The 1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1971 NCAA University Division 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.[1] head coach Chuck Fairbanks .[2] [3] 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game , which has become known as Game of the Century .
In 1971, offensive coordinator Barry Switzer perfected the wishbone offense as it led the nation in both scoring (45 points average) and total yards (563 total yards average), and set an NCAA record by averaging over 472.4 (5196 in 11 games) rushing yards in a season.[4] total offense per game. The team also holds the single-season rushing touchdowns record of 62 and rushing touchdowns per game record of 5.17. The team's records of 711 single-game rushing yards and 785 total yards stood for nine seasons.[5] Freddie Solomon .[6]
Greg Pruitt set the current national single-season record with 8.98 yards per attempt,[7] all-purpose yards . Meanshile, Jon Harrison set the single-season and career yards per reception with 29.1 and 27.0.[8] Quentin Griffin broke it in 2002. Joe Wylie 's kickoff return average record of 28.5 stood for 27 years.[9]
The team was led by three All-Americans: Pruitt,[7] Tom Brahaney [10] Jack Mildren .[11] USC , #3 Texas , #6 Colorado , #1 Nebraska and #5 Auburn ). All five of these opponents finished the season ranked. The only loss was to Nebraska. They played Auburn in the Sugar Bowl and won 40–22.[3]
Pruitt led the team in rushing with 1760 yards, Mildren led the team in passing yards for the third straight season with 889 yards and also in scoring with 12 points, Harrison led the team in receiving with 494 yards, Mark Driscoll led the team in tackles with 134, and John Shelly led the team in interceptions with 5.[12]
Schedule [ ]
Date
Opponent#
Rank #
Site
TV
Result
Attendance
September 18*
SMU
#10
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 30–0 53,545[13]
September 25*
at Pittsburgh
#11
Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
W 55–29 34,916[13]
October 2*
#17 USC
#8
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 33–20 62,351[13]
October 9*
vs. #3 Texas
#8
Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Red River Shootout )
CBS
W 48–27 72,032[13]
October 16†
#6 Colorado
#2
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 45–17 62,501[13]
October 23
at Kansas State
#2
KSU Stadium • Manhattan, KS
W 75–28 37,198[13]
October 30
Iowa State
#2
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 39–7 60,477[13]
November 6
at Missouri
#2
Memorial Stadium • Columbia, MO
W 20–3 55,098[13]
November 13
Kansas
#2
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
ABC
W 56–10 54,347[13]
November 25
#1 Nebraska
#2
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Rivalry )
ABC
L 31–35 62,884[13]
December 4
at Oklahoma State
#3
Lewis Field • Stillwater, OK (Bedlam Series )
W 58–14 36,571[13]
January 1*
vs. #5 Auburn
#3
Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl )
ABC
W 40–22 84,031[13]
*Non-Conference Game. † Homecoming. # Rankings from AP Poll .
[14]
Game notes [ ] Texas [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
• Oklahoma
14
17
7
10
48
Texas
14
7
6
0
27
Scoring summary 1
10:29
TEX Donnie Wigginton 5 yard run (Steve Valek kick) TEX 7-0 1
7:59
OU Greg Pruitt 1 yard run (John Carroll kick) Tied 7-7 1
5:04
TEX Donnie Wigginton 44 yard run (Steve Valek kick) TEX 14-7 1
2:04
OU Roy Bell 3 yard run (John Carroll kick) Tied 14-14 2
10:33
OU Greg Pruitt 4 yard run (John Carroll kick) OU 21-14 2
9:09
OU Gregg Pruitt 20 yard run (John Carroll kick) OU 28-14 2
4:53
TEX Jim Bertelsen 3 yard run (Steve Valek kick) OU 28-21 2
0:01
OU John Carroll 26 yard field goal OU 31-21 3
7:17
OU Jack Mildren 7 yard run (John Carroll kick) OU 38-21 3
2:16
TEX Jim Bertelsen 15 yard run (kick failed) OU 38-27 4
3:29
OU John Carroll 27 yard field goal OU 41-27 4
2:10
OU Jack Mildren 1 yard run (John Carroll kick) OU 48-27
[15] [16]
Colorado [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Colorado
0
0
17
0
17
• Oklahoma
14
10
7
14
45
Scoring summary 1
OU Pruitt 66 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 7-0 1
OU Harrison 54 yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick) OU 14-0 2
OU Carroll 36 yard field goal OU 17-0 2
OU Mildren 3 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 24-0 3
COL Nichols 64 yard pass from Johnson (Dean kick) OU 24-7 3
OU Pruitt 14 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 31-7 3
COL Davis 16 yard run (Dean kick) OU 31-14 3
COL Dean 32 yard field goal OU 31-17 4
OU Wylie 68 yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick) OU 38-17 4
OU Bell 3 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 45-17
[17]
Oklahoma State [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
• Oklahoma
17
20
7
14
58
Oklahoma State
0
7
0
7
14
Scoring summary 1
OU Carroll 26 yard field goal OU 3-0 1
OU Mildren 4 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 10-0 1
OU Harrison 77 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 17-0 2
OU Mildren 1 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 24-0 2
OU Pruitt 1 yard run (kick failed) OU 30-0 2
OSU Garrett 38 yard run (Pruss kick) OU 30-7 2
OU Chandler 18 yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick) OU 37-7 3
OU Pruitt 7 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 44-7 4
OSU Graham 7 yard pass from Pounds (Pruss kick) OU 44-14 4
OU Bell 4 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 51-14 4
OU Dodd 5 yard run (Carroll kick) OU 58-14
[18]
Awards and honors [ ] Team players drafted into the NFL [ ] [19]
Awards & Honors [ ] References [ ]
↑ "Memorial Stadium" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100628213311/http://www.soonersports.com/facilities/memorial-stadium_history.html . Retrieved June 30, 2010 .↑ "OU Football Tradition" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100622232057/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-conf-titles.html . Retrieved June 30, 2010 .↑ 3.0 3.1 "1971 Football Season" . SoonerStats.com. http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?SeasonID=1971 . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . p. 27. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ "2009 Football Record Book" . Big 12 Conference. p. 164. http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/football/record_book.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=10410 . Retrieved July 1, 2010 .↑ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . p. 35. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf . Retrieved July 9, 2010 .↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "All-American: Greg Pruitt" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100525145601/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-greg-pruitt-1971-72.html . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ "2009 Football Record Book" . Big 12 Conference. p. 166. http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/football/record_book.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=10410 . Retrieved July 1, 2010 .↑ "2009 Football Record Book" . Big 12 Conference. p. 173. http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/football/record_book.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=10410 . Retrieved July 1, 2010 .↑ 10.0 10.1 "All-American: Tom Brahaney" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100525150402/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-tom-brahaney-1971-72.html . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "All-American: Jack Mildren" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100525221017/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-jack-mildren-1971.html . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ "2009 Football Record Book" . Big 12 Conference. p. 164. http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/football/record_book.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=10410 . Retrieved July 2, 2010 .↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1971 ↑ "1971 Oklahoma Sooners Schedule" . Soonerstats.com. 2008. http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?SeasonID=1971 . Retrieved September 27, 2008 .↑ "Sooners thunder past favored Longhorns, 48-27." Eugene Register-Guard. October 10, 1971
↑ 1971 Oklahoma vs. Texas recap - SoonerStats.com
↑ "Oklahoma Routs Buffs." Palm Beach Post. October 17, 1971
↑ "Oklahoma Ropes Cowboys, 58-14." Palm Beach Post. December 5, 1971
↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1972.htm
