Solving Sooner Magic
1978 Nebraska - Oklahoma Game
by Mark Fricke
January 01, 1999
Lincoln, Nebraska (November 11, 1978) - When Tom Osborne took over the Nebraska Cornhuskers he had high expectations placed on him. His predecessor, Bob Devaney had won National Championships, produced numerous All-Americans and brought the Huskers into prominence as of the country's premier football programs. But Husker fans demanded one thing from Osborne above all others...beat Oklahoma.
The challenge was one Osborne had trouble accomplishing in his early years as head coach. 1973 saw the Husker humiliated 27-0 down in Norman. The following years saw similar disappointments. In 1974 the Sooners came into Lincoln ranked number one and downed the Huskers 28-14. The Huskers were ranked higher than the Sooners in 1975 but couldn't pull out a win as they fell 35-10. Similar results followed in 1976 (Sooners 20, Nebraska 17) and 1977 (38-7) started making Husker fans restless.
Hopes for a Husker win over the dreaded Sooners didn't seem in the cards in 1978 as well. Nebraska opened the season with a loss against number one ranked Alabama, but then put together eight straight wins to earn a number three ranking going in to the November 11th show down with the Sooners in Lincoln.
Oklahoma entered the game ranked number one in the country. Nebraska had never defeated a number one ranked team in their history. Furthermore, Nebraska had never even scored a point in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma since 1971. Oklahoma boasted the most powerful rushing offense in the nation and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims. For some it looked as though there were no signs of any change in the fate of Nebraska versus Oklahoma. For Nebraska's part they boasted a strong defense and a tough running game of their own behind I-Backs Rick Berns and I.M. Hipp.
The game time weather was what would be expected in Lincoln for a November afternoon, cold, wet and a brisk wind blowing at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. The Sooners won the opening toss and head coach Barry Switzer decided to play the percentages and take the wind. His philosophy was that the game may come down to a matter of field goals and he was willing to gamble on his star kicker, Uwe von Schamann to pull through.
The opening drives of the game set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Nebraska took the opening kickoff but couldn't move the ball. They punted after three plays. Oklahoma faired no better as two run attempts and an incomplete pass forced a quick end to their initial drive.
Oklahoma was finally able to get things rolling on their next drive. Behind quarterback Thomas Lott the Sooners moved the ball to the Huskers 44 yard line. Then the Sooner wishbone offense paid dividends when Billy Simms cut through the Husker defensive line, and twisted and turned his way 44 yards into the end zone. Von Schamann's PAT was good and the Sooners were up 7-0 with just over eight minutes left in the first quarter.
Things turned from bad to worse for the Huskers on their next drive. The Huskers ground game was starting to make progress, but the drive ended when a Tom Sorley pass bounced off of tight end Junior Miller's hands and into an Oklahoma defender's. Oklahoma could not take advantage of the opportunity, though, and was forced to punt the ball back to the Huskers.
Nebraska's self destruction struck again. On the first play of their next drive, I-Back Rick Berns fumbled the ball and Oklahoma recovered at the NU 14 yard line.
Oklahoma had a golden opportunity to break the game open, but soon found themselves victim to a fumble bug that would end up costing them the game.
Three plays into the drive, Sooner quarterback Lott fumbled an option pitch attempt killing the threat and giving the ball back to the Huskers.
As the game moved into the second period, Oklahoma gave the Huskers another opportunity. This time the Huskers would take advantage.
Oklahoma pounded the ball into Nebraska territory on their way to another score. The drive ended when the Sooners fumbled another option pitch. Nebraska recovered at their own 43 yard line.
Nebraska finally got their offensive machine in gear. The Huskers used a series of running plays and passes, including a 17 yard screen to Berns that took the ball inside the Sooner 10 yard line, to set up the score. Berns did the honors on a 5 yard run up the middle with 10:06 left in the half. The game was now tied 7-7.
The two teams traded short drives for much of the rest of the half. In the last minute of the half, an Oklahoma error gave the Huskers a chance to take the lead.
With 12 seconds left Sooner back David Overstreet lost his grip on the ball and Nebraska recovered at their own 28. The Huskers struck fast on a 24 yard pass from Sorley to end Tim Smith moving NU down to the 4 yard line with just :06 left on the clock. Husker kicker Billy Todd set up for a 21 yard field goal attempt but his kick hit the right goal post and bounced away. The teams went into the locker rooms tied at 7.
"It was quiet (in the locker room)" said Husker coach Tom Osborne "but nobody felt we couldn't win. We did some good hitting that first half and we just told the players to go out and do that again."
