CLASSIC LOON DROPPINGS

Nebraska 35, Oklahoma 31
November 24, 1971

As I finished removing all the meat from a turkey drumstick on Thursday, I suddenly realized that there were more important bones to be looking at. Like No. 1 Nebraska's bone-crushing defense, for one. And then there's No. 2 Oklahoma's lightning-in-a-bottle wishbone offense for another. No offense intended to all the great cooks out there this fine Thanksgiving Day, but the matchup between the Huskers and Sooners for a shot at the national crown was the reason TV dinners were invented in the first place. Oh, sure, there have been great college football games in the past, but I'd be hard-pressed to find one that matches up to this breathtaking, seesaw battle between the nation's top two teams. Game of the Century? Nah. This was a Game for All Time.

A few takes:

WEAVIN' ON A JET PLANE: In the years to come, Johnny Rodgers' twisting, turning, stopping, darting, sprinting 72-yard punt return for touchdown will be talked about with divine reverence. Whenever it is replayed for future generations, grown men will weep, schoolchildren will watch in wide wonder and women will throw underwear. The run -- The Return of the Century? -- was capped off by a Joe Blahak block that was so vicious it looked like something out of Attica, set the tone against the big-play Sooners and showed OU that Nebraska wasn't about to give up its 20-game winning streak so easily. Best part of the run? The fact that the much-hyped Greg Pruitt had the first shot to bring Johnny R. Superstar down, but missed after the Jet gave him that patented dipsy-doodle move. That run was a stone cold groove, daddy-o.

KINNEY DO IT? : You bet he can. Four times, to be precise. While Rodgers provided the flash, No. 35 provided the guts in this game. His fourth touchdown -- the Plunge of the Century? -- was a dramatic ending to a career day for Jeff. But though Kinney's shoulder pads were flapping, his lips weren't. "Nobody said a word in the huddle but me," Quarterback Jerry Tagge said after the game. "We all knew what had to be done." By the time Kinney plowed over for the deciding score, the capacity crowd at Owen Field was hushed. Except for those few scarlet-clad loons who were lucky enough to watch history in person, of course.

THAT'S THE FACT, JACK: That's not to say that Oklahoma's speedy offense, led by wizard Jack Mildren, didn't give the Cornhuskers fits. It's hard to believe that OU was able to move the ball against the 'Shirts in such a manner. Good grief -- was that Mildren throwing the ball? It's doubtful NU, who had given up only 23 points in the first half all season, will ever see another offense run around them like Air Oklahoma did. But like the champions that they are, the Big Red stepped up when they needed to. Larry Jacobsen and Rich "I just wanna play football" Glover redeemed the Blackshirts late in the fourth quarter, smashing Mildren to the turf -- The Sack of the Century? -- and making sure there would be no OU comeback. Meanwhile, did anyone notice that Mr. Pruitt had just 53 yards all day long? His game was more unstable than Nixon's domestic policies. I guess he was demoralized after watching Johnny the Jet race past him for a touchdown in the first quarter. 

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: While Nebraska's special teams and its defense provided some of the most memorable moments from this game, my hat goes off to Tagge, Rodgers, Kinney, Damkroger and the rest of the Cornhusker offense. Slow and steady wins the Orange Bowl race, they always say. And NU's final, grinding possession -- The Drive of the Century? -- showed that NU has an overpowering offense to match its stout defense, too. Heaven help Hawaii, the next victim on the Cornhuskers' slate.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Barring a fluky upset in Honolulu, Nebraska will head to balmy Miami at 12-0 to take on the champion of the mighty Southeastern Conference on Jan. 1. And that looks to be Devaney's old nemesis, Bear Bryant, and his Alabamer Crimson Tide coming up strong to take the No. 2 spot in the polls. Could we be looking at Game of the Century, Part II at the Orange Bowl? Let's think about that one for a minute. Something tells me that Bob, 0-2 against Bryant,  will come loaded for Bear this time. If Nebraska's steady-as-she-goes offense gets going, and if the mighty Cornhusker defense even manages to make the flight to Miami, NU will ensure that the Orange Bowl won't even qualify for Game of the Week. Repeat after me: Nebraska 31, Alabama 14.

==STEVE==