Boom And Doom

"I hate Oklahoma, I really do," said quarterback Steve Taylor. Taylor's quotes papered the walls of the Sooners' locker room. His best offering: THE FLATOUT TRUTH IS OKLAHOMA CAN'T PLAY WITH US. THE SOONERS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH. LET ME TELL YOU, IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE CLOSE, AND I MEAN THAT. Whoops.

The Sooners, usually a volatile bunch, spent most of game week listening and waiting. Defensive end Darrell Reed recalls telling defensive tackle Darren Kilpatrick that he had "heard on TV that Nebraska's offense was going to attack our tackles." Kilpatrick smiled and said, "Bring it. I like pain."

Though Oklahoma could not score in the first half, it was clear that only lost fumbles (two) and poor field position (four of its six possessions began inside its 26-yard line) were holding it back. The Sooners' massive offensive line—average size: 6'4", 274 pounds—was relishing its work. "When you come off the ball and knock somebody five yards down the field, you know it's a long day for them," said tackle Jon Phillips afterward. Indeed, when the Oklahoma wishbone is working well, it resembles three or four weasels scurrying out from behind half a dozen rooting pigs.

Meanwhile, the Sooner defense quickly established itself. After Nebraska's 84-yard first-quarter scoring drive, Oklahoma gave up only 151 yards the rest of the way, including 60 on the Huskers' final, abortive drive as time expired. The Sooner defense, which has now allowed only seven touchdowns in 11 games, was led up front by the infernal Dantes—noseguard Williams and inside linebacker Jones—and in the secondary by free safety Rickey Dixon, who had two key interceptions.

At halftime Switzer told his team, "Men, we got them just where we want them. And they know it, too."

Holieway, who was so weighted down with teammates' gold chains that he looked like Mr. T after a crash diet, played valet to Thompson in the locker room. He offered his replacement encouragement, wiped his face and brought him ice. "I'm proud of him," Holieway said.

Before Oklahoma charged back onto the field for the second half, defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs hollered, "Remember, it's Sooner Magic! We always win here!"

Dixon promptly intercepted a Taylor pass and returned it 24 yards to the Nebraska 13. Two plays later, Stafford sprinted around right end to tie the game at 7-7. It was just a matter of time until the 'bone would explode in the Huskers' faces.

With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, it did. Thompson shoveled a perfect pitch to Collins, who turned the left end behind a sweet block by John Greene, shook off a couple of arm tackles and raced 65 yards for a TD. Oklahoma led 14-7. In the middle of the fourth quarter, kicker R.D. Lashar added a field goal, and against that Sooner D, a 10-point lead was as good as 50. For the game, Oklahoma outgained Nebraska 444 yards to 235, and if it hadn't been for those three lost fumbles, the score might have been 38-7.

In the locker room afterward the injured Holieway leaned joyfully on a four-foot homemade key the Sooners had brought with them to twit the once-cocky Huskers. "We didn't need the key to get in that house," he yelled. "We kicked the front door down!"