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50 years ago, college football's 'Game of the Century' between No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Arkansas lived up to the hype

USA TODAY

The helicopters arrived as they were about to break the defensive huddle. As they waited for Texas’ offense to run the next play, Bruce James and his Arkansas teammates couldn’t help but see all five of them landing on the practice fields beyond the south end zone.

"'Wow, man, he really is coming,’” James recalls thinking – but he continues: “But then reality sets in again. Because they break their huddle. And you’re fixing to get hit.”

On a cold, damp afternoon, no one on either team was distracted by much of anything – not even the slightly tardy arrival of a president.