Thanksgiving game

[Sporty]

As a kid Thanksgiving Day was always the home of the OU-Nebraska game. I still miss that tradition. There were some great games including one of the greatest games of all time. The 1971 clash. Two of the best teams of all-time in college football. Great players truly stepped up in an unbelievable GREAT game. To this day one of the all time great games in college football history!

 

[saluno22]

I got curious from your post on how often Nebraska played Oklahoma around Thanksgiving. Here's a list (Thanksgiving Day games bold red, Black Friday games bold), there was actually a Tuesday game in there (1940):

GAMES VS. OKLAHOMA WITHIN A WEEK OF THANKSGIVING ( < games not near Thanksgiving or did not play that season; game vs. someone other than Oklahoma closest to Thanksgiving > )
< 1890: DNP; at Omaha YMCA on Thanksgiving Day (27 Nov) >
< 1891: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) >
< 1892: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** < 1893: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1894: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1895: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov) >
< 1896: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Omaha) on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) (also played Iowa again 2 days later) >
< 1897: DNP; vs. Iowa (in Council Bluffs) on Thanksgiving Day (25 Nov) >
< 1898: DNP; at Iowa (in Council Bluffs) on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** < 1899: DNP; vs. Grinnell on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1900: DNP; vs. Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1901: DNP; vs. Haskell on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov) >
< 1902: DNP; vs. Northwestern on Thanksgiving Day (27 Nov) >
< 1903: DNP; vs. Illinois on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) >
< 1904: DNP; vs. Illinois on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** < 1905: DNP; vs. Illinois on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1906: DNP; vs. Cincinnati on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1907: DNP; at St. Louis on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov) >
< 1908: DNP; vs. Wabash on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) >
< 1909: DNP; at Haskell on Thanksgiving Day (25 Nov) >
< 1910: DNP; vs. Haskell on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
< 1911: DNP; vs. Michigan on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
1912: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
< 1913: DNP; vs. Iowa on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
< 1914: DNP; at Iowa on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
< 1915: DNP; vs. Iowa on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
*** < 1916: DNP; vs. Notre Dame on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1917: DNP; vs. Syracuse on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1918: DNP; CANCELLED vs. Syracuse on Thanksgiving day (28 Nov); vs. Notre Dame on Thanksgiving day (28 Nov) >
< 1919: Oct 25; vs. Syracuse on Thanksgiving Day (25 Nov) >
< 1920: DNP; vs. Washington State on Thanksgiving Day (25 Nov) >
< 1921: Oct 29; vs. Colorado Ag (now Colorado State) on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** < 1922: Oct 28; vs. Notre Dame on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1923: Oct 13; vs. Kansas State on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1924: Oct 11; vs. Oregon State on Thanksgiving Day (27 Nov) >
< 1925: Oct 31; vs. Notre Dame on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) >
< 1926: DNP; at Washington on Thanksgiving Day (25 Nov) >
< 1927: DNP; vs. New York University on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** < 1928: Nov 10; vs. Kansas State on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1929: Nov 16; vs. Iowa State on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov) >
< 1930: Oct 11; vs. Kansas State on Thanksgiving Day (27 Nov) >
< 1931: Oct 10; at Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov) >
1932: Nov 19 Saturday before Thanksgiving; vs. Missouri on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov)
*** < 1933: Oct 28; vs. Oregon State on Thanksgiving Day (30 Nov) > ***
*** < 1934: Oct 20; vs. Kansas State on Thanksgiving Day (29 Nov) > ***
< 1935: Oct 26; vs. Oregon State on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov) >
< 1936: Oct 24; at Oregon State on Saturday after Thanksgiving >
< 1937: Oct 16; at Kansas State on Saturday after Thanksgiving >
< 1938: Oct 22; vs. Kansas State on Thanksgiving Day (24 Nov) >
*** 1939: Nov 25 Saturday between Thanksgivings ***
1940: Nov 26 Tuesday before Thanksgiving
1941: Nov 29 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1943: Nov 27 Saturday after Thanksgiving
< 1944: Dec 02; vs. Kansas State on Saturday after Thanksgiving >
< 1945: Sep 29; vs. Iowa on Saturday after Thanksgiving >
1946: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1947: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
< 1948: Nov 13; at Oregon State on Saturday after Thanksgiving >
< 1949: Oct 22; vs. Colorado on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
1950: Nov 25 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1951: Nov 24 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1952: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1953: Nov 21 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1954: Nov 20 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1955: Nov 19 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1956: Nov 24 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1957: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1958: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
< 1959: Oct 31; at Kansas State on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
1960: Nov 19 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1961: Nov 25 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1962: Nov 24 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1963: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1964: Nov 21 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1965: Nov 25 Thanksgiving Day
1966: Nov 24 Thanksgiving Day
1967: Nov 25 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1968: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1969: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1970: Nov 21 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1971: Nov 25 Thanksgiving Day
1972: Nov 23 Thanksgiving Day
1973: Nov 23 Black Friday
1974: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1975: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1976: Nov 26 Black Friday
1977: Nov 25 Black Friday
< 1978: Nov 11; vs. Missouri on Saturday before Thanksgiving >
1979: Nov 24 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1980: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1981: Nov 21 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1982: Nov 26 Black Friday
1983: Nov 26 Saturday after Thanksgiving
1984: Nov 17 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1985: Nov 23 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1986: Nov 22 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1987: Nov 21 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1988: Nov 19 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1989: Nov 18 Saturday before Thanksgiving
1990: Nov 23 Black Friday
1991: Nov 29 Black Friday
1992: Nov 27 Black Friday
1993: Nov 26 Black Friday
1994: Nov 25 Black Friday
1995: Nov 24 Black Friday

