The Game of the Century: Nebraska Vs. Oklahoma in College Football's Ultimate Battle

by Michael Corcoran

Book Overview

On Thanksgiving Day 1971 a record fifty-five million homes tuned in to watch two powerhouse college football teams collide. The defending national champion, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, was... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743236211
• ISBN13: 9780743236218
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

If you want History

If you want a pice of history, buy this book. If you want to know what the rivalry was like between OU and Nebraska, but this book. You can't go wrong. If you want more history about the Sooners, check this out. UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers)

Wish there were more like this...

I wish there were more books like this: books behind famous games, or famous series' of games. Lots of detail, gives us a flavor of what it was like in 1971, what kind of social context during which the game was played. There have be a gazillion "Games of the Century," but this one truly was. I remember how big it was when I was a kid, and when I've seen clips, I can see why it was given that distinction. I don't think I've ever seen a game with fewer mistakes. And it's a fun trip back to the "old days" of "the new college football...Astroturf was new, there was a thing called "tear-away jerseys" (which was like wearing a Kleenex with your number on it), and there was NO dancing or whooping it up after a good play. If the publishers are listening, I'd tell them we need more books about classic old teams, games, and series'.

Very detailed!

PW said fans of college football would enjoy this. I guess I'm not that big a fan. :-) On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm probably a 6; and I think you'd have to be about a 15 to enjoy the level of detail in this book!

A great book

Being a kid in Kansas in the early 70s, I was sandwiched between the two great football powers on either side of my state that this book focuses on. Believe me, the influence of both programs was incredible. Corcoran does a terrific job of recreating what college football could mean, when - get this kids- there was only ONE game a week on TV! Today, given all the explosive media growth and abundance of 'big' games, a term like 'game of the century' would sound trite, but in the early 70s such a description was fully accurate when # 1 and # 2 managed to meet on the field. In the end, this an example of the perfect sports book, really. The writing is clear and concise and the author manages to keeps a great narrative going behind a constant historical background of a game that actually lived up to its hype.

as good

I was 14 year old boy in 1971, living in Lincoln, Nebraska, we would ride our bikes to the stadium and sneak in games by crawling under and over fences. That season has always held a special place in my youth and this book brings back all of the memories and gives a deeper insight into that game. Any fan of football will enjoy this wonderful book, even Sooners. It goes into history of the game and both programs and interviews members of both teams, giving a background of the game I never had. and of course the best part is that the Huskers still win. Now if only I can get a DVD of the game for Christmas...