Who was the original "Big Red"?

[K2C Sooner]

OU or Nebraska? Both have claimed it in the past and I don't hear it on our side anymore. I guess we lost it when we went to Crimson and Cream. When did that happen? I look at some of the early photos and we did have more of a red tint. We even had "little red" as a mascot................

Okay, time for some of you historians............

 

[Senior Sooner]

OU or Nebraska? Both have claimed it in the past and I don't hear it on our side anymore. I guess we lost it when we went to Crimson and Cream. When did that happen? I look at some of the early photos and we did have more of a red tint. We even had "little red" as a mascot................
Okay, time for some of you historians............

Mathis Bros. Warehouse...Big Red 5 X 5...$5 Bucks Down, and Weekly $5...

Seriously, I believe it was OU...Not just because I want it to be...I used to hear reference to Nebraska as Big Red of the North...To me, that's a 'Wannabe'...Little Red was the Spinoff of Big Red...

Interesting Q, K2...It will be fun to hear the feedback...

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Mathis Bros. Big Red Warehouse...$5 Bucks Down, and Weekly $5...

Seriously, I believe it was OU...Not just because I want it to be...I used to hear reference to Nebraska as Big Red of the North...To me, that's a 'Wannabe'...Little Red was the Spinoff of Big Red...

Interesting Q, K2...It will be fun to hear the feedback...

Not to be out 'homered', OU was the first Big Red, in that Nebraska hadn't done anything significant in the 50s like OU. They didn't become 'big' until the 70s or 80s.
Also, and while we're at it, OU originated the 'Play like a Champion' sign, not Notre Dame.

Yeah, so there...

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Nebraska is number 8 all time winning percentage with a record of 880-368-40 (.6988). They suffered through the dreadful '50s.

A colleague who was an OG for Nebraska in the '50s was terminated by a sniper in Vietnam. The co worker died on a hospital ship in route to the United States. He often told me how his Cornhusker mates put OU in the win column before every kick off. He played 3 years.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

As a related aside, been watching replays from the 50s. Missouri, 57, the dreaded Notre Dame, 57.

Got to say, Prentice Gautt, Clendon Thomas were some pretty nifty RBs. They had that speed thing.
Those cross bucks they ran were brilliant. Two fake hand offs before giving to a third.
Bud had it going.

 

[Oklabama]

Not to be out 'homered', OU was the first Big Red, in that Nebraska hadn't done anything significant in the 50s like OU. They didn't become 'big' until the 70s or 80s.
Also, and while we're at it, OU originated the 'Play like a Champion' sign, not Notre Dame.

Yeah, so there...

You are correct on both. I never paid much attention to Nebraska and the Big Red reference. It sounds like something Keith Jackson came up with when Devaney was rolling. JJ. If the Huskers don't get it going they are going to revert back to the Bug Eaters.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

If they could make a great hire, they are tradition rich, they can easily be back in the conversation of a Top 10 program.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

If they could make a great hire, they are tradition rich, they can easily be back in the conversation of a Top 10 program.

I could be wrong, but I think in spite the funk they're in, they still sell out all their home games.
Those folks are loyal to a fault.

 

[Oklabama]

If they could make a great hire, they are tradition rich, they can easily be back in the conversation of a Top 10 program.

I hope they do. I miss the annual Big 8 game with the Huskers and have rooted for them since they left the B12. I hope they are at their best when OU beats them next game.

 

[K2C Sooner]

I just linked this to the Husker board. Let's see what they have to say. We might as well have some fun during the off season...............

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

I believe Nebraska got no Texas recruits last February. Their recruiting inroads in Texas seem to have muddied.

 

[tarheelhusker]

I'd have to go with OU. Bud Wilkinson was a tremendous coach.
We did beat you guys in '59...Buds 1st conference loss in 79 games if I recall correctly.

I hold him in the highest esteem!

 

[Soda Popinski]

Cornhusker here. I've never heard OU called Big Red, maybe it was common before I came around.

Definitely miss playing you boys every year. Would love to see an annual renewal of the series even if we probably lose 8 of 10. Anyway, good luck next year.

 

[K2C Sooner]

Cornhusker here. I've never heard OU called Big Red, maybe it was common before I came around.

Definitely miss playing you boys every year. Would love to see an annual renewal of the series even if we probably lose 8 of 10. Anyway, good luck next year.

Soda, check out my avatar. The color you will see on the old car is the color I remember. Thanks for responding....

 

[Soonersincefitty]

See, the Nebby folks are just nice.

Salt of the earth, modest. I couldn't like them more.

 

[K2C Sooner]

See, the Nebby folks are just nice.

Salt of the earth, modest. I couldn't like them more.

