The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 466

THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN Section November 2, 1997 Nebraska 69, Oklahoma 7 A Sad Day for Sooner Fan McLoud's Culver Makes Trip to Nil ft r' r-' LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Greg Culver misses the old days. He still came all the way from McLoud, OK, to see his Oklahoma Sooners play Nebraska on Saturday, knowing that it could be the year 2000 before he sees the matchup again. But it wasn't the same. "It used to be we were going for the national championship or a Big Eight title.

But not now. It's sad," Culver said. Going into the game, Nebraska was the No. 1 team in the country and the Sooners were having a tough time finding their footing under second-year coach John Blake. As Culver put it: "I'm just hoping we can stay within 21." The Sooners lost 69-7.

Blake has said he wants to get back to Oklahoma's roots and incorporate the ma in Norman and won 35-31 on the way to a consecutive national championship under coach Bob Devaney. He also couldn't remember how Oklahoma's Chuck Fairbanks handed Devaney his last regular-season loss in 1972 (14-12). What Stabenow and other young fans do remember is the Huskers' 73-21 win last season, the second-biggest defeat in the history of Oklahoma's program. "The teams aren't as even now," said Lyna Abshier of Grand Island, who with her husband Wayne, has had' season tickets for nine years. "It used to seem like (in the 1970s and 1980s) every time this game was on TV, Nebraska seemed to lose." "But now, Oklahoma just hasn't had the teams that we've had," she said.

option-oriented attack that made it a national power under former coach Barry Switzer. Nothing would make Oklahoma fans like Culver who joked that there were "about eight of us" in Memorial Stadium Saturday happier. "I don't like passing," he said. "I really wish they would go back to the wishbone, but I like the option." Roger Michaelis of Pleas-antdale that's in Nebraska was one of those remaining seven Oklahoma fans. He said he began rooting for the Sooners 20 years ago during the Switzer era.

Despite being winless in the last seven games against the Huskers, Oklahoma is still the only team in the Big 12 to hold a series advantage over Nebraska the Sooners lead 39-36-3. "We've had some glory days," Michaelis said. "John Blake said the glory days of Nebraska are over, and I believe But Nebraska fan Gordon Anderson, who has been coming to all of the Huskers home games for 20 years from St. Louis, didn't have much compassion for the Sooners. "I hate O.U.," said Anderson, who was originally from South Dakota.

"It's not a rivalry. Colorado, they think they have a rivalry with us, but they don't. We don't have a rivalry with anyone." For young Nebraska fans like 14-year-old Seth Staben-ow of Holdrege, it was "just another game." Stabenow couldn't remember 1971's Game of the Century, when the top-ranked Huskers met No. 2 Oklaho Stafl Photo by Goorgo R. Wllsonl OU running back Seth Littrell looks for running room in the second quarter.

Omaha Scribe Rips OU In Saturday's Omaha World-Herald, sports colum nisi i om snatei wrote: "Sadlv. Oklahoma has become iust another Iowa' State or Kansas game for Nebraska. Probation and Mismanagement in selecting players and head coaches have rendered the Sooners thus. The OU that comes to Lincoln is poorly drilled, disorganized ana narmiess. Shatel also wrote: "Head Coach John Blake looks mostly overmatched.

OU plays and substitutions appear to be drawn up in the dirt." And Shatel also described the Sooners as "Akron! in cnmson and cream." Osborne From Bad to Good Nebraska coach Tom Osborne was only 5-12 against Oklahoma when Barry Switzer was thd Sooners coach. But Osborne has gone 8-1 against OU since Swit zer resigned. Overall, Osborne is 13-13 against the Sooners. Osborne is No. 1 On Saturday, Osborne became the first college looiDan coacn 10 reacn zou victories in d.b years.

He is 250-49-3 eight games into his 25th season as thd oornnusKers nead coach. The record had been 250 victories in 29 seasons; by Penn State's Joe Paterno. While Osborne's 250th victory came against Okla noma on nov. las, nis zootn victory came sliilH 5fiffi8BStefaai jSsmaH KSssSSBUt fattTatillllTOlMlal Hllllll'ltlliyaaWaaTlnWafflftaM Hi against Oklahoma State on Oct. 7, 1993.

