Oklahoma 17
Nebraska 7

Nov. 21, 1987 • 2:40 p.m. Central
Memorial Stadium •Lincoln, NE • CBS
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Oklahoma0014317
Nebraska70007
First Quarter
NU: Keith Jones 25 run (Chris Drennan kick) 1:28
Third Quarter
OU: Anthony Stafford 11 run (R.D. Lashar kick) 12:48
OU: Patrick Collins 65 run (Lashar kick) 1:39
Fourth Quarter
OU: Lashar 27 field goal, 7:40

A-76,663 (stadium record)

                       OU       NU
First downs .......... 23       11
Rushes-yards ..... 70-419   41-177
Passing yards ........ 25       58
  Comp-Att-Int .... 2-9-1   6-18-3
Total offense .... 79-444   59-235
Returns-yards ...... 7-54     4-18
Sacks by ............ 1-5      1-1
Punts-avg. ......... 5-38     9-46
Fumbles-lost ........ 8-3      0-0
Penalties-yards .... 3-15     5-47
Possession time ... 35:11    24:49
Third-down conv. ... 8/17     3/14
Fourth-down conv. ... 1-1      0/0

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing
OU: Collins 13-131, Charles Thompson 21-126, Rotnei Anderson 24-119, Stafford 12-43.

NU: K. Jones 15-94, Steve Taylor 18-54.

Passing
OU: Thompson 2-9-0-25.
NU: Taylor 6-18-3-58.

Receiving
OU: Keith Jackson 1-21, Stafford 1-4.
NU: Richard Bell 2-18.

Missed field goals
OU: Lashar 44, 35.

MORE INDIVIDUAL STATS

Coverage

Recap

No contest: Showdown dominated by Sooners

The highly anticipated Nebraska-Oklahoma “Game of the Century II” turned out to be a one-sided affair that failed to live up to the buildup — and the Huskers failed to back up their unusually brash predictions of victory.

Nebraska was a four-point favorite and had moved ahead of Oklahoma into the No. 1 spot in the polls during the week of the game. The 900-plus media credentials issued for the contest set a Memorial Stadium record.

The Huskers jumped to a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when Keith Jones’ 25-yard run capped an 84-yard drive, but after that the game was virtually all Oklahoma. The Sooners claimed their fourth consecutive Big Eight title and retook the No. 1 ranking with a 17-7 win that was considerably more decisive on the field than it was on the scoreboard.

Some of the sobering numbers for Nebraska:

  • Nebraska’s offense was held to 235 yards, less than half its nation-leading 524-yard average.
  • After Jones’ touchdown, the Huskers didn’t get another first down until 5:40 remained in the third quarter — a span of 25:48.
  • Even with half of its regular backfield sidelined by injuries, OU shredded the Blackshirts for 419 rushing yards as three Sooners topped the century mark. Only twice in 14 possessions did Oklahoma not enter Nebraska territory.
Full game & highlights
LeRoy Etienne

LeRoy Etienne had 13 unassisted tackles and a fumble recovery for the Huskers. | Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics
Omaha World-Herald*
The Oklahoman
More Sources
Lincoln Journal Star
Hail Varsity
SoonerStats.com
Sports Illustrated
Washington Post*
Los Angeles Times*
New York Times*
Dallas Morning News
Pregame & team info
Husker hanky
1987 schedule
04/25Reds 33, Whites 28
09/05Utah St.W 56-12
09/12UCLAW 42-33
09/26@ Arizona St.W 35-28
10/03South CarolinaW 30-21
10/10KansasW 54-2
10/17@ Oklahoma St.W 35-0
10/24Kansas St.W 56-3
10/31@ MissouriW 42-7
11/07Iowa St.W 42-3
11/21OklahomaL 7-17
11/28@ ColoradoW 24-7
01/01Florida St.L 28-31

Commentary

Lincicome

This was as one-sided as an ax and a tree. This had all the drama of a Teamster sitting on a sandwich.

Bernie Lincicome *
Chicago Tribune
Babcock

The knee injuries that sidelined Holliway and Carr didn’t affect an Oklahoma offensive line considered one of the best in the school’s history.

Mike Babcock
Lincoln Journal Star
Lopresti

Perhaps the most shocking statistic of all: Nebraska, powerful Nebraska, had 15 possessions and on 11 of them did not get a first down.

Mike Lopresti
Gannett News Service
Rohde

Other than its one scoring drive, all Nebraska did well was punt.

John Rohde
The Oklahoman
Hansen

The top-ranked Cornhuskers put on their red and white uniforms and turned into ... Iowa State.

Marc Hansen
Des Moines Register
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