Some countdown days almost write themselves.
When the calendar hits 88 days until Oklahoma football returns, there is no better story to revisit than one of the most unforgettable plays in Sooner history. It involved one of the greatest players to ever wear the Crimson and Cream, one of the program’s most historic rivals, and one of the most remarkable numerical coincidences college football has ever seen.
No. 88 Keith Jackson.
An 88-yard touchdown.
Against Nebraska.
Called by a broadcaster also named Keith Jackson.
For Oklahoma fans, that’s the stuff legends are made of.
A Championship Season Built on Big Moments
The 1985 season remains one of the defining years in Oklahoma football history. Barry Switzer’s Sooners entered their November showdown against No. 2 Nebraska with national championship aspirations hanging in the balance.
The annual battle between Oklahoma and Nebraska wasn’t just another game. It was the game that often determined the Big Eight champion and, in many years, shaped the national title picture.
On November 23, 1985, inside Owen Field, fifth-ranked Oklahoma welcomed the heavily favored Cornhuskers for one of the biggest matchups in the country.
And only a few minutes into the game, the Sooners delivered a play that would live forever.
Switzer Reaches Into His Bag of Tricks
Early in the first quarter, Oklahoma faced second-and-seven deep in its own territory.
The Sooners were backed up near their own goal line, sitting at the 12-yard line. Nebraska’s defense was flying to the football, aggressively attacking Oklahoma’s option offense.
Barry Switzer saw an opportunity.
He called a play known simply as “Tight End Reverse.”
It was an unusual call because the centerpiece of the play was not a running back.
It was All-American tight end Keith Jackson.
At 6-foot-2 and roughly 250 pounds, Jackson was already one of the most feared pass catchers in college football. But running the football? That wasn’t exactly part of his job description.
At least, not until that afternoon.
The Perfect Execution
Freshman quarterback Jamelle Holieway took the snap and sold the fake beautifully.
Nebraska’s defense reacted immediately, swarming toward the option look.
Meanwhile, Jackson quietly came around the backside and took the handoff near the eight-yard line.
Suddenly, the entire right side opened.
Anthony Phillips helped spring the play with a critical block, while Paul Ferrer sealed the edge.
And then came another key figure.
Running back Spencer Tillman recognized the potential for play immediately and sprinted downfield in front of Jackson. Instead of admiring the trick play, Tillman became a lead blocker, escorting the massive tight end toward daylight.
Nobody touched him.
Jackson exploded down the sideline and raced 88 yards for the touchdown.
No. 88.
Going 88 yards.
Against Nebraska.
Sometimes sports scripts itself.
“He’s Running Out of Gas!”
The play also produced one of the game’s most memorable broadcast moments.
As Jackson approached the end zone, legendary ABC announcer Keith Jackson — no relation to Oklahoma’s star tight end — famously suggested the big man might be “running out of gas.”
Years later, the football-playing Keith Jackson still laughs about the call.
According to him, he wasn’t slowing down because he was exhausted.
He was simply pacing himself.
Nobody was catching him.
And after crossing the goal line, Jackson celebrated with a dance inspired by former Sooner great Billy Sims.
Nebraska Never Recovered
The touchdown did far more than put points on the board.
It completely changed the game.
Barry Switzer later joked that the play “shocked the hell out of ’em.”
He’s probably right.
The Cornhuskers entered Norman boasting one of the nation’s top offenses, but Oklahoma’s defense turned the afternoon into a nightmare.
Led by Brian Bosworth, who recorded 9 tackles and intercepted a pass, the Sooners dominated the line of scrimmage. Nebraska managed just 224 total yards and didn’t score an offensive touchdown.
The Huskers’ lone points came on a bizarre 76-yard fumble return late in the game.
By the final whistle, Oklahoma had delivered a statement.
Sooners 27.
Nebraska 7.
The Tight End Became the Leading Rusher
Perhaps the funniest statistic from the afternoon belonged to Jackson himself.
Switzer liked what he saw so much that he called the reverse again.
And again.
By the end of the day, Keith Jackson had carried the football just three times.
He finished with 136 rushing yards.
The tight end was Oklahoma’s leading rusher.
Even Switzer found humor in it.
He joked afterward that it was the first time in his coaching career that a tight end had led his team in rushing.
Considering the names that played in Switzer’s wishbone offense, that’s saying something.
More Than Just a Great Play
The significance of that victory extended far beyond one Saturday.
The win secured another Big Eight championship and sent Oklahoma to the Orange Bowl. A few weeks later, the Sooners defeated Penn State 25-10 to capture the 1985 national championship.
Keith Jackson would go on to become one of the greatest players in school history.
A two-time All-American, Jackson revolutionized the tight end position with his combination of size, speed, and athleticism. His professional career included six Pro Bowl appearances and eventually he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
But even among all of his accomplishments, one play remains especially beloved by Sooner fans.
Because sometimes numbers line up perfectly.
No. 88.
An 88-yard touchdown.
Against Nebraska.
And 40 years later, it still stands as one of the most iconic moments in Oklahoma football history.
88 Days Until Kickoff
As the countdown to the 2026 season continues, Day 88 belongs to one of the all-time greats.
Keith Jackson wasn’t supposed to be carrying the football.
He certainly wasn’t supposed to become Oklahoma’s leading rusher that day.
But greatness has a way of creating unforgettable moments.
And few moments in Sooner history have been more unforgettable than watching No. 88 streak down the sideline and leave Nebraska stunned.
88 days until Oklahoma football returns.
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