1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big Eight champion
Orange Bowl champion
Conference Big 8 Conference
Ranking
Coaches No. 3
AP No. 3
1979 record 11–1 (7–0 Big 8)
Head coach Barry Switzer (7th season)
Offensive coordinator Galen Hall (7th season)
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Rex Norris (2nd season)
Base defense 5–2
Home stadium Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 71,187)
1979 Big 8 football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 –0 –0  11 –1 –0
No. 9 Nebraska 6 –1 –0  10 –2 –0
Oklahoma State 5 –2 –0  7 –4 –0
Missouri 3 –4 –0  7 –5 –0
Colorado 2 –5 –0  3 –8 –0
Iowa State 2 –5 –0  3 –8 –0
Kansas 2 –5 –0  3 –8 –0
Kansas State 1 –6 –0  3 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1979 NCAA Division I-A season. Oklahoma Sooners football participated in the former Big Eight Conference at that time and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923.[1] The team posted an 11–1 overall record and a 7–0 conference record to earn the Conference title outright under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973.[2][3] This was Switzer's seventh conference title and fourth undefeated conference record in seven seasons.[2]

The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims and George Cumby.[4][5] After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl for a bout with Florida State. During the season, it faced three different ranked opponents (In order, #4 Texas, #3 Nebraska and #4 Florida State). All three of these opponents finished the season ranked. It endured its only defeat of the season against Texas in the Red River Shootout.[3] The Sooners started the season with a four consecutive wins before losing to Texas and then won their remaining seven games.[3] Sims and J.C. Watts both posted for 100-yard games in the Orange Bowl.[6]

Sims led the nation in scoring with 138 points (based on per game average of 12.0, which includes 132 in 11 games).[7] Sims led the team in rushing with 1670 yards, Watts led the team in passing with 821 yards, Freddie Nixon led the team in receiving with 293 yards, Cumby led the team with 160 tackles and Bud Hebert posted 4 interceptions.[8] Billy Sims set numerous Oklahoma offensive records that still stand including career 200-yard games, single-season rushing touchdowns (tied)[9]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 15 Iowa* No. 3 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma ESPN W 21–6   72,531[10]
September 22 Tulsa* No. 3 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma ESPN W 49–13   72,451[10]
September 29 at Rice* No. 3 Rice Stadium • Houston, Texas ESPN W 66–7   30,442[10]
October 6 Colorado No. 3 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma ESPN W 49–24   72,512[10]
October 13 vs. No. 4 Texas* No. 3 Cotton Bowl • Dallas (Red River Shootout) ABC L 7–16   72,032[10]
October 20 at Kansas State No. 8 KSU Stadium • Manhattan, Kansas ESPN W 38–6   27,257[10]
October 27 Iowa State No. 7 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma ESPN W 38–9   72,069[10]
November 3 at Oklahoma State No. 7 Lewis Field • Stillwater, Oklahoma (Bedlam Series) ABC W 38–7   51,453[10]
November 10 Kansas No. 6 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma ESPN W 38–0   71,882[10]
November 17 at Missouri No. 7 Faurot Field • Columbia, Missouri (Tiger–Sooner Peace Pipe) ABC W 24–22   69,973[10]
November 24 No. 3 Nebraska No. 8 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma (Rivalry) ABC W 17–14   72,516[10]
January 1 vs. No. 4 Florida State No. 5 Miami Orange Bowl • Miami (Orange Bowl) NBC W 24–7   66,714[10]
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Game summaries

Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners
1 234Total
Iowa 6 000 6
• #3 Oklahoma 0 7014 21

[11]

Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners
1 234Total
Colorado 7 0314 24
• #3 Oklahoma 7 2877 49

[12]

Oklahoma faced its former coach Chuck Fairbanks for the first time since his departure following the 1972 season.

Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)

#7 Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
1 234Total
• #7 Oklahoma 24 770 38
Oklahoma State 0 007 7

[13]

Missouri

  • Oklahoma's 100th win of the 1970s (Alabama only other school to do so) [14]

Nebraska

#3 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #8 Oklahoma Sooners
1 234Total
#3 Nebraska 0 707 14
• #8 Oklahoma 0 377 17

[15]

Roster

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
G 75 Terry Crouch So
HB 11 Fred Nixon Sr
HB 22 David Overstreet Jr
WR 24 Steve Rhodes Sr
HB 20 Billy Sims Sr
C 73 Paul Tabor Sr
QB 1 J. C. Watts Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 28 George Cumby Sr
DT 92 Keith Gary Jr
DE 72 John Goodman Sr
FS 33 Bud Hebert Sr
DE 83 Mike Joyce Sr
DB 3 Darrol Ray Sr
DT 96 Richard Turner Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Roster

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ "Memorial Stadium". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "OU Football Tradition – 42 Conference Titles". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 "1979 Football Season". SoonerStats.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "All-American: Billy Sims". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 "All-American: George Cumby". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Sooners Spoil Seminole Uprising". Orange Bowl Committee. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 47. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 175. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  9. ↑ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 166. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1979
  11. ↑ "Sluggish Oklahoma Downs Iowa." September 16, 1979
  12. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 October 7.
  13. ↑ Palm Beach Post. 1979 Nov 4.
  14. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 18.
  15. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25.
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