sport.ddtor.com: 09/17/21

👀 One Of College Football’s Most Storied Rivalries Returns

In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Nebraska and Oklahoma look to add an extra chapter to a famous slice of college football history ... we take a look at if Lamar Jackson can earn his first career win against Patrick Mahomes on Sunday ... and a young White Sox fan shows off his perfect Craig Kimbrel impersonation before meeting his favorite player.

When Oklahoma and Nebraska go at it on Saturday there will be no conference bragging rights at stake, no recent spite to draw upon, and unless something happens to drastically upturn the odds, no significant national championship ramifications.

And yet, of all the matchups in the early part of this college football season, few have captured the nostalgic imagination as much as a resumption of a timeless and once-revered rivalry that currently looks lopsided enough that the Sooners are a 22.5-point favorite, according to FOX Bet.

A full 50 years removed from the “Game of the Century,” the 1971 epic contest where No. 1 Nebraska topped No. 2 Oklahoma, 35-31, virtually all the talk heading into Saturday’s clash (12 p.m. ET on FOX) has been of the past.

“There's something unique and special about this game,” Sooners coach Lincoln Riley told reporters. “A week like this, more than anything, just helps remind you of the history.”

In 1996, the rivalry was slowed down somewhat when the teams were allocated to alternate divisions in the Big 12, meaning they would meet only twice every four years, following 71 straight years of having played annually. Following the 2010 season, the historic rivalry was put on pause altogether when Nebraska departed to link up with the Big Ten.

It has become one of college football’s generational quirks, a storied rivalry that mostly just lives in the memories now. Despite there being a home-and-home series this year and next, and again in 2029 and 2030, the youngest followers of both teams don’t remember what it was like, the fire and fury, the intensity and the sheer importance whenever they got together.

“There is a whole generation of Oklahoma fans that don’t know a Nebraska team that’s good, and that goes for the newest Nebraska fans too,” FOX Sports College Football Writer RJ Young told me. “The two programs seem so far apart now. With Oklahoma-Nebraska, it is different to OU-Texas, that’s more like hate, this is more like siblings.

“The fan bases see themselves in each other. It is two flyover states where the college team is basically the pro team. They enjoyed being the best in the country, they took pride in their rival being one of the best teams. It is different now and a lot changed for Nebraska when they switched conferences. This weekend will be something though, three or four generations of people can come together and celebrate this game.”

So much of the chatter is about the 1971 clash and former players from both sides have descended upon Norman, Oklahoma to reminisce and take part in various celebratory functions.

It is worth remembering, however, that the most recent game went down to the wire, a Big 12 Championship showdown at Cowboys Stadium in 2010, that the Sooners won 23-20.

Landry Jones, who went on to have a seven-year NFL career, mostly with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was the winning QB that day, and can scarcely believe so much time has passed.

“I remember it like yesterday,” Jones told me via telephone. “Nebraska was leaving the conference so we knew it was going to be the last time for a long time.

“There was something special about it. Mostly you just want to win a conference title but there was a feeling of history and two programs that have shared a lot and meant a lot to each other. It is pretty crazy that it’s now 11 years since the teams played.”

Oklahoma will again be aiming for a spot in the College Football Playoff, having made the field four of the past seven years, while their upcoming move to the SEC no later than 2025 has been one of the sport’s hottest talking points.

Nebraska is in the doldrums, without a winning season or a bowl appearance since 2016, having failed to recruit elite classes and unable to find a true heated rival in the Big Ten. Scott Frost’s arrival as head coach in 2018 was supposed to spark a revival – instead, it has gone in the opposite direction.

His plight was not helped when it embarrassingly emerged that Nebraska had tried to back out of the Oklahoma game earlier this year. Anything can happen in college football, but in truth, most Nebraska fans would be somewhat satisfied if their team can keep things close and competitive.

“We got a lot to gain and very little to lose in this game," Frost said this week. "I just want our guys to play stress-free and not worry about anything, and just go attack. We got to run at things as fast as we can and try to get after them and see where we land.”

It is an early season game and there will be others that, for both teams, probably end up counting for more this year. But a chance for reflection of the fondest kind has arrived, a celebration of special times gone by and maybe, who knows, an extra chapter to a famous slice of football history.

Here’s what others have said ...

Alex Hickey, Saturday Tradition: “This Saturday, we’ll witness another return to the heart of college football when Oklahoma and Nebraska get back together for the first time since 2010. Now we just have to hope they figure out how to keep it.”

Skip Bayless, FOX Sports (on the Game of the Century): “I was there, five rows up from the 50-yard line for what I believe was the greatest college football game ever played.”

The retiring Carli Lloyd netted five goals Thursday, showing she’s not quite finished making history. FOX Sports Soccer Writer Doug McIntyre has the story.
Can Lamar Jackson get his first win against Patrick Mahomes? Skip and Shannon debated the MVP matchup on “Undisputed.”
FOX Sports Betting Analyst Jason McIntyre is riding with just one underdog in Week 3. Will the favorites continue to roll (Tide)?

