Lyell Bremser: 1978 Oklahoma-Nebraska
Lyell: First and ten Sooners, and the clock stopped with that first down, four forty-two remaining. And the Blackshirts of Nebraska still called upon to play some great defensive football. Jimmy Rodgers has gone in at right half in place of Overstreet…and Oklahoma comes over the ball. In the wishbone. And the fake handoff, Lott passes out to Sims…Sims hit down hard at the 24-year-line. And it was Kunz and Dunning who hit him down at the 24. No gain on the play…it’ll be second and ten. Four twenty seven left to go and the clock running.
Kent: Don’t forget, Oklahoma has one of the best field goal kickers in the country bar none, Uwe von Schamann…and he’s got the wind should the need arise with four seventeen to go, here’s Lyell.
Lyell: Oklahoma splits the end Bobby Kimball wide to the left side. They line up in the wishbone and the quarterback Lott gives the ball to Kenny King…King into the middle. And he’s stopped at about the 20-yard-line. Wrapped up at about the 20 to the 21, we’ll see when they spot the ball…let’s make it the 20, and call it third down, six to go Oklahoma. Lee Kunz led the tackle. A big third down play comin’ up again for Oklahoma…third and six, the ball just outside the Nebraska 20. And Overstreet comes back in. Jimmy Rodgers goes out at right halfback for Oklahoma. Again they have two tight ends in the Oklahoma offense, as they line up in the wishbone, with nobody wide. Thomas Lott takes the ball from under…he keeps the ball…he pitches out…and Billy Sims broke a couple of tackles. He’s knocked down, lost the ball….AND NEBRASKA GOT THE BALL!!!!!!!!!!
(Nine seconds of the crowd going crazy)
Lyell: Jim Pillen covered the ball! As Billy Sims got knocked down, lost the ball, and Nebraska has it at the three-yard-line with three minutes, 27 seconds left on the scoreboard clock! Nebraska at their own three…they’ve got the football…but their back is against the goal line. They’ve gotta run it out of here because kicking has to go into the wind. Seventeen to fourteen, Nebraska leads, three twenty-seven left on the clock. Rick Berns is the I-back…the ball goes to Rick Berns…he’s running wide off the right side! He’s out there to the fifteen…to the seventeen yard line! First down! Rick Berns! Beautiful blocking on the right side of the line…Jeff Finn, Tom Orth, Lindquist, and Saalfeld…and Rick Berns put it out there for a first down and ten..a big, big first down. Three minutes and sixteen seconds with the clock running…Nebraska breaks the huddle and comes out over the ball. Rick Berns the I-back…Franklin the fullback…Sorley the fine quarterback calls the count. He gives to Rick Berns into the line. He dives over to the 21. Berns got yardage…about four of them. Running it into the middle, taking time off the clock, as the clock runs. Two fifty-three left to play. A new split end comes in…Woodard goes out. Coming in is Lockett. The ball is on the 21-yard-line…22-yard-line of Nebraska. It’s second down about six to go…Nebraska’s over the ball. Rick Berns the I-back, Sorley calls the count at the line of scrimmage…he tosses to Burns, who runs, and then cuts back against the grain. He’s to the 20, the 25, the 30, the 32-yard-line! And Tom Sorley made a block on number 15, Jay Jimerson, the corner man. That Sorley is some kinda kid! Oh, he’s a sweet heart! Tom Sorley, after pitching off to Burns, came upfield and threw the block that sprung him! How about that, Mama! The clock shows two fourteen and running. The ball at the 31. First down and ten to go, the ball at the 31 of Nebraska…Sorley asks for quiet. Burns at the top of the I, Oklahoma in a six-man front. Sorley calls his count…he gives the handoff to Franklin…Franklin got about a yard and that’s all. Reggie Mathis tripped him up. But the clock continues to run with a minute and 52…and Nebraska going back into the huddle with the ball at 32-yard-line of the Cornhuskers, squarely between the sideline stripes. And now they change split ends…Lockett coming back in. Huskers huddling back at the 25, the ball at the 32….clock running with a minute and 30 seconds. It’s second down, about nine to go…Nebraska in the I. Quarterback Tom Sorley pitches to Rick Berns, running the right side, cuts back in…and he got a couple of yards but he used up time. And the ball is down after a two-yard pick-up, and time is being called out by Oklahoma to stop the clock with a minute and sixteen seconds left…and there is a flag down on the ground.
