1978 Oklahoma Sooners football team

The 1978 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1978 NCAA Division I-A season. Oklahoma Sooners football participated in the former Big Eight Conference at that time and played its home games in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted a 11–1 overall record and a 6–1 conference record to earn a share of the Conference title under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's sixth conference title in six seasons.

The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims (who won the Heisman Trophy), Daryl Hunt, Reggie Kinlaw, and Greg Roberts, After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the for a rematch with conference Co-Champion Nebraska to avenge its only loss of the season. During the season, it faced four different ranked opponents (In order, #14, #6 Texas, and #4 & #6 Nebraska). Four different opponents finished the season ranked. It endured its only defeat against Nebraska in their regular season match. The Sooners started the season with a nine consecutive wins before losing to Nebraska.

Sims led the nation in scoring with 132 points (based on per game average of 10.9, which includes 120 in 11 games). Sims led the team in rushing with a record-setting 1896 yards, Thomas Lott led the team in passing with 487 yards, Bobby Kimball led the team in receiving with 207 yards, Hunt led the team with 157 tackles and Darrol Ray posted 8 interceptions.

The 5001 yards rushing remain second in Oklahoma football history behind the 1971 team's 5635. The defense set the school's all-time record with 28 interceptions and tied the record of 50 forced turnovers. Daryl Hunt set the school record for career tackles. Billy Sims became the only Sooner to post four 200-yard games in a season. Sims' 1896 yards stood as the Sooner record until Adrian Peterson posted 1925 in 2004.

Billy Sims became the sixth junior to win the Heisman Trophy. Sims was the nation's leading rusher and scorer for 1978. He averaged 160.1 yards and 10.9 points. He set the Big Eight Conference single season rushing record of 1,762 yards on 231 carries for an average of 7.6 yards. Sims was the only back in the nation's top 50 to average 7.0 per carry, and became the first player in Big Eight history to rush for more than 300 yards in three straight games.

Stanford

 * Source: Eugene Register-Guard

Texas

 * Source: Palm Beach Post

Statistics
 * OU: Billy Sims 25 Rush, 131 Yds (Sims had been injured in two previous meetings)

Awards and honors

 * All-American: Billy Sims, Daryl Hunt, Reggie Kinlaw, Greg Roberts,
 * Outland Trophy: Roberts
 * Billy Sims, Associated Press College Player of the Year
 * Billy Sims, Heisman Trophy
 * Billy Sims, Sports Magazine's Player of the Year
 * Billy Sims, United Press College Player of the Year
 * Billy Sims, Walter Camp Foundation's Player of the Year
 * Big 8 rushing champion: Sims
 * NCAA DI scoring champion: Sims
 * NCAA team rushing leaders
 * NCAA team scoring leaders