One of the most tradition-rich college football rivalries will return to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the first time since 2009 when No. 6 Oklahoma travels to face Nebraska at noon on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Emotions will be high as this will be the first game for the Cornhuskers since firing ex-coach Scott Frost on Sunday on the heels of a stunning, unforgivable upset at home.
The Sooners got off to a slow start against Kent State in Week 2, failing to score for the first 29 minutes of the game. However, they went on to score 24 unanswered in the third quarter behind 296 yards passing and three touchdowns from quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Receiver Marvin Mims was sensational with seven catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Nebraska's streak of losses in one-score contests ballooned to 10 with a 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern after allowing a touchdown with 36 seconds remaining. The 'Huskers offense found some momentum, but the loss snapped an astonishing 214-game home winning streak when scoring 35 or more points. Now, ex-Nebraska quarterback Mickey Joseph will have an opportunity to put his spin on the program. Joseph came to Nebraska after five years as an offensive assistant at LSU.
Oklahoma beat Nebraska last year 23-16, but the Sooners' high-powered attack was held to just 5.9 yards per play. The Sooners have a 46-38-3 edge all-time against the Cornhuskers, but lost 10-3 against Nebraska in the final game in Lincoln as conference mates in 2009.
Check out LIVE updates as Oklahoma faces Nebraska.
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska: Need to know
Historic rivalry: This rivalry ranks as one of the most historic in college football and dates back to Nov. 23, 1912. The game was played every year until 1997, but was was not a priority after the creation of the Big 12, which drew anger from fans and was at least a minor factor in the 'Huskers leaving the conference for the Big Ten. The series will also return in 2029 and 2030.
A new era: The Sooners made an external coaching hire for the first time in nearly 25 years when Brent Venables was selected to replace Lincoln Riley in Norman. Venables was a former coordinator on the 2000 Oklahoma national championship team and stayed in Norman for 13 seasons. The Sooners are 2-0, but struggled at times in the first half against Kent State. Nebraska marks the first meaningful game of the Venables era.
A second chance: There's no coincidence in Nebraska firing Frost a week before the rivalry game instead of letting the embattled coach go out with a whimper down the line. This matchup has been circled on the calendar since the moment it was scheduled. Now, Nebraska will try to use this nationally televised game as an opportunity to start from scratch and build some momentum against a historic foe.
How to watch Oklahoma vs. Nebraska live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 17 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Memorial Stadium -- Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska prediction, picks
Oklahoma has not faced a Power Five foe under Venables. In fact, its two wins were against teams ranked No. 95 and No. 108 in the CBS 131 Rankings. While Nebraska is struggling, the talent jump -- along with a new coaching direction -- makes this game slightly trickier than early results would assume. A worse Nebraska team played a better Oklahoma team within seven points last season. With the game headed to Lincoln, don't expect things to get out of hand. Pick: Nebraska +11.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 3, and which favorites will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,400 in profit over the past six-plus seasons -- and find out.
