Report: OU plans celebration for 1971 OU-Neb. Game of the Century: Castiglione was unavailable for comment. But sources confirmed the Sooner AD desperately wants to restore the long-held goodwill between the storied rivals. That respect was badly tarnished the last time the Cornhuskers visited Owen Field on Nov. 13, 2004, a game that produced profane slurs and a lawsuit. Castiglione's plan is to celebrate the legendary 1971 meeting of the two "Big Reds." He reportedly intends to invite and honor everyone from both teams involved in "The Game of the Century." The invitation list for a Friday night dinner and a ceremony at halftime of Saturday's game will include players, coaches, trainers, managers and any other personnel who played a role in that remarkable Thanksgiving Day shootout on Owen Field, which ended in a 35-31 Husker win. Sources said that when Castiglione approached Nebraska AD Tom Osborne at the Big 12 spring meetings in May to gauge his opinion of celebrating the 1971 Game of the Century, the legendary former Husker coach "loved the idea." (Tulsa World)
Nebraska edges OU in 1978 Showdown: SI asked their writers to share their best games ever seen, #1 ranked Oklahoma vs. #3 ranked Nebraska, November 11, 1978... Lars Anderson describes how Finally, Nebraska got over the Oklahoma hump in '78.
Though, at end of the season, Oklahoma had the final laugh when OU went on to defeat Nebraska in the 1978 Orange Bowl 31-24. We can enjoy that. (Below)
Limited Fiesta Bowl tickets remain: A limited supply of tickets remain for Oklahoma's matchup with Boise State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on New Year's Day. As of close of business Tuesday, the OU Athletics Ticket Office still had tickets for the Jan. 1 bowl game remaining. Ticket sales for the event are now available only through the OU Athletics Ticket Office and continue online at SoonerSports.com until all are sold. The price is $135 per ticket and all sales are now first-come, first-served. If tickets do not sell out overnight through the online system, the OU Ticket Office reopens for business Wednesday at 8 a.m. and any remaining tickets may be bought online or buy calling or visiting the ticket office. Call the OU Athletics Ticket Office toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU (4668). (Sooner Sports PR)
Where the Coaches rank the Sooners: The final top 25 coaches' poll was released Sunday, and Oklahoma was ranked No. 8. Fifty-five of the 62 voters had Oklahoma ranked from sixth to 10th. But there were some notable exceptions. One voter ranked OU below 15th -- Florida Atlantic's Howard Schnellenberger, a former Sooner head coach. And only three voters ranked OU higher than fifth -- OU's Bob Stoops, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Texas Tech's Mike Leach. Stoops was an assistant coach under Spurrier at Florida. And Leach is a former Stoops assistant. (Tulsa World)
Callahan takes the blame for Oklahoma Loss: From HuskerExtra.com
"I was disappointed with everything I did," Callahan told reporters during a Big 12 coaches' bowl teleconference. "I just could've done a better job. I just didn't do enough."
"I'm really, really upset. I'm really upset for that performance, and it all falls on my shoulders. I'm pretty aggravated, to say the least."
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes Nebraska sees no difference in Sooners without Peterson: Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said he hasn't noticed a drop-off in OU's running game without Adrian Peterson. "It's Oklahoma, and you know they'll have good running backs," McKeon said. "Adrian Peterson casts a very large shadow... You could be the second-best running back in the nation and be playing behind Adrian Peterson." McKeon wasn't sure of Peterson's replacement's name, just the number. But he saw a similarity. "No. 23 (Allen Patrick), he looks just like Adrian running hard out there," McKeon said. "He's a downhill guy and he's going to be tough to play against." (NewsOK.com) Michigan prep QB eyeing Oklahoma? Keith Nichol, the Lowell (Mich.) High School senior rated among the top five prep quarterbacks in the nation, visited OU Wednesday, even through he verbally committed to Michigan State over a year ago. "I am just going out there to reassure myself of my decision," Nichol told the Grand Rapids Press before leaving. "With all the stuff that has been going on, I want to make sure I am where I want to be." Nichol committed to John L. Smith, the Michigan State coach who was fired this season. The Spartans hired Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio to replace Smith this week, and Nichol said he plans to visit Dantonio after his trip to OU. "He is a 17-year-old boy, and we want to make sure we are getting all the information before him that he needs," Gary Nichol, Keith's father, told the Press. "Once he has that information, he will be ready to make a decision." (Tulsa World) Current Sooners met at Nebraska: Oklahoma defensive backs Nic Harris and Reggie Smith were friends before they became teammates. The sophomores met during the recruiting process. "First time I met Reggie, we were both on a visit to Nebraska," Harris said. "As a matter of fact, we were over at the safeties' house, (Josh and Daniel) Bullocks. We were just talking about recruiting. Exchanging stats. He was overwhelmed at mine. I was overwhelmed at his." Harris, from Alexandria, La., wishes he and Smith, from Edmond, could have teamed up sooner. (NewsOK.com)
Pair of Sooners' receives Rivals.com honors: Left tackle Chris Messner and placekicker Garrett Hartley were named to the Rivals.com All-America teams. Messner, a senior from Frederick, was named third-team while Hartley, a junior from Southlake, Texas, was picked second-team. (Tulsa World)
