Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 23

GAME OF THE CENTURY nn 31 35 JOURNAL STAR ftiday, November26, 1971 LnJ Page design: Karl Vogel 5 0 (B S5 CS fii ft V) ft JOURNAL STAR LIBRARY Nebraska l-back Jeff Kinney (35) fights off the tackle attempt of Oklahoma's Derland Moore (97) after getting blocks from linemen Dick Rupert (left) and Daryl White (72). Kinney carried 31 times for1 174 yards and four touchdowns. No. 1 NU edges No. 2 Oklahoma in Thanksgiving thriller II BY STEVEN M.SIPPLE Lincoln Journal Star NORMAN, Okk So this is how you celebrate triumph in the Game of the Century.

You throw everyone in your locker room in the shower, even the governor, even your head coach. GAME STORY 'Yes, sir. Thank you. They sold a lot of popcorn. Nobody NU Coach Bob Devaney in postgame phone conversation with President Nixon Nebraska Bob Devaney gathered himself 7 7 14 7-3 14 7 7- 35 31 Nebraska Oklahoma nine atxepi a congratulatory piKJiie uui from President Richard Nixon Thursday after the top-ranked Cornhuskers' 35-31 conquest of No.

2 Oklahoma before 61,826 spectators Alan Austin of Lincoln, who made his first collegiate start in place of injured Carl Johnson. "I don't think anyone in our huddle was concerned." On third-and-1 at the Nebraska 35-yard line, Kinney took a pitch around left ena for 17 yards. Three plays later, on third-and-8, Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge scrambled out of the pocket and zipped a strike to Rodgers between a crease in the Oklahoma zone defense. Rodgers' diving grab for an 11-yard gain gave the Cornhuskers a first down at the Sooners' 35. Then Kinney rumbled over left end for 13 yards, Rodgers ripped off 7 yards on a reverse, and Kinney hammered out seven more to the Oklahoma a Kinney gained 2 yards on a pitch right, then 4 yards over left tackle.

He scored the See GAME, Page 10D 11th win of the season, as well 3s another Big Eight championship. "It's too bad everybody doesn't get to experience a feeling like this, said Nebraska defensive tackle Larry Jacobson, who added 14 tackles. "Total elation. The best feeling I've ever had" Said Miklren, who rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns: The bottom line is, we played as well as we could. What else can you dor Nebraska, which hadn't been behind all season, was forced to rally twice Thursday.

Oklahoma led J7-14 at halftime and 31-28 with seven minutes left in the game after the second of two Miklren touchdown passes to split end Jon Harrison. Nebraska players felt confident as they gathered in the huddle before their game-winning drive. 1 "We knew what we needed to do, and we were going to do it," said sophomore tackle atuwenneia "Yes, sir. Thank you. They sold a lot of popcorn," Devaney told Nixon.

"Nobody Jeff Kinney's 2-yard touchdown run with 1:38 remaining gave topranked Nebraska a 3531 win against No. -2 Oklahoma In wrnwiyckJbbedtheGameofthe Century." It lived up to its billing, as the Comhuskers who hadnt trailed all season were twice forced to rally to overcome the nation's most explosive offense. More coverage, Page 2D, 9D, 10D ended it with a dramatic 74-yard touchdown drive capped by Jeff Kinney's 2-yard burst over the Jeft side of the line. Nebraska middle guard Rich Glover, who finished with 22 tackles, knocked down Jack MOdren's fourth-down pass with 70 seconds left, clinching the undefeated Comhuskers' len. Nobody indeed.

It was too exciting to leave. The game was equal to its buildup, a rarity in any form of athletics. Fleet Nebraska return man Johnny Rodgers started the scoring early in the first quarter with an electrifying 72-yard punt return, and the Comhuskers Johnny the Jet leaves Sooners in his wake Year's biggest game transcends all hype NORMAN, Okla. Having just wiped out Jon Harrison to ensure Johnny Rodgers a safe landing in Oklahoma's end zone, Joe Blahak lay momentarily still, face down on Owen Field. From the Oklahoma sideline he heard cries that he'd committed a grave error blasting Harrison bom behind with an illegal block and Blahak wasn't sure ff he wanted to look up and find a yellow flag in his vicinity.

