Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 26

4D Nov. 22, 1970 Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star Sooners 'In It Until Last Play9 I WW 4 AS i fHs' 1 I -WgS -JAi 1 Both Fairbanks and Mildren pointed to a number of third-and-long successes by Nebraska as a key to the game. "It looked like we had them stopped several times," Mildren said, "but then they'd get off the hook." A short Oklahoma punt, which gave Nebraska good field position and led the Huskers third touchdown was another crucial play, Fairbanks admitted, but he added that "you can't call it a turning point. There's no turning point in a game that belongs to either side right to the final second." The victory gave Nebraska a clear-cut Big Eight title and a 10-0-1 record leading to its Neiy Year's date to Miami. The Sooners, now 6-4, still have arch-rival Oklahoma State to face before their post season encounter in Houston.

Nebraska defenders, but it was Anderson, not Harrison, who came down with the rebound. Fairbanks, while noting that "we were beaten by. an excellent football added that "I'm very proud of our club. They fought real hard. It's tough to lose one like that, but our team played well both offensively and defensively.

In fact, about as well as we can." Before the Oklahoma dressing room was opened to the press, the squad was observed voting on what was obviously a postseason bowl bid. Questioned, Fairbanks checked his watch (it was 4:30) and declined comment. "We can't officially receive a bid until 6 p.m.," he said, "and any announcement will have to come from a bowl committee." But several players, who didn't know they weren't supposed to talk, said the Sooners were Blue Bonnet bowl bound By VIRGIL PARKER "We had a chance to win right to the final play," Oklahoma football coach Chuck Fairbanks said after his Sooners dropped a heart-throbbing 28-21 verdict to Orange Bowl bound Nebraska. It was an observation that a crowd of 67,392 Husker partisans already knew full well. The game's final play was a looping pass into the Nebraska end zone which was touched by several players before it was intercepted by NU's Jim Anderson.

"There wasn't much else we coulddo, "Oklahoma quarterback Jack Mildren admitted. "It was a last gasp try, but with just five seconds left we didn't have any choice. 1 1 just hoped it would be tipped up and that Jon (Harrison) could come up with it." Mildren got his wish as the ball went high in the air off the fingertips of Harrison and three for a New Year's Eve date with Alabama. "I think we're deserving of a bowl game," Fairbanks said. "And I don't think we did anything to adminish that right the way we played Nebraska.

This is a young team and they've worked hard all season to improve The Oklahoma game plan was to run against Nebraska. "Others have had doing that," Fairbanks observed, "and, that's our strong suit. The only thing in our plan that didn't go well," he added, "was the poor field position we faced much of the time." Fairbanks, in fourth year at the helm of Sooner grid fortunes, said that his club got an early lift by stopping Nebraska with two early goal line stands. "That's the best we've played with our back to the wall this year." I Pruitt I It7 Mprock Harrison i v- i i N-Kosch N-BIahak N-Blahak i mil Anderson 1J 1 "11 Kiev m.dhp i Three Nebraska defenders Dave Morock (43), Bill Kosch (24) and Joe Bla-hak (27) battle Oklahoma's Jon Harrison for the ball (1) on what Sooner quarterback Jack Mildren described as a "last gasp pass" as the clock ran out. 1 Jk 1 1 r- Inferccpted 9 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS (J 'V Morock OPruitt Nebraska Rushing No.

Yds. Ave. Tagge 14 55 3.9 Orduna 19 fifi 3.5 Rndgers 4 19 4.8 Schneiss 2 7 3.5 Kinney 15 57 3.8 Ingles 2 13 6.5 Passing No. Com. Yds.

PI Tagge 22 14 200 0 Pass Receiving No. Yds. Orduna 1 15 Rodgers 5 100 List 4 27 Ingles 3 34 Schneiss 1 24 Punting No. Yds. Ave.

Hughes 5 196 39.2 Punt Returns No. Yds. Rodgers 3 30 Kickoff Returns No. Yds. Rodgers 2 47 Pass Interceptions No.

Yds. Anderson 2 15 Oklahoma Rushing No. Yds. Ave. Mildren 20 84 4.2 Wylie 24 125 5.2 Crosswhite 13 35 2.7 Pruitt 6 25 4.2 Harrison 1 7 7.0 Passing No.

Com. Yds. PI Mildren 10 5 78 2 Franklin 2 1 7 0 Wylie 2 1 10 1 Pass Receiving No. Yds. Chandler 1 42 Crosswhite 1 20 Pruitt 4 23 Franklin 1 10 Punting No.

Yds. Ave. Wylie 6 182 30.3 Punt Returns Yds. Ruster 1 5 Johnson 1 5 Kickoff Returns No. Yds.

Pruitt 2 48 Franklin 1 11 The ball popped out of the pack and into the hands of Nebraska cornerback Jim Anderson (18) who leaps in front of an expectant Oklahoma wingback Greg Pruitt (30) (2) to preserve Nebraska's 28-21 victory. Another Victory Ride for Bob 12 Blahak THE LWEUPS x4 Photos by i Bob Corham Web Ray 1 Willis Van Sickle Harald Dreimanis Randy Hampton John Hennings Nebraska Offense Fullbacks Schneiss, Carstens, Olds Defense Ends Adkins, D. Johnson Tackles Jacobson, Walline Middle guards Periard, M. Johnson Linebackers Murtaugh, Ter-rio, Morell, Decker, Jennings Backs Morock, Blahak, Anderson, Rogers, Koich. Ends Ingles.

Cox, List Tackles Newton, Winter, C. Johnson Guards Rupert, Wortman, McGhee, Weber Center Dumlcr Quarterbacks a Brownson Halfbacks Orduna, $inney, Rodgers, Hughes 5 1 0o A 0 J) .0 r. SS :7 isA v'V Svtj. in) h.Mfi.iAWiftafeku-i,:, t1TIl, IM i On one of the rare occasions when Oklahoma's flying Joe Wylie (22) was stopped for a short gain, Nebraska middle guard Ed Periard (56) halts the Sooner speedster. Wylie slashed through the NU defense for 125 yards on 24 carries.

Husker defender Monte Johnson (37) is piled up underneath, while Dave Walline (76) moves in to help. He ain't heavy he's my coach. Cornhusker defenders Ed Periard (56) and Larry Jacobson (75) give Bob Devaney, the nation's winningest coach, a ride off the field after an unbeaten season..