Minus-seven turnover margin dooms Huskers
Nebraska’s hopes for getting back in the Big Eight title race were doused by the Cornhuskers’ own errors as they fell, 16-14, to the Missouri Tigers.
As more than 66,000 fans were jamming Memorial Stadium, Nebraska jumped to a 7-0 lead with only 2:03 gone in the first quarter The big play was a 45-yard pass from Ernie Sigler to Tom Penney which carried to the Tiger 17 on the first play of the game.
But misfortune befell the Cornhuskers the rest of the day as they lost four fumbles, had two Tiger punts bounce into them for turnovers and had one pass intercepted.
Late in the first quarter, the Husker defense forced a punt, but the ball bounced crazily into a blocking Husker and Missouri recovered at midfield. The Tigers drove to score but missed the kick and NU still had a 7-6 lead.
Missouri drove 62 yards to score in the second quarter to take a 13-7 lead, and three plays later the Tigers recovered a Husker fumble at the NU 18 to set up a field goal that supplied a 16-7 halftime lead.
Nebraska fired back in the third quarter to drive 49 yards in 13 plays, with Dick Davis getting the TD from the two with 8:16 left in the period.
The Huskers kept pressing the Tigers the rest of the way but couldn’t score as they fumbled at the Tiger 16 and had a pass intercepted at the MU 36.
Recap source: 1969 NU media guide
Dr. Frank Stone attends to Husker defensive back Randy Reeves on the sideline. · Omaha World-Herald · Newspapers.com