Minnesota 7
Nebraska 0

Nebraska ..... 0   0   0   0  -  0
Minnesota .... 0   0   0   7  -  7

Fourth quarter
MIN: Andy Uram 77 punt return (Bud 
     Wilkinson kick) 1:08

                       NEB      MIN
First downs ............ 4       11
Total offense (net) ... 76      159
 Yards gained ........  94      179
 Yards lost ........... 18       20
Rushing yards (net) ... 31       70
Passing yards (net) ... 45       89 
 Comp-Att-Int ..... 3-12-2   5-15-5

Attendance: 53,200
 

Husker hearts were broken by a late jolt of Gopher Magic, with future Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson playing a key role, as Nebraska fell to eventual national champion Minnesota, 7-0.

The daggar was a long, improvisational punt return with just over a minute left. Wilkinson fielded the Nebraska kick on the Minnesota 25 and was hit moments later by the Huskers’ Paul Amen. But before being brought to the turf, Wilkinson got off a lateral to Andy Uram. Uram darted through an array of would-be tacklers and sped 77 yards for the touchdown as one Husker after another was felled by superb blocking. Wilkinson added the extra point.

Less than two minutes earlier, Nebraska appeared to have staved off certain defeat and at least salvaged a 0-0 tie. The Gophers were at the Nebraska 2 and facing third down when John Howell intercepted a Minnesota pass in the end zone. The touchback gave Nebraska the ball at its own 20, and Minnesota’s 18-game winning streak appeared to be over.

A 23-yard run by Nebraska’s Lloyd Cardwell on the next play seemed to further seal Minnesota’s fate. But the Gophers stiffened and forced Nebraska to punt from the NU 42. The Huskers’ thunder-footed Sam Francis had just left the game with an injury, so it was up to Ron Douglas to perform this kick. His punt, described as low and wobbly by the Daily Nebraskan, went 33 yards.

The Wilkinson-Uram return sent hats flying into the air among the 53,000-plus in attendance.

Nebraska tried three passes in the remaining seconds, but the first two fell incomplete and the third was intercepted by Minnesota’s Bud Svendsen.

The Huskers finished with meager totals on offense – four first downs and 76 net yards. But Nebraska came up big on defense all afternoon.

Nebraska’s Charley Brock intercepted two first-quarter passes in Husker territory. In the second quarter, the Huskers forced Minnesota to turn the ball over on downs after a 50-yard drive. A third-quarter Gopher possession penetrated the Nebraska 10 but ened with a fourth-down incompletion. Early in the fourth quarter, a Minnesota drive inside the Nebraska 30 came up empty. On Minnesota’s possession immediately before the ill-fated punt, the Gophers were stopped despite having a first-and-goal at the Nebraska 3.

The Huskers’ best scoring chance came in the first half after one of Brock’s interceptions. Two gains of 20-plus yards gave the Huskers a first-and-10 at the Minnesota 21, but Nebraska turned the ball over on downs at the 14.

Coverage