


Part of the game environment. I remember for the ABC national broadcast games (which there were only a couple in those days), they had a camera man on a platform in the south end zone hoisted up by some tall crane. Would be quite a view but also quite cold.

[soonerindallas]

Remember watching it since I was home for Thanksgiving break at OU. Remember how well Mildren played - I think he carried the ball something like 30 times. Should have been the Heisman winner that year, rather than Pat Sullivan at Auburn.

[SoonerMagic]

I was there! 11 years old at the time. I went with my father and grandfather, sat in section 12. We lived in Midwest City at the time.It was truly an amazing game. I will never forget the pagaentry before the game. It was a cold day but not unbearably cold. OU did control the game and dominated the stats but Nebraska scored when it needed to to win the game. Our defense was not great in 1971, but the following year - 1972 - we did have a great defense. Obviously our 1971 offense was possibly the greatest in NCAA history.
I might add that getting over the loss was very difficult even for a young kid. I do have great memories of the game, however.

[Fly]

Yep me too! My brother, a old HS buddy & me, sitting in the Nebraska section. They were nice, & very respectful. But that still did
Not help when Johnny Rodgers scored that last touch down right in front of me. I remember that game like no other.

Fy

[OUGENO]

I was not there but watched it on TV and downed a few drinks!

[SoonerMike]

I was sitting at about the 45 in the student section, and also thought it was a great game between two well coached, talented teams. Of course the wrong team won. The clip on Wylie was blatant, and up until they kicked the extra point, I kept expecting the obvious penalty to be called. Numerous plays could have changed the outcome, but it ain't gonna change no matter what we think. The Nebraska-OU games were played with a lot of respect for the other team and fans character, so no complaints or whines..Good Game Huskers, we miss you

[Fly]

Sooner Mike you are spot on. There was never HATE between the Sooners vs Cornhusker’s it was always RESPECT! Now TEXASS whole
Difference story. We found that to be true when we formed the ole Crimson Reign tale gate.We invited NU fans to our tailgates, & they
Did the same when we went to there’s. We did the same with Crimson Tide fans & they did the same with us. That’s called Class!

Fly

[Zgeo]

Watched it on TV…

[ColleyvilleSooner]

I was there with my Dad when I was 8 years of age. 1971 was the first season we went to OU games. The first game was SMU which OU won easily. Then OU kept winning and winning and the stands became packed and sold-out. We beat USC, highly ranked Colorado, blew out UT. Pruitt ran wild and zig zag all over the field and carried he ball with one hand. I had never seen anything like it!

Against Nebraska we were behind until right before the end of the first half when Mildren threw a TD pass to the SE corner of the field. It was back and forth and Johnny Rodgers, who had robbed a gas station with a handgun the previous summer, ran a punt back for a TD. Yeah, there was an uncalled clip on that play, but what can you do? Nebraska drove down and Jeff Kinney scored the winning TD for Nebraska and there was not enough time for OU to come back. Our DT Sugar Bear Hamilton was out for that game due to injury. It's a bummer we lost but I am glad to have been part of a historic game, the REAL Game of the Century. Forget ND - Michigan St. I went to all OU home games with Dad for the next decade until I went off to college. I got to experience two National Titles and one of the Golden Ages of OU football. I treasure those memories all of my life.

That was a long time ago and I am a 60 year old man now. Jordy Bahl's parents had not yet been born yet, so that gives you some perspective of how long. Damn that's depressing! Lol.

[WishBone]

ColleyvilleSooner Wrote:That was a long time ago and I am a 60 year old man now. Jordy Bahl's parents had not yet been born yet, so that gives you some perspective of how long. Damn that's depressing!

Now Thats Funny.....I dont care what ya say!

[pippen]

Yes, I was there with my Dad. It's definitely one of the "old wounds" that have never healed. 1965 and 1966 Aggie games are the oldest - they've scarred over fairly well since then, but we still hates them forever. 1966 Notre Dame was the deepest, but is much less bothersome since 2013. We hates them forever too.