Chicago White Sox pitcher Craig Kimbrel has one of the most unique deliveries in Major League Baseball. But regardless of how unique it is, the truth is that it has certainly worked for Kimbrel, who is one of the best closers, and now set-up man, in baseball over the past decade. Check out this video, which shows a young White Sox fan impersonating Kimbrel’s delivery while he pitches. The best part is that the fan got to meet Kimbrel before the White Sox game on Wednesday night. Kimbrel talked to him and then signed a baseball for him and gave him a pair of his cleats. This is what baseball is all about!

Friday Night SmackDown (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)
Finn Balor continues to set his sights on Roman Reigns’ Universal Title this Friday on SmackDown.

Nebraska at Oklahoma (Saturday, FOX, 12 p.m. ET)
Spencer Rattler and the No. 3-ranked Oklahoma Sooners host Adrian Martinez and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Alabama at Florida (Saturday, CBS, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Bryce Young and the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide travel to Florida to take on Emory Jones and the No. 11-ranked Florida Gators.

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, FOX, 1 p.m. ET)
Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers take on Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, FOX, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Kirk Cousins leads the Minnesota Vikings into Arizona to battle Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.

Odds provided by FOX Bet
Nebraska at Oklahoma: Oklahoma -22.5

This storied rivalry returns after an 11-year hiatus. But as good as this rivalry was at one time, it’s tough to see a scenario where this game isn’t a blowout. Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender and the favorite to go No. 1 in next year’s NFL Draft. Through two weeks, Rattler leads the Big 12 in completion percentage and QB rating while the Sooners have scored a combined 116 points through two games. On the other side, Nebraska had an embarrassing season-opening loss to Illinois before back-to-back wins over Fordham and Buffalo. Look for this one to be a one-sided contest. Taking Oklahoma at -22.5 looks like a great move.

“I'm in love with college football.” — Erin Andrews

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🕚 Clock’s Ticking on WNBA Season + More College Football

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Kevin Sweeney

For the second straight week, the NFL's Thursday night game ended on a last-second field goal, this time with Washington beating the Giants after Dustin Hopkins's first unsuccessful attempt was waved off because of an offsides penalty. It was a painful ending for Giants fans like myself but a great start to a loaded sports weekend. Tonight's slate features the second-to-last day of the WNBA season, the continued battle for the NL wild card and two college football matchups to get the weekend started.

Here's what I'm watching on the final Friday of summer.

MUST WATCH

Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm

Tonight is one of the biggest nights of the season in the WNBA, and this matchup is the most important of them all. Seattle currently sits just a half game ahead of Phoenix for the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, which is critical because the No. 4 seed has to play only one single-elimination game rather than two when the playoffs begin next week. Phoenix has arguably been the league's second-best team since the Olympic restart, recently seeing a nine-game winning streak snapped by the Sun. Meanwhile, the Storm have sputtered of late, falling out of regular-season title contention while dealing with the absence of Breanna Stewart due to a foot injury.

10 p.m. ET, NBA TV, watch on fuboTV

READ MORE:

Five Burning Questions for the WNBA's Stretch Run (Ben Pickman)
The Mercury Are Peaking at the Perfect Time (Ben Pickman)
Breanna Stewart to Miss Remainder of WNBA Regular Season With Foot Injury (Wilton Jackson)

LINEUP

CFB: UCF at Louisville | UCF won its first big test of the year in Week 1 against Boise State. A road win at Louisville would help position the Knights to contend for a New Year's Six bowl berth. 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, watch on fuboTV
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty | Both squads are fighting for their playoff lives in this one. The Liberty would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, while the Mystics could move ahead of the Sparks for the eighth and final playoff berth with a win. 7 p.m. ET, Twitter
Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds | Just a game out of the second NL wild-card race, the Reds could use a couple of surprise victories this weekend against the mighty Dodgers. It won't be easy tonight with Walker Buehler on the mound for L.A. 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, watch on fuboTV
CFB: Maryland at Illinois | Maryland's victory over West Virginia to open the season has folks in College Park excited about the third year of the Mike Locksley era. Tonight's road test in Champaign will be a good measuring stick to see whether the Terps have taken the next step. 9 p.m. ET, FS1, watch on fuboTV
Las Vegas Aces at Chicago Sky | This one doesn't feature many implications for the playoffs, but it should be a fun battle between two of the league's best frontcourts. 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV, watch on fuboTV

HIDDEN GEM

San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals

Fernando Tatís Jr. has hit .340 in September, but the Padres are just 5-8 this month.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

No one really seems to want the second wild-card spot in the NL, though the Cardinals have done the most to claim it lately with five straight wins. This weekend's series with the Padres will go a long way toward determining who secures that final playoff spot. And while tomorrow's battle of aces between Yu Darvish and Adam Wainwright will headline the series, every game matters at this stage in the season. Tonight's starting pitching matchup features a pair of righthanders who have struggled this season in Vince Velasquez and Miles Mikolas. Whichever starter can give his manager a quality start will be setting the tone for what is the biggest series of the year for both teams.

8:15 p.m. ET, Bally Sports Midwest/Bally Sports San Diego, watch on fuboTV

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