I think most of them are shy. I linked this thread to their board an hour ago. Over 200 views on the Husker board and only two responses to this board.

Oh well, maybe Sparky will respond..............

 

[Section22Sooner]

I think most of them are shy. I linked this thread to their board an hour ago. Over 200 views on the Husker board and only two responses to this board.

Oh well, maybe Sparky will respond..............

In large part, many Huskers don't like Sooners. That's why.

Here is a thread from last year about the death of the "GO BIG RED" chant at OU football games.
https://oklahoma.forums.rivals.com/...-tradition-has-disappeared.34250/#post-593318

 

[Soonersincefitty]

I think most of them are shy. I linked this thread to their board an hour ago. Over 200 views on the Husker board and only two responses to this board.

Oh well, maybe Sparky will respond..............

Oh yeah, I like that guy. He's grounded, centered.
Wish he'd grace us with a drive by.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

Before Oklahoma was a state, Nebraska was undefeated in 1902 and 1903 and would have been crowned National Champions if they did things that way back then. Nebraska also defeated Notre Dame two of three years we played them when their Four Horsemen were on their team. In 1925 Nebraska held Red Grange to minimal yards and laid such a physical beating on him (in Urbana) he broke down and cried. We were always a good team until our Rose Bowl loss in 1941, then we had a bad patch for a couple decades, but then came back on strong. We are hoping for a resurgence now after another bad patch.

I attended the last B12 game NU played in Norman and while the result sucked (for us), I had a great seat on the 50 in the upper deck and the OU fans around me were nice people and gracious in victory. It was pretty obvious OU has blown out enough teams that your fans didn't feel the need to crow or make me feel worse than I already did, which I appreciated.

 

[iasooner1]

Nebby please beat iowa every year & I'm satisfied

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Nebraska has 9 unclaimed football national titles. OU has 10. Nebraska and Oklahoma do not use the liberal USC, ND and Alabama counting method for national championships.

I once walked into the waiting room at Maynard Phillips Chrysler in Waco. A Husker dressed woman and two kids were watching OU-Texas basketball on the TV and were cheering wildly for Texas. Odd? All the Sooner fans I know always pulled for Nebraska against whomever.

 

[Section22Sooner]

I once walked into the waiting room at Maynard Phillips Chrysler in Waco. A Husker dressed woman and two kids were watching OU-Texas basketball on the TV and were cheering wildly for Texas. Odd?

It's not odd at all. I already mentioned in this thread that Huskers don't like Sooners. All the love-fest crap is just a BS myth that the press and the schools have made up. Not to be confused with the fact that Huskers and Sooners do miss the rivalry.

 

[CrashPad]

It's not odd at all. I already mentioned in this thread that Huskers don't like Sooners. All the love-fest crap is just a BS myth that the press and the schools have made up. Not to be confused with the fact that Huskers and Sooners do miss the rivalry.

I would beg to differ with you on this point. Most Fans of my generation and before love the Games the Huskers and Sooners played. My first recollection was the Game of the Century!! First colored TV for our household! Damn those where some good games. Miss those yearly bouts. Colorado was just not up to the magnitude of Oklahoma.
thanks for reading

 

[Senior Sooner]

I would beg to differ with you on this point. Most Fans of my generation and before love the Games the Huskers and Sooners played. My first recollection was the Game of the Century!! First colored TV for our household! Damn those where some good games. Miss those yearly bouts. Colorado was just not up to the magnitude of Oklahoma. thanks for reading

Thanks for Posting...We need some new 'Voices' here, from time to time..

 

[CTOkie]

OU started playing football in 1895.
Nebraska began in 1890.
Cornell started in 1869.

 

[K2C Sooner]

It's not odd at all. I already mentioned in this thread that Huskers don't like Sooners. All the love-fest crap is just a BS myth that the press and the schools have made up. Not to be confused with the fact that Huskers and Sooners do miss the rivalry.

I don't believe in a minute MOST Huskers hate us. The internet idiots(Maybe 20) can and will trash our program and vicey versery.

AlkoHusker was a trash talker that visited this site. I think he was banned from his own site.

Here's you a photo of Section22 and 22LR............HA!

 

[Section22Sooner]

I don't believe in a minute MOST Huskers hate us.

"MOST" is your word, capitalized. (Why are you yelling bro?) I said "many" Huskers in my post above. The original context was your post "I think most of them are shy. I linked this thread to their board an hour ago. Over 200 views on the Husker board and only two responses to this board."
You think they may simply be shy. I think otherwise.

