NORMAN, Okla. — There are times when the most-realistic outcome to hope for is a dignifying loss.

That was the case for Nebraska against Oklahoma's second-ranked and unbeaten football team here Saturday night, and to that end, the Huskers accomplished their mission.

Despite coach Bill Callahan putting together an offensive plan that was designed "to win the game," his wounded bunch was no more a threat to stun the Sooners than the 2001 Huskers were against Miami in the Rose Bowl.

"They're up there with Miami," NU linebacker Ira Cooper admitted.

If that's the case, the pain of  Saturday's loss will be left in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. And considering the situation they now face — needing a win against Colorado to earn a bowl invitation for the 36th straight season — the Huskers' mind-set will be just as important as talent.

With quarterback Jason White leading the way, Bob Stoops' club methodically produced its 24th straight regular-season win (not counting the Big 12 championship game), and now is two wins away from playing in its third national championship game in five seasons. But the one thing White didn't do while improving his chances to win a second straight Heisman Trophy was steal the Huskers' heart.

"Right now, they are the best," said freshman cornerback Cortney Grixby, who was part of a group that White schooled to the tune of 29 completions in 35 attempts for 383 yards and three touchdowns. "If we played them tomorrow. …"

It was probably just as well that  Grixby stopped there. Nebraska might be unfortunate enough to emerge from the mediocre clutter in the Big 12 North Division and have to play the Sooners again in the Dec. 4 league championship.

And, trust me, it wouldn't be any closer unless Stoops was as merciful on Nebraska as he was here Saturday. Yeah, I know, White was throwing into the end zone on a fourth-down play at the end. But his coach's game plan showed about the same kind of innovation as Nebraska's — and the Huskers ran the ball on 40 of 53 snaps.

"Right now, they're a little more talented than us," senior linebacker Barrett Ruud offered. "They're not unbeatable. I look at that (loss) — there's a lot of thing we could correct."

Ruud made it clear that he's "not a big moral-victory guy." At the same, the look on his face was far from long.

In fact, it looked more like a satisfied relief — and it's OK if that were the case.

Nebraska could've left here demoralized. Oklahoma scored on five of its first six possessions, and until the fourth quarter allowed the Huskers to cross midfield on just one play. (Anyone think Bo Pelini mouthed some words into his OU headset about his former boss?

But Callahan's squad duked it out to the end like a program that expects to be on the other side of the fence.

"We're a few players away. …  We've got to get better, obviously, as we move along," Callahan said. But "our guys competed. I was proud. I saw some progress on the field that can motivate us for the future."

It was just three years ago that Nebraska beat the Sooners 20-10 in a game that was no more a fluke than Saturday's result.

Now, Callahan finds himself in the same position as Stoops did when he was hired to rekindle the fire into a program that had gone down in flames.

How far does Nebraska have to go before it becomes more than just a worthy foe for teams such as the Sooners?

"We're not too far away from it all," NU receivers coach Turner Gill said. "I know that we can be there."

After Saturday, a lot of Huskers should have felt the same way.

"That's a talented club," Grixby said. But "we'll see them next year in Lincoln and I think the table's will be turned."

Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.