Kent: And Lyell, that’s Oklahoma’s last time out and let’s watch on the field right now to see what this penalty is all about. One sixteen to go (crowd roars)…and WHAT IS IT? I missed the call!
Lyell: We haven’t had a sign from the official…let’s not crowd it…
Kent: The crowd…the crowd…
Lyell: (Interrupting) It’s unsportsmanlike conduct against Oklahoma! Personal foul cost ’em 15 big ones! And Basil Banks has been thrown out of the game! They are ejecting number 17, Basil Banks, the cornerman, who apparently made a flagrant foul of some sort. And that 15 yards throws him out of the ball game and puts the ball first down on Oklahoma’s 48…with a minute and sixteen seconds left to play on that scoreboard clock…and Nebraska leads it 17 to 14, and that, I gotta tell ya, is some kind of a deal! The ball on the right hash mark…and I don’t know if Lincoln Nebraska is up to handling a victory over Oklahoma this year. If I owned a bar in the city of Lincoln, I’d close it up tonight, I tell ya that!
Kent: A-MEN!
Lyell: That ball is out at the 48. And Nebraska has first down with a minute and sixteen left on the clock, and Oklahoma, now remember they don’t have any more time-outs. They cannot stop the clock. They used their last one right there. And Nebraska got a 15-yard foul against Oklahoma and ejection of Basil Banks…so the Cornhuskers now have first down, and ten to go…the ball at the Nebraska 48. And…what an afternoon!
Kent: Don’t cash your chips in yet, though…remember a couple years ago it looked like a Nebraska win and they nipped us at the end…so let’s hang on here. A minute sixteen to go…
Lyell: (Interrupting) Nebraska just has to hang on to the football. That’s what it’s all about at this point. And Sorley may take a dive. He did it. Attaway, boy, just hang on to the football and let the ol’ clock run…
Kent: Well, Tom Osborne on the verge…
Lyell: (Interrupting) They’re lettin’ the clock run and Tom Osborne is on the verge of bein’ a hero and coach of the year, I’ll tell ya!
Kent: Look at him! He’s on the verge of beating Switzer for the first time too…
Lyell: (Interrupting) I’ll tell ya, I’ve never been so happy for one guy in all my life!
Kent: Look at the crowd!
Lyell: This can show ya that nice guys can win, I’ll tell ya. The Huskers are over the ball…the clock is running…42 seconds… Sorley just dives with the ball! They’re letting the clock run! Oklahoma knows they’re beaten! The ball is at the 49…thirty seconds left. Nebraska now just needs to go back and line it up…the crowd is coming down on the field…this is gonna go goofy here this afternoon, and well it should. Eighteen seconds…now they’re tryin’ to get the players into the huddle to run the ball…tryin’ to keep from gettin’ called for delay of the game. And now they break the huddle and come over (background sound of crowd counting down)…seven seconds…six seconds….they’re countin’ down…four seconds…three seconds…and THERE IT IS!
Kent: Look out!
Lyell: NEBRASKA’S WON THE FOOTBALL GAME, SEVENTEEN TO FOURTEEN! HOLY MOTHER, MAN WOMAN AND CHILD, ISN’T THIS SOMETHING?
Kent: Look at the goal posts!
Lyell: OH! And there go goalposts! There is pandemonium to this! (Crowd roaring)
Kent: This is just an unbelievable sight! This is absolutely unbelievable! How do you describe it?
Lyell: (Interrupting) How do you describe this?
