Mike Lopresti column: 1987 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football

Sooners show who’s boss By Mike Lopresti Gannett News Service LINCOLN, Neb. No, Tom Osborne has said and said again, the national championship is not his obsession. Teams get bids for bowl wars4G But Oklahoma may be. Tom, what about Oklahoma? The Nebraska coach and his top-ranked Cornhuskers took one of the fiercest poundings in years Saturday, de-fensed into oblivion by Oklahoma, 17-7, in a showdown that never was. The Sooners’ delight in beating Nebraska for the fourth straight year making Barry Switzer 12-4 against Osborne was almost too much for words. “We brought a basic offense and a basic defense,” defensive end Darrell Reed said. “And they got a basic butt-kicking.” Said Osborne, “Of all the losses I’ve been associated with, this may be the most disappointing. I guess I have to look at myself as a coach. Apparently I didn’t have them prepared to play.” The 1 1-0 Sooners headed for Orange Bowl to meet Miami, probably for the national championship did it without half their regular backfield. They did it even though they botched enough scoring chances for a month, seven times getting inside the Nebraska 36 without scoring a point. They did it with the memory of the talking Nebraska’s players had done, promising a Corn-husker victory in “our house,” envisioning up to 40 points scored by Nebraska’s proud offensive unit, the No. 1-ranked in all the land. And when it was over? Oklahoma outrushed Nebraska 419-177, out-gained it 444-235 overall. Perhaps the most shocking statistic of all: Nebraska, powerful Nebraska, had 15 possessions and on 1 1 of them did not get a first down. After a touchdown drive that gave the Cornhuskers a 7-0 lead late in the first period, Nebraska (9-1, headed for the Fiesta Bowl), did not get another first down until late in the third. Oklahoma tied 7-7 early in the second half with an 11-yard Anthony Stafford TD and went in front to stay late in the the third on Patrick Collins’ 65-yard burst down the sideline. “In simple terms,” said Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride, “they’re just a better four-quarter football team on both sides of the ball.” That was pretty much proven. The Sooners swore they knew it was coming. It was the fourth time they’d won here in the past five trips. “We dominated them, offensive and defensively start to finish,” Switzer said. Meanwhile, the leading pre-game talkers in the Cornhusker camp quarterback Steve Taylor and defensive end Broderick Thomas were a wee bit more subdued. “I still think we’re the best team,” Thomas said. “There was just a miscue somewhere. I’m not going to point fingers.” “Now I guess I have to eat my words,” said Taylor, who had a horrible game, rushing for only 54 yards, hitting only 6-for-18 for 58 passing yards with three interceptions. Oklahoma’s offense came from everywhere. Collins had 131 yards rushing. Freshman quarterback Charles Thompson 126 and ran the wishbone like the veteran he isn’t. “You don’t have to be a fifth-year senior to lead a team to the national title, and that’s been proven here,” Thompson said.