Nebraska held the statistical edge at the break. The Huskers rushed for 191 yards and passed for another 58, while the Sooners turned in 142 yards on the ground and earned no passing yardage on their only two pass attempts in the half.
As the second half opened, both teams took awhile to get in the groove. They traded 'four and out' drives on their first attempt. Oklahoma's next drive ended as so many before, with a fumble. Husker lineman Derrie Nelson pounced on an Overstreet fumble giving Nebraska the ball at mid field.
The Husker offense made the most of the break as Sorley connected with Miller on a 33 yard pass play bring the Huskers down to the Sooner 17 line. I-Back I.M. Hipp pounded the rest of the way on three runs, scoring on an 8 yard run with 9:2w5 left in the third. The Sooners were unaccustomed to the position they found themselves in. For the first time all year they were behind in a game. The scoreboard read Nebraska 14, Oklahoma 7.
Oklahoma didn't let that score stand for long. Their next drive went 73 yards in seven plays with Sims high stepping his way into the end zone on a 30 yard touchdown to tie the score 14-14 with 7:47 remaining in the quarter.
The Huskers punted away their next drive attempt and the Sooners did the same as time was winding down in the third quarter.
The Husker offense was able to break down the Sooner defense on their next drive. Facing a third and 10 at the OU 43 quarterback Sorley connected with senior split end Frank Lockett on a 13 yard pass play to keep the drive alive. Five more running plays brought the Huskers down to the OU 8 yard line where the drive stalled. Husker kicker Billy Todd shook off the disappointment of his last attempt to boot a 24 yard field goal and put the Husker back in front 17-14 early in the fourth quarter.
It was now time for the Husker Blackshirts to take control of the game, but a controversial call on the ensuing kickoff almost crushed the Huskers chances.
Todd's kickoff was fielded near the ten yard line by Kelly Phelps. Phelps tip toed near the sideline, then cut back towards the middle of the field. In the blink of an eye, Husker tackler John Ruud slammed into Phelps so hard that the ball flew loose, Phelps' arms flailed and the Sooner return man fell into a heap on the ground. Nebraska jumped on the ball at the Sooner 10 yard line and started celebrating. Unfortunately the official ruled that Phelps was down before the fumble and restored possession back to the Sooners. Television replays clearly showed the officials made the wrong call. A call that could have changed the course of the game.
The Husker Blackshirts turned their intensity up a notch. A Sooner illegal procedure penalty was followed back a George Andrews sack of Lott. A Sooner delay of game penalty pushed Oklahoma back to their own 1 yard line. Oklahoma's offense, though, is never one to give up on. Facing a second and 28. Sooner back Kenny King took a hand off up the middle and didn't stop until he put 46 yards behind him. Oklahoma was back in business. The Sooner wishbone continued to pound out yardage on the ground down to the 22 yard line. That's when Sooner mistakes returned. Billy Simms fumbled the ball at the 20 yard line. The Husker dodged another bullet.
Nebraska's offense was ineffective on their next drive and punted the ball over with 6:00 to go in the game.
The Sooner rushing attack went back to work. Facing a fourth down and two yards to go on the NU 39, the Sooners gambled and won. David Overstreet broke loose for a 13 yard gain bring the Sooners down to the 26 yard line. The Sooners soon found themselves to be their own worst enemy again. With the ball at the 20 yard line and just over three minutes remaining, running back Billy Simms broke free around the right side on an option play. As he battled through Husker tacklers at the six yard line, safety Jeff Hansen hit Simms and knocked the ball loose. Monster back Jim Pillen grabbed the fumble at the 3 yard line preserving the 17-14 win for the Huskers.
In all the Sooners fumbled nine times and lost six of them.
"The big key was our defense" said Osborne following the game. The Husker Blackshirts held Oklahoma to 339 yards, all on the ground. The Sooners had been averaging 414.7 yards per game on the season.
Husker Rick Berns earned offensive player-of-the-game honors as he rushed for 113 yards.
The win put the Huskers in the drivers seat for an Orange Bowl invitation and moved Nebraska up to number two in the national polls. The celebration, However was short lived.
The following week the Huskers were stunned by a pesky Missouri team and lost 35-31. The set back clouded up the race for the national championship and set in pace an unprecedented event. The Huskers were invited to Miami for an Orange Bowl matchup against none other than the very Oklahoma team they had just defeated. The Sooners cleaned up their act for the rematch and were guilty of only one fumble in the rematch. Oklahoma went on to win the Orange Bowl 31-24.
