The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I think it was 1975, the Dawgs were 9-1 and about to play Tech, heavily favored, and their Qb Ray Goff (and later HC) said he didn't think of Tech as a rival any more.

The Dawgs barely pulled out a 13-10 win.  They were later clobbered by Pitt with some running back I forget his name.

I was in attendance when the Sooners played that Pitt running back in that same year.
This was one of the highlights.

https://youtu.be/54EV42w4_t0

I imagine that hit would not be allowed today.  It wasn't smart even then.  A form tackle would have been better.

Pitt rushed for 79 yards, and I think that said running back got about 25 of them.

Yeah, I was kind of looking forward to those years where the Dawgs have scheduled Ohio State, Texas, Clemson, OU, and of course Tech, in 2031 they had both Oklahoma and Ohio State on the slate.

I'm like utee on this.  I was looking forward to the home-and-home with the Dawgs.
2023--when OU would have been the home team--is the centennial of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.  UGA vs. OU was to be the jewel in the home schedule.  I wonder who the OU A.D. will be able to line up at this late date.

Okie State wasn't much of a challenge to Nebraska in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, but there is some familiarity

Yes, familiarity--let's call it "tradition"--matters.
That's why Old Oaken Buckets trump CyHawk Trophies.  And Paul Bunyan's Axe beats The Boot.

Tony Dorsett was a great running back who won the Heisman and went on to have a fabulous NFL career. Deservedly, he is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But on that day, out on the high-crowned Astroturf of Owen Field, the Oklahoma Sooners had his number.

I have zero bad to say about Dorsett as a runner.  He seemed like a good guy as well.

UGA returned to the Sugar Bowl as few years later with another RB of passing note.

He was about as close to Barry Sanders as a mortal could be, I think.  That is a bit like saying Bo and Earl were close to being Herschel.

Earl the first RB I can recall that wowed me.  Maybe he doesn't  get enough credit, the times you know.

Top Ten Earl Campbell Plays of All Time - YouTube

I try an not get buried in who was better than who, and just enjoy how good X was without trying to think if Y was better.  Earl was great, period.  I wasn't around for Red Grange and Charlie Trippi (who was also great).  I watched Barry Sanders of course and he did some jaw dropping thing in the League.  We all have the same basic list, debating whether one was better than another, I'll leave you to it, but I suspect you agree with me.

It's enough to take some pleasure on their athleticism and achievements without trying to run anyone down.  Take the numbers out of it, for me, and appreciate what they achieved.

The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history (espn.com)
The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history (espn.com)

They had this guy at 20!

20. Billy Sims (RB, Oklahoma, 1975-79)
Rushing yards: 3,813 | Yards per carry: 7.1 | Rushing TDs: 50
Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer thought so much of Sims that he called Sims at the Hooks, Texas, gas station where Sims worked to continue recruiting him. That may not sound amazing, except that Switzer called from a locker room pay phone at halftime of a Sooners game. Sims proved himself worth the effort. In his junior and senior seasons, Sims rushed for 3,268 yards and 42 touchdowns. He took home the 1978 Heisman Trophy during his junior season. Sims didn't repeat as a Heisman winner -- he finished second -- because Charles White of USC beat him out; with 1,506 rushing yards, it's hard to say that Sims faltered.