The Nebraska football program tried to duck the Oklahoma football game for this upcoming season. You better believe that Twitter let the Cornhuskers have it and bullied them into playing a game they said they would play all along.
The Nebraska football team and the Oklahoma football program used to be the two cornerstones of the old Big Eight Conference. They used to dominate it. Less than a generation after the Big 12’s incarnation, Nebraska bolted for the Big Ten and it has not worked out for them at all. All the while, Oklahoma has dominated the Big 12 because Texas still is nowhere close to being back just yet.
Fate would have it these two former Big Eight rivals were slated to play in Norman this fall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “The Game of the Century”. But because of the global pandemic, Nebraska tried to weasel its way out of playing in Norman because UNL wanted an eighth home game to help stimulate the local economy. Twitter was not having any of that.
Nebraska is trying to get out of playing Oklahoma on Sept. 18, sources told @Stadium. The Cornhuskers have contacted other schools to play in Lincoln on that date, sources said. The game was scheduled to mark 50th anniversary of 1971 "Game of the Century" b/w No. 1 NU & No. 2 OU
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) March 12, 2021
In response to inquiries I’ve received this morning...... pic.twitter.com/t7rVYL0NpJ
— Joe Castiglione (@soonerad) March 12, 2021
Nebraska statement says it explored playing an 8th home game but plans to move forward with playing Oklahoma
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) March 12, 2021
This shall henceforth be known as the @Brett_McMurphy Bowl.
— John M. Bishop (@JohnBishop71) March 12, 2021
Thank you, Brett! #Huskers https://t.co/4wU9Edtvdi
This game will forever be known as the Brett McMurphy Bowl, as it should be
Stadium’s Brett McMurphy reported on Friday morning about Nebraska trying to get out of this game for economic reasons. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione let it be known he wasn’t thrilled about it. After getting roasted alive on Twitter for the better part of a day, Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said the rivalry game is back on and the Cornhuskers will play in it.
Nebraska: we demand to play football!
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) March 12, 2021
Oklahoma: ok, sure
Nebraska: pic.twitter.com/J6gMD3rmlc
Regardless of what comes of Nebraska-Oklahoma in 2021, it says something that Nebraska has not responded to this report.
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) March 12, 2021
It has turned fast into a punchline. This silence makes the football program look mismanaged at best in this situation and more to the point, scared of OU.
Tulane Football Nebraska Football pic.twitter.com/c8G7SvsBFt
— Fear the Wave (@FearTheWaveBlog) March 12, 2021
When you turn on the Twitter to find the whole world yamming on Nebraska football pic.twitter.com/lkElXZeL1j
— Ivan Bologna (@PV_GIA) March 12, 2021
It is truly amazing how far of a fall from grace it has been for Nebraska football. This was a blue-blood program and one that dominated the middle of the country. But as it turns out, going to the Midwest and parting ways with the rich Texas recruiting base was essentially program suicide. Not even legendary Huskers quarterback Scott Frost can lead Nebraska to a freaking bowl game.
Nebraska when they have to play a football game that they scheduled pic.twitter.com/2p9tZSQhrp
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) March 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/jamesaydelott/status/1370476516480585736
Nebraska would rather make money than play a historic game against a former rival.
— Christopher Heady (@heady_chris) March 12, 2021
In other words, the football program cares more about making money than its fan base. A fan base, mind you, that fills Memorial Stadium despite the mediocre product on the field.
Remember when Frost and the Nebraska program fought oh so hard to have college football back in our lives after the Big Ten hastily canceled their season? Yeah, that was cool and way cooler than trying to duck Oklahoma. Even if you are going to lose hopelessly, show up and take your beating like the full-grown men you claim to be. The wrath of Twitter is an unrelenting beast.
When you say you are going to play Oklahoma, honor the agreement and play the Sooners!
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