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Oklahoma renews once-storied rivalry with Nebraska

Nov 1, 2008 - 10:47 AM Nebraska (5-3) at (4) Oklahoma (7-1), 8:00 pm EDT

NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- In season's past, the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry was one of the biggest in the country. Now, the teams do not even play on an annual basis.

Coming off the highest-scoring first half in school history, the fourth-ranked Sooners host the Cornhuskers on Saturday in the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 2005.

Three years ago, Oklahoma defeated Nebraska, 21-7, after both teams entered the game unranked for the first time since 1965. The teams also met in the 2006 Big 12 championship game, with the Sooners posting a 21-7 victory.

Oklahoma (7-1, Big 12 South) looks to keep its offense rolling after scoring 103 points and gaining more than 1,200 yards in its last two games.

After Sam Bradford passed for a school-record 468 yards in a 45-31 win over Kansas on October 18, the Sooners scored 55 first-half points in last week's 58-35 victory at Kansas State.

Oklahoma remains a contender in the national championship race, ranking fourth in the BCS standings behind Texas, Alabama and Penn State. To play in the BCS title game, however, the Sooners likely need two of the three teams ahead of them to lose.

In his first season at Nebraska, coach Bo Pelini is trying to restore the Cornhuskers to their former glory. Former coach Bill Callahan endured two losing campaigns in his four years in Lincoln.

"You see them playing hard and defensively you see them very sound in what they're doing," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.

Nebraska (5-3, 2-2 Big 12 North) has a ways to go, however, after allowing 124 points in consecutive losses to Virginia Tech, Missouri and Texas Tech. Overall, the Cornhuskers are yielding 29 points per game - fifth in the Big 12 Conference.

Nebraska has won its last two games and last week rallied for a 32-20 victory over Baylor, blanking the Bears in the second half after trailing, 20-17, at halftime.

Joe Ganz passed for 336 yards and three touchdowns for the Cornhuskers, who need one win to become bowl eligible following only their second losing season since 1962.

Saturday's games pits childhood friends going against each other as Stoops and Pelini grew up together in Youngstown, Ohio.

"It's never exciting going against your friends," Stoops said. "Isn't it ironic - two guys from the south side of Youngstown end up coaching at Oklahoma and Nebraska."