Gameday with the Husker fans was no lovefest between the fans. Perhaps it looked that way on TV, but there was a lot of mouthing going on. Those years that The Slasher was their coach, especially the Darren Delone game, was the worst. Their fans took on the persona of their head coach. I'm not saying the Sooner fans were innocent either. Good lord some of you people have short memories.

If that photo were of me, it would be a Sig Sauer 1911.

 

[Section22Sooner]

I would beg to differ with you on this point. Most Fans of my generation and before love the Games the Huskers and Sooners played. My first recollection was the Game of the Century!! First colored TV for our household! Damn those where some good games. Miss those yearly bouts. Colorado was just not up to the magnitude of Oklahoma.
thanks for reading

I'm not sure where you think I said that Huskers and Sooners didn't love those games. You obviously didn't read where I said "Not to be confused with the fact that Huskers and Sooners do miss the rivalry."

 

[Husker.Wed.]

OU started playing football in 1903.
Nebraska began in 1900.
Cornell started in 1869.

Nebraska's first season was 1890 and they were undefeated that year.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Nebraska's first season was 1890 and they were undefeated that year.

OUs first season was 1895. We went 0 for 1.
Got beat by the 'Oklahoma City' team.
That was the season, as it were.

Oh, I almost forgot.
OU had a lot of injuries and at some point we 'borrowed' guys from OKC just so we could field 11 players.

 

[K2C Sooner]

"MOST" is your word, capitalized. (Why are you yelling bro?) I said "many" Huskers in my post above. The original context was your post "I think most of them are shy. I linked this thread to their board an hour ago. Over 200 views on the Husker board and only two responses to this board."
You think they may simply be shy. I think otherwise.

Gameday with the Husker fans was no lovefest between the fans. Perhaps it looked that way on TV, but there was a lot of mouthing going on. Those years that The Slasher was their coach, especially the Darren Delone game, was the worst. Their fans took on the persona of their head coach. I'm not saying the Sooner fans were innocent either. Good lord some of you people have short memories.

If that photo were of me, it would be a Sig Sauer 1911.

I didn't mean to piss you off. I was joking on the picture. I will stand my ground when it comes to Nebraska. I bet 90% of their fans support us and vice versus...................

 

[Hogboy13]

Husker fan here, I have great respect for Oklahoma and their program. I wish we could play annually like the good old days.

 

[opk]

I'm , ahem, older than most here. I recall (when at OU) the years from '51 thru '54 when Nebraska was only cannon fodder for the machine that was OU football.

During that time the Sooners were occasionally referred to as "Big Red" but it wasn't as big a deal as it has now become.

The loss at Lincoln in '59 to a Bill Jennings coached Husker team was difficult to swallow. Even moreso because it was precursor to the decline of the Wilkinson era.

I too would like to see the series restored. Great games, great times, well fought games with respect on either side.

 

[sooner_mike]

I can remember many games when OU visited Nebraska, even in victory Nebraska fans would stand and applaud the Sooners as they leave the field. It was a great rivalry, with many great battles.

 

[ohyoubaby]

I can remember many games when OU visited Nebraska, even in victory Nebraska fans would stand and applaud the Sooners as they leave the field. It was a great rivalry, with many great battles.

Do you guys remember the year we change our colors from red and white?

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Hey! Nebraska has a 3 star Austin OL committed for 2017. No Texan recruits for 2016.

 

[Plainosooner]

Cornhusker here. I've never heard OU called Big Red, maybe it was common before I came around.

Definitely miss playing you boys every year. Would love to see an annual renewal of the series even if we probably lose 8 of 10. Anyway, good luck next year.

I'll be 65 this summer. When my age was still in single digits, I remember Ross Porter calling OU The Big Red on the OU playback show on Sundays, after Saturday's game. And it wasn't a new designation. Nebraska was occasionally good during Bud's reign in the late 40s and the 50s, though as pointed out earlier in this thread, the loss to Nebraska in 1959 was a turning point, before Bob Devaney arrived three years later. That 1959 loss was OU's only Big Seven Conference loss in the 50's. And it was OU's only BIg 7 conference loss ever. The previous conference loss was to Kansas in 1946 when the conference was the Big 6. It became the Big 7 in 1948 when Colorado joined, even though they didn't play OU until 1950.

A year after the 59 loss to the Huskers, OSU joined and the conference became the Big 8. OU, Iowa State, Kansas and KState are the only four schools that were original Big 6 members who are still a part of the Big XII.

Here is a link to the 1957 article most assign as the original evidence of a Sports Illustrated cover jinx:

http://www.si.com/vault/1957/11/18/605224/axfb--invincibility

If you scroll down far enough, you'll find that the article references OU as "affectionately known as The Big Red." That should provide evidence enough of OU's long time claim to the moniker. At the time of that typing, it wasn't a new distinction.