He should have known better, because there isn't an official in the game who could have seen such a thing. Thejfeyes would have been transfixed on Rodgers, whose moves on the 72-yard punt return set in morion aTftanksgtving feast Nebraska football fans will never get their fill of. In an epic battle between No. 1 vs. No.

2, it was No. 20 who stood out in both the first and final chapters of Nebraska's 35-31 victory Thursday. Hail to "The Jet," for without the a i NORMAN, Okla. So aren't you glad you decided to spring for that new Zenith Chrornacotor? If only there was some way to replay Nebraska's 35-31 victory against Oklahoma, because what happened here Thursday will surely go down as one of the greatest' clashes in college football history. i We thought the Cornhusker-Sooner showdown might be pretty good.

After aO, it was No. 1 vs. No. 2, but did anyone really think it could Bve up to all the fuss we made of it Some said it was going to be the game of the year. Cthers went so far as to hype it as the game of the decade.

Those descriptions don't do It for me anymore. "Game of the Century" anyone? With 29 years to go before we change miDenniurns, it's hard to make that claim, but the Cornhuskers' corrie-from-behind win is a strong candidate. ThanksgMngfeasts don't come any more bountiful. It was like that Ihovehicf episode where Lucy and Ethel are working at a candy factory and they can't keep up with the conveyor belt full of goodies. So many treats.

So little time. For starters, you've got Johnny Rodgers' 72-yard TD punt return In the first quarter. Rodgers showed more hip shakin' than EMs on his way past Greg Pniht and a bunch of other helpless Sooners. J0HNMADKY Journal Star Sports Editor As amazing as that play was, you almost forgot about it by the end of the afternoon. There were so many other highlights.

like Cornhusker middle guard Rich Glover playing like a crazy man. Glover said before the game that he thought it wtjuW be a low-scoring affair, at least on Oklahoma's part He was wrong, but it sure as heck wasn't his fault M-Arnerican center Tom Brahaney was no match for Glover on Thursday. The junior from Jersey City fought through double and triple teams to rack up 22 tackles, and it was Glover who sealed the win by batting down a Jack Miklren pass on fourth-and-14 late In the game. The Comhuskers didn't shut down Oklahoma's wishbone-T attack, but they slowed it just enough to make the work of tee HAQXY, Pag 100 CURTMcKEEVER Journal Star StaffWrtter this day his top missile had just 12 touches from scrimmage in which to try and pierce the Sooners' defense And while his forever-to-be-rernernbered return of Oklahoma's first punt inflicted immediate damage, Rodgers landed jplenty of other direct hits while rolling up 168 all-purpose yards. He accounted for 30 of the Comhuskers' 61 yards including a 10-yard catch on a third-and-5 play from the OU 11-yard line during a third-quarter TD drive that put NU ahead 28-17.

After the Sooners rallied to go up 31-28 with 7:10 to play, Nebraska started its game-wrining march with a reverse to Rodgers that netted 4 yards only because he slipped. But four plays later, with light rain having just begun, Rodgers was at his sure-footed and SmMcKEIVE, Past 100 junior sfotback, the Comhuskers really would have had to solve Oklahoma's vaunted wishbone offense, Instead, they simply outscored it, weaving Rodgers' mesmerizing play-making ability with the dogged running of senior I-back Jeff Kinney. "If you've got a weapon, you use ft, Blahak said, Guess Coach Bob Devaney is a JOURNAL STAR LIBRARY Junior flanker Johnny Rodgers (20) bugs a member of the Nebraska staff on the sideline after a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown In the first quarter. I.N i. 1.