The second half of the home-and-home series between Oklahoma and Nebraska will be played in Lincoln during Week 3 this season. The series commemorated the 50th anniversary of the “Game of the Century,” in which No. 1 Nebraska defeated No. 2 Oklahoma, 35-31.
Oklahoma won last year’s matchup, 23-16, in Norman. Despite an amazing interception from D.J. Graham, the game didn’t exactly live up to the hype.
This time, the Sooners will head to Lincoln, and the game will be the first Power Five matchup of Brent Venables’ head coaching career. Venables will go up against Nebraska’s Scott Frost, who will be in desperate need of a big win.
Paul Myerberg of USA Today has put the OU-NU matchup among the top 10 nonconference games for the 2022 season.
This reunion of former Big 8 and Big 12 rivals could be a make-or-break moment for embattled Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost, especially if his team again falls flat in the season opener against Northwestern. With a nasty November ahead — Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa — sitting at 2-2 at the end of September could make it very difficult for Nebraska to win enough games to ensure Frost’s job security. For the Sooners, this old-school rivalry is the first marquee game for new coach Brent Venables. Games like this are important to establishing a winning atmosphere, especially for a program with a turbulent offseason.
-Paul Myerberg, USA Today
Venables needs to show his new culture will lead to big wins against big-time rivals, or kind of big-time in Nebraska’s case. Frost needs to win some big games to keep his job. This is going to be a fun game.
Going to Nebraska in Week 3 will be the first true test for the 2022 OU squad after tune-up games against UTEP and Kent State. Memorial Stadium in Lincoln isn’t exactly hospitable to opposing teams.
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