Other Osborne Notes Osborne's Nebraska teams have been: 157-24-2 in conference games. 59-37-1 against nationally ranked opponents -4 tne last tour years. Ranked in every final AP poll, and in 390 of the 393 weekly polls, since he became head coach ir Big 72 Gives Oil A Break LINCOLN, Neb. Two reasons why the Oklahoma-Nebraska series needs a two-year hiatus: 1. Nebraska 69, Oklahoma 7 2.

Nebraska 73, Oklahoma 21 Do the math. The aforementioned reasons are the scores in the last two meetings of a series that started in 1912 and has run continuously since 1928. The combined total: Nebraska 142, Oklahoma 28. Please, for Oklahoma's sake, somebody stop this madness. Thankfully, somebody has.

The Big 12 Conference's scheduling format dictates that Saturday's 71st consecutive meeting between the Sooners and Corn-huskers was the last until the 2000 season. Oklahoma should send the Big 12 schedule maker a thank you note. Saturday's final score was vivid proof of just how much this once-competitive series has turned into a lopsided mismatch. But is two years enough time for the Sooners to regroup for the next time they play the Corn-huskers? OU had better figure out a way to get its act together before the turn of the century. There is no reason to believe the 21st century will bring any change at Nebraska.

Not as long as Tom Osborne hangs around. The Huskers' 62-point win over the Sooners made Osborne the youngest major-college coach ever to reach the 250-victory plateau. OU used to be Osborne's worst nightmare. But that was back in the glory yuears of Sooner Magic and coach Barry Switzer. Now, with Switzer's hand-picked choice, John Blake, coaching the team, it's turned into Sooner Misery against Osborne and the Big Red of the North Division.

The next time these two rivals meet, Blake will be in his fifth season at OU. That's certainly time enough for Blake to deliver on the promises he made when he was hired. But will Blake still be around when the next OU-Nebraska game comes around? Based on his job performance to date, the answer is so obviously no that it should hit Blake and his staff as hard in the face as some of the blows Nebraska's defense delivered. Two months ago, it was hard to imagine that Blake's second season could be any more of a disaster than the 3-8 debacle of 1996. Well, imagine this: 3-9.

Saturday's blowout was the latest debacle in a mind-numbing series of gaffes and goofs that has the 3-6 Sooners facing the real possibility of losing their final three games. OU entered the Nebraska game ranked 101st in the nation in turnover margin and did nothing to improve that ranking when it lost four of seven fumbles. And OU's lack of organization and revolving-door approach at quarterback have long-time college football followers shaking their heads at how the Sooners could have fallen this far and resorted to such desperate tactics. And that's just on the field. Off-the-field problems, finger-pointing within the Sooner staff and some ill-timed Blake comments have made damage control a top priority these days within the offices of high-ranking OU officials.

Sure, school president David Bor-en gave Blake a vote of confidence last week. But OU insiders confirm those high-level, damage control meetings are almost a weekly occurrence as Blake's bosses seek to minimize the damage of yet another problem. So, this is what it has come down to for OU: The Sooners need a victory this Saturday over Oklahoma State to salvage a season on the brink of total collapse. Remember when it was OSU that lusted for a win over the Sooners to make its season? That, of course, was back in the days when Oklahoma thought it had a chance when it played Nebraska. As we saw again Saturday, those days are over.

Thankfully, so is the OU-Nebraska series for the next two years. Taking Two Years Off Saturday marked the 71st straiqht Oklahoma-Ne braska football game every year since 1928 and twice in 1978. The OU-NU series used to be the best and most exciting in the nation. But because ol Big 12 divisional scheduling, OU and NU won't meel again until 2000. Big Red Series Notes The winner has come from behind in 24 of the Staff Photo fay George R.

Wltson Nebraska's Bobby Newcombe returns a punt 57 yards in the first half Saturday. Giving chase for Oklahoma are Ontei Jones (38), Brandon Daniels (8) and punter Brian Schackleford (88). last 34 games. OU has been the underdog in 18 of the last 13 games, including tne last 11 in a row. The lower-ranked team has gone 9-14 since 1975 The visitor has won 10 of the last 18 games.