THANKSGIVING-WEEK GAMES POST-BIG 8
1996: Nov 29 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
1997: Nov 28 (at Colorado) Black Friday
1998: Nov 27 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
1999: Nov 26 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2000: Nov 24 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2001: Nov 23 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2002: Nov 29 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2003: Nov 28 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2004: Nov 26 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2005: Nov 25 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2006: Nov 24 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2007: Nov 23 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2008: Nov 28 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2009: Nov 27 (at Colorado) Black Friday
2010: Nov 26 (vs. Colorado) Black Friday
2011: Nov 25 (vs. Iowa) Black Friday
2012: Nov 23 (at Iowa) Black Friday
2013: Nov 29 (vs. Iowa) Black Friday
2014: Nov 28 (at Iowa) Black Friday
2015: Nov 27 (vs. Iowa) Black Friday
2016: Nov 25 (at Iowa) Black Friday
2017: Nov 24 (vs. Iowa) Black Friday
2018: Nov 23 (at Iowa) Black Friday
2019: Nov 29 (vs. Iowa) Currently scheduled for Black Friday
2020: Nov 28 (vs. Minnesota) Currently scheduled for Saturday after Thanksgiving
2021: Nov 27 (at Minnesota) Currently scheduled for Saturday after Thanksgiving
2022: Nov 25 (at Iowa) Currently scheduled for Black Friday
2023: Nov 24 (vs. Iowa) Currently scheduled for Black Friday
2024: Nov 29 (at Iowa) Currently scheduled for Black Friday
2025: Nov 28 (vs. Iowa) Currently scheduled for Black Friday

*** Interesting history tidbit regarding Thanksgiving I uncovered in this research: From 1863 (when Thanksgiving became a Federal Holiday) until 1939 under FDR, Thanksgiving was the last Thursday in November. 1939 had two "Thanksgivings" (the fourth (23rd that year) and fifth (30th that year) Thursday of the month), and after that it has been the fourth Thursday in November.

 

[Redscarlet]

Watch every Thanksgiving morning on YouTube.

They don’t call that Game of the Century for nothing..
One of the biggest build ups for a college game in it’s history truly lived up to it’s billing..

Like Lyle Bremser said that day “ I thought I would never live this long to watch this kind of a football game”

 

[saluno22]

Picking out what I remember from Thanksgiving Day/Weekend games, here's what I have (I was born in the mid-80s):

1993 vs. OU: Tom Osborne getting on the referee's microphone to tell students that our team will be penalized if they keep throwing oranges on the field.
1994 at OU: Abdul Muhammed's outstretched catch and getting absolutely decked. Also, TO throwing it late to make the score look a little better (in competition with Penn State for #1 in the polls) and Berringer throwing a pick in the red zone.
1995 vs. OU: Sheldon Jackson pushing Joel Makovicka for him to break free for a late touchdown. Also, Frazier performing "poorly" to lose the Heisman to Eddie George.
1996 vs. CU: CU's barefoot kicker sneaking a couple early, long kicks over the crossbar. Lance Brown's fumble on a slant pass. Just an overall slobber knocker of a game in the rain/sleet for the division championship. All the players who got sick playing in those conditions.
1997 at CU: Blowing lead that would have helped in the poll's (comparative scoring with Michigan).
1998 vs. CU: Finley's pick 6 to open the game, then not really doing much else.
1999 at CU: Blowing another huge lead, Alexander fumbling in the red zone late after CU tied it up, CU missing a game-winning FG attempt as regulation closed.
2000 vs. CU: Polk's pick 6 to open the game, CU going for two and converting late, Newcombe's catch on the sideline to set up Brown's game winner.
2001 at CU: Chris Brown up the middle over and over. Initiating 2 weekends of BCS chaos.
2002 vs. CU: Dale Endorf kicking in place of Josh Brown.
2003 at CU: Solich's job security speculation. Running it nearly every play.
2004 vs. CU: Callahan doing an onside kick to open the game. Furious rally at the end that fell short.
2005 at CU: CU student section being kicked out. Harrison Beck taking snaps at the end. "Restore the Order" shirts.
2006 vs. CU: Fake FG pass to Barry Turner.
2007 at CU: Not much defense for either team. Yards and TDs for days.
2008 vs. CU: Pelini trying to do a fake FG right before half that resulted in the CU TD. Henery's 57-yard FG. Suh's pick 6.
2009 at CU: Don't really remember much of this game.
2010 vs. CU: Resting Martinez, Cody Green started but we ran a TON of wildcat with Burkhead.
2011 vs. Iowa: Burkhead setting the record for single game rushing attempts on a BS last carry when Martinez handed it to him and Burkhead kneeled down.
2012 at Iowa: Cold, windy, ran it almost every play.
2013 vs. Iowa: Ron Kellogg starting on senior day. Weisman running over our defenders.
2014 at Iowa: Pierson-El's punt returns late in the game. Why did they even kick to him?
2015 vs. Iowa: Armstrong throwing a pick 6 on a screen pass. Gerry getting ejected and his backup not making his run fits correctly in the 2nd half, leading to long TD runs. Needing just a couple yards on 4th down near the red zone late in the game and Armstrong YOLO'ing it toward Reilly on a fade and not looking at a wide open Cethan Carter in the flat.
2016 at Iowa: Walking wounded at QB. Not looking like we wanted to be there.
2017 vs. Iowa: Morgan's one-handed TD catch in tight coverage to take a 7-0 lead. Noah Fant.