Tulsa World: Ex-rivals revisit 1971 Husker win

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Ex-rivals revisit 1971 Husker win

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 11/1/2008 2:17 AM
Last Modified: 11/1/2008 2:24 AM

NORMAN — Amid the storytelling, backslapping and gut-busting that was the "Game of the Century" reunion Friday night, Barry Switzer said it best, as he typically does: "We damn sure couldn't do this with Texas."

Rather, the Oklahoma-Nebraska football rivalry has been fortified by respect and goodwill since Thanksgiving Day 1971, when the top-ranked Huskers outfought the No. 2 Sooners 35-31.

"The secret is we pushed each other and made each other play at the top of our game," said Johnny Rodgers, whose 72-yard punt return kick-started the scoring. "That's why we're still friends. We made each other be great."

It was a notion recognized in one corner of the Switzer Center Friday, where OU wide receiver Jon Harrison carried on a long, warm talk with Nebraska safety Bill Kosch 37 years after they last met, the day Harrison burned Kosch for 115 yards and two TDs.

"I have nightmares about that game," said Harrison, referencing that OU couldn't score again after Jeff Kinney's 2-yard plunge had put the Huskers ahead with 1:38 left.

"I have nightmares about you," Kosch cracked. "Switzer (then OU's offensive coordinator) came up to me after the game and said, 'As long as you play for Nebraska, we'll pay for your scholarship.' "

And Rodgers said of Greg Pruitt, his equal in the OU backfield, "The reason he missed the tackle on the punt return was I had hyped him up too much talking (smack) about him the day before."

Typical of the rivalry, Rodgers and Pruitt were friends from days in All-America camp together. Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge once went so far as to call Jack Mildren, the losing QB that day, "the hero of the game." The mutual admiration certainly didn't stop Friday night.

"We couldn't make mistakes to beat Oklahoma," said Kinney, who milked 174 yards out of his 30 carries.

It was the type of play, and rivalry, that spilled over. It is why Bob Stoops, Mike Rozier, Joe Washington and Eric Crouch were milling around the Switzer Center "like brothers," Kosch said.

"We were far enough apart that we never had anything that caused any friction or controversy between the two teams," Switzer said. "We didn't recruit the same players. Football meant a lot to the two universities and their fans."

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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old roper, Sun City (11/2/2008 12:06:31 AM)

the johnny rodgers punt return for a touchdown in 1971. . .he scored because there was a no call on a clip by the cornhuskers on joe wylie. outside of that, it was one of the best college ball games ever.

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