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Oklahoma Sooners |
Nebraska Cornhuskers © |
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Played November 1, 1997 at Memorial Stadium Lincoln, Nebraska |
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Teams' Belt Records
|
Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
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W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
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| Oklahoma | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .750 | ||||
| Nebraska © | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | ||||
Previous Belt Meetings: None
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
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Oklahoma |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
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Nebraska |
20 |
14 |
21 |
14 |
69 |
The 3-5 Oklahoma Sooners of coach John Blake met the top-ranked, 7-0 Nebraska Cornhuskers of coach Tom Osborne. The Cornhuskers continued their roll with 409 yards rushing behind RB Joel Makovicka’s 101 yards with 3 touchdowns while Nebraska’s Blackshirts defense held the Sooners to 85 yards rushing, 69 yards passing & forced 7 fumbles as the Cornhuskers handed Oklahoma its worst defeat ever 69-7. The win was the 250th of coach Osborne's career. In spite of fumbling on the second play from scrimmage, Nebraska took control from the outset. The Sooners returned the turnover on their third play before Cornhuskers' PK Kris Brown hit a 24-yard field goal just 2:11 into the game. Nebraska added 17 more points before the end of the quarter to eliminate in suspense as to the outcome of the game. Makovicka scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. Brown’s 42-yard field goal was followed by a 15-yard touchdown run from RB Correll Burkhalter for a 20-0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. Nebraska's QB Scott Frost found WR Bobby Newcombe for a 40-yard touchdown pass & then Frost scored on a 12-yard touchdown run as the Cornhuskers took a 34-0 halftime lead. Nebraska scored on their first five drives of the 2nd half as well started by Cornhuskers' WR Lance Brown scored on a 9-yard touchdown run & Makovicka scored on runs of 37 then 32 yards before Oklahoma scored their only points on a 5-yard touchdown run by RB Seth Littrell. The Sooners' touchdown was the first score the Blackshirts had allowed in more than 10 quarters. Burkhalter’s second touchdown came on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the 4th quarter & RB Willie Miller finished the scoring massacre with a 7-yard touchdown run. Nebraska's All-Big XII RB Ahman Green finished with 105 yards rushing while Frost added 107 yards passing & 66 yards rushing with his touchdown for the Cornhuskers. Nebraska's All-American DE Grant Wistrom led the defense as he recorded 9 solo tackles, 2 sacks, forced 3 fumbles, & recovered a fumble. Oklahoma used three quarterbacks with QB Eric Moore throwing for 58 yards, starting QB Justin Fuente throwing for 0 yards, & QB Brandon Daniels throwing for 11 yards as combined they completed just 3 of 9 pass attempts. Nebraska finished the season 13-0; Big XII Champions, ranked 2nd nationally while the Sooners finished 4-8. Oklahoma would play for The Belt again in 1998.
