1983 Sept 24 - UCLA vs Nebraska

This video is a telecast, broadcast, and production of ESPN. I claim no ownership of this material, and do not profit from it in any way. This video is intended for historical and educational viewing purposes.

[@joannleichliter4308]

Watching Rathman catch the td pass was a pleasure. He did a lot of receiving for the Forty Niners.

[@ThunderPants13]

The Scoring Explosion was great, if their D had been a little better they'd have been national champs.

[@djamo1969]

1:21:55 THE RUN

[@bconni2]

nice college career, just couldn't equal that same degree of success at the next level...

[@donaldschmidt2990]

Nebraskas legendary Bob Devaney was a man not given to excessive praise. Even he maintained that the 1983 Cornhuskers had the best offense he'd ever seen. Given a better pass defense, they would have won the National Championship like a Carnival Cakewalk. Look at the devastating offensive performance in this game. The Cornhuskers had two early turnovers and still piled up 42 points against the Bruins. A highly respectable UCLA team by the way. Even the Alabama and Georgia powerhouses of today can't overwhelm their opponent like this juggernaut. Their offensive line play was superior to anything in the College game today. Their back four was their undoing. Their offense was completely unmatched to this day.

[@Lukuigi]

It’s too bad it took so long for overtime to be implemented. Osborne had the title in hand but chose to attempt to win outright in the national championship.

[@user-bu7ko2or8e]

No, 70-71 teams were clearly better. Took a miracle comeback in the orange bowl just to get back in the game.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Nebraska had trouble stopping Miami passing attack

[@2200Z]

I could have sworn I was watching the UCLA vs Nebraska game, so I put in some new contacts. Yep, you're on the wrong game bud.

[@Solitude47152]

ucla got stomped on by Nebraska. Donahue that fool no match for Osborne.

[@timothyball7502]

A gray field? Where's the green field? Color is a bit off, or this Android is a bit off. Bummer.

[@timothyball7502]

This is the time where all excessive amount of show-off was not present. Each man did his job and no more, 2020 and all future men who play this game learn from the past. You want to be an Entertainer go do movies. A sport is just that, a sport.

[@Sargebri]

UCLA had the worst record of any of the teams that played on New Year's Day 1984 with a 5-4-1 record and wound up killing a very overrated Illinois in the Rose Bowl. Interestingly, a few hours after that game Nebraska, who was on the verge of outshining the 1972 USC "Wild Bunch", was upset by Miami in the Orange Bowl. BTW, Joe Butita, who was doing color in this game, was the former sports anchor at KTLA 5 here in Los Angeles.

[@cavecookie1]

And, if Osborne had kicked the almost guaranteed extra point, and tied, the Huskers would still have gotten the Nattie. But, as we all know, REAL men go for two!

[@Sargebri]

@@cavecookie1 Yep. In fact, Texas was the only other unbeaten and untied team playing that day and had they won we might have had a split title at the very least. However, they were upset by Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. After that the only other team that had a shot was Auburn, but they barely beat Michigan in the Sugar Bowl, which was being played simultaneously with the Orange Bowl.

[@cavecookie1]

@@Sargebri Reading your post got me thinking of those days before the playoffs. A lot of seasons, things were up in the air until the last game was played, and anything could happen. Although I'm fine with the playoffs, I sometimes miss that wide-open, go-for-broke atmosphere in college football!

[@Sargebri]

@@cavecookie1 I know the feeling. I also miss the days before ESPN had a virtual monopoly on broadcasting college football and the big five bowls (Rose, Orange, Cotton, Sugar and Fiesta) were all on New Year's Day.

[@bconni2]

UCLA won 8 consecutive bowl games from 1983 to 1991....i'm pretty sure it's the all time record or it was until very recently...