Nebraska has won nine of the last 10 games, the Cornhuskers' best streak against OU since going iu-i-1 irom The Huskers have won seven straight over OU foi tne first time since iaau-36. No. 1 on Nov. 1 No Good Only 17 of the last 50 Associated Press national champions were No. 1 on Nov.

1. And Nebraska is No. 1 on Nov. 1. When the Sooners Wore Blue OU and Nebraska officials opened NU's Memoria btaaium in ine Huskers won 23-0.

me soon the game as much as you wanted? "I thought we did, but they took away a lot of things that we can do with Brandon right now. As Brandon gets more advanced with some of the things we do, the more of a chance he'll have to be out there." How good is Nebraska? "Very good. They're outstanding in pressing the quarterback and the run. They're very basic on offense, but they just believe in what they're doing and they've been doing it a long time." What's your reaction to Nebraska coach Tom Osborne getting his 250th victory today? "Coach Osborne is a great coach and a man I've always respected. He's done a great job.

The continuity is there, and it's been there for years. I congratulate him on his win. I hate for him to beat Oklahoma to do it, but he's done a great job." Bob Hersom it all year long." When did you decide not to bring DeMond Parker, Mike Rose and Jermaine Fazande on the trip? "They aren't totally healthy, so we thought it would be best to leave them back there to get totally healed up." How serious is Dale Allen's knee injury? "I'm not for sure how serious it is, but I think it's pretty serious." How did the quarterbacks play today? "The wind was too strong for us to throw the ball and back them off. We didn't throw the ball effectively, so we had to try to run with the football. Brandon (Daniels) made a couple of key runs, but he also-turned the ball over.

We also had things we had to check to, and Brandon isn't experienced enough to pick those things up right now. Eric was, and he gave us some key checks to give us a chance." Old you get Brandon Daniels into Comments from Oklahoma coach John Blake after Saturday's 62-7 loss at No. 1 -ranked Nebraska: How do you rebound from a game like this? "We've been struggling all year. We've had injuries, we've had obstacles all year long. We came out and fought hard the second half.

The kids are going to go home and regroup and get ready for Oklahoma State. We don't have time to rebound. It's time to get to work." What did you tell your team in the locker room? "I said, 'Guys, you played the No. 1 team in the country. Now you see what it takes to win and play a team of Nebraska's caliber.

You cannot allow yourself to make mistakes and win a football game like How did Seth Littrell do today, in his first start? "Seth did a great job today. That's something for a young man to come and rush like that, with inside running and protecting the football. He has a bright future." How about the OU defense today? "We did a good job, stopping them for two field goals on our first two turnovers. They wore us down a little bit, but you've got to make first downs." What are your impressions of Nebraska defensive end Grant Wistrom? "He's a great player. He made a lot of plays out there.

He's an outstanding player, a great defensive player." How did the offensive line play? "I thought they played a lot better at times. We played without our top three tailbacks (DeMond Parker, Bennie Butler and Carson Fields), and I think that has an effect on some things that you do. But Nebraska's a very good football team, and they're going to create, problems. They've been doing ers wore blue jerseys because Nebraska chose td wear red. Cornhusker Streaks 'Nebraska has: Sold out 220 straight home games, dating back td 1962.

Won 41 straight home games and 36 straighl conference games. Had 36 straight winning seasons. Been ranked in the AP top 10 for 80 straighl weeks. Been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 268 straighi weeks. Bob Hersom Staff Photo by George R.

Wilson Nebraska coach Tom Osborne watches the action on the field Saturday as he reached 250 victories faster than any coach in college football history. Osborne got No. 250 in his 302nd game, 18 fewer than Penn State's Joe Paterno needed to reach that plateau. Osborne Is 250-49-3. 1 -a THE DAILY OKXAMOlWtAlf MAPS Project's Progress Luring Business To subscribe o.ill 475-NEWS or (outside OKC Metro) 1-800-375-NEWS.