Kent: The goal posts are…
Lyell: (Interrupting) I just wanna say two things Kent…and I wanna repeat ’em. Tom Osborne should be coach of the year, and if he isn’t there is total injustice in the ranks of college coaching. The job he has done this year with the Nebraska Cornhuskers…and the nicest, sweetest part about the whole thing is he’s such a swell guy…sweet guy…he is a nice guy who showed ’em that nice guys can win! (Background sound of crowd roaring as north goal post comes down) And oh how he needed this victory…the great coaching job he’s done and this just puts all the frosting right on top of the cake and Jerry Moore…
Kent: Hey Jerry!
Lyell: Jerry, this just has to be the greatest thing for Tom Osborne and you guys on the coaching staff…and Tom, as I’ve said again, and I’m gonna repeat just once more…he proved nice guys can win.
Kent: All right!
Lyell: ’Cuz he’s one of the nicest the Lord ever made. Well, we’re gonna be right back with Jerry Moore and that oughta be entertaining. I’ve lost my script Ken…where is it…c’mon, Headrick, get it out here!
Kent: You don’t need a script…ad-lib it, Bremser…
Lyell: All right…that’s it…we’ll be back here in just a moment…what do I say…I don’t know…
Kent: There ya go…
Lyell: This is Lyell Bremser inviting you to stay tuned…and I’ve seen it all…I’m really ready to die now. I’m ready to go…they can take me any time…we’re inviting you to stay tuned for Coach’s Comment with Nebraska coach Jerry Moore, and then Big Red Wrap-up, right here on KFAB radio.
Kent: All right!
(KFAB Husker theme music comes up)
Announcer: You’ve been listening to University of Nebraska football…brought to you by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, Guy’s Foods, and Omaha Savings and Loan. Join KFAB next Saturday at one when the Cornhuskers meet Missouri in Lincoln. Stay tuned for Coach’s Comment.
(:60 commercial break)
Announcer: And now back to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln for Coach’s Comment with Kent Pavelka, brought to you by World Radio….the people who really know stereo.
Kent: I wish you could be here! Seventeen to fourteen Nebraska has upset the number one team in the country! Nebraska beating Oklahoma, and you should be here to see the sight. The fans are not leaving the stadium! The fans are sitting in their seats in the stadium…some of them are down on the field….the goal post on one end, on the north end of the field has been torn down, the band’s trying to play, and the fans are sitting in their seats savoring the moment. And we’re gonna dispense with the – the tough questions…there’ no, there’s no way to do this other than to say, Jerry Moore, as our guest on Coach’s Comment, just tell us about the afternoon, coach.
Moore: Well, as everybody knows this is just super and I wanna repeat what you guys have already said. We’re happy for all our players, all our coaches, and the people of Nebraska…but Tom, as much as anything, for Coach Osborne…this is just a super, super win for him.
Kent: Yeah, I guess so! Seventeen fourteen, Nebraska beats Oklahoma, and I really am at a complete loss of what to ask for the first time in my life. What can you say about the monumental game that this was…what this means…what this win means for your program?
Moore: Well, the big thing is, we went after ’em. Offensively and defensively. Offensively we knocked ’em off the ball…they knew we were gonna run right at ’em and we lined up and ran right at ’em and stayed with it. We didn’t get, you know, behind so far that we couldn’t stay with our game plan and do what we wanted to do. And our defense just, you know, intimidated them time after time, hit, knocked ’em loose from the ball…we got the fumbles. Uh, they made mistakes, but we hit hard. We caused those fumbles. You know, it wasn’t something where they were running and just dropping the ball. It was just great licks on the part of our defense.
Kent: Jerry Moore is visiting with us on Coach’s Comment. Both goal posts now are completely down. Berns – Rick Berns and Jimmy Pillen chosen as players of the game by ABC Television. And both of those guys will have scholarships awarded to the school in their name for a thousand dollars. Uh…can you believe what football means to the people of the state of Nebraska? What Nebraska football means to this state?
Moore: Well, you know, the people are seein’ this all over the You-nited States right now, I mean, you’re sellin’ college football, and you’re sellin’ the state of Nebraska, it’s somethin’ that everybody that’s associated with the university and the state can be, you know, tremendously proud of. I mean that the effort that the kids gave today…I say kids…YOUNG MEN…is somethin’ that will bring as much national attention to this state and university as much as anything we can do.