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] head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973.[2] [3] [2]
The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims and George Cumby .[4] [5] 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] [3] 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] 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 rushing yards, career 200-yard games, single-season rushing touchdowns (tied)[9]
Schedule [ ]
Date
Opponent#
Rank #
Site
TV
Result
Attendance
September 15*
Iowa
#3
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 21–6 72,531[10]
September 22*
Tulsa
#3
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 49–13 72,451[10]
September 29*
at Rice
#3
Rice Stadium • Houston, TX
W 66–7 30,442[10]
October 6
Colorado
#3
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 49–24 72,512[10]
October 13*
vs. #4 Texas
#3
Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Red River Shootout )
ABC
L 7–16 72,032[10]
October 20
at Kansas State
#8
KSU Stadium • Manhattan, KS
W 38–6 27,257[10]
October 27
Iowa State
#7
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 38–9 72,069[10]
November 3
at Oklahoma State
#7
Lewis Field • Stillwater, OK (Bedlam Series )
W 38–7 51,453[10]
November 10
Kansas
#6
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
W 38–0 71,882[10]
November 17
at Missouri
#7
Faurot Field • Columbia, MO (Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe )
W 24–22 69,973[10]
November 24
#3 Nebraska
#8
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Rivalry )
ABC
W 17–14 72,516[10]
January 1
vs. #4 Florida State
#5
Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl )
NBC
W 24–7 66,714[10]
*Non-Conference Game. † Homecoming. # Rankings from AP Poll .
Game notes [ ] Iowa [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Iowa
6
0
0
0
6
• Oklahoma
0
7
0
14
21
Scoring summary 1
IOWA Dennis Mosley 10 yard pass from Phil Seuss (kick failed) IOWA 6-0 2
4:00
OU Billy Sims 1 yard run (John Hoge kick)OU 7-6 4
OU Billy Sims 3 yard run (John Hoge kick) OU 14-6 4
OU J.C. Watts 1 yard run (John Hoge kick)OU 21-6
[11]
Colorado [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Colorado
7
0
3
14
24
• Oklahoma
7
28
7
7
49
Scoring summary 1
Oklahoma Sims 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 7-0 1
Colorado Solomon 6 yard pass from Pugh (Field kick) Tie 7-7 2
Oklahoma Watts 11 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 14-7 2
Oklahoma Sims 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 21-7 2
Oklahoma Overstreet 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 28-7 2
Oklahoma Sims 6 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 35-7 3
Colorado Field 41 yard field goal Oklahoma 35-10 3
Oklahoma Sims 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 42-10 4
Colorado Davis 11 yard run (Field kick) Oklahoma 42-17 4
Oklahoma Winters 28 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 49-17 4
Colorado Green 1 yard run (Field kick) Oklahoma 49-24
[12]
Oklahoma faced its former coach Chuck Fairbanks for the first time since his departure following the 1972 season .
Oklahoma State [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
• Oklahoma
24
7
7
0
38
Oklahoma St
0
0
0
7
7
Scoring summary 1
Oklahoma Sims 4 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 7-0 1
Oklahoma Overstreet 72 yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 14-0 1
Oklahoma Sims 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 21-0 1
Oklahoma Keeling 39 yard field goal Oklahoma 24-0 2
Oklahoma Sims 1 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 31-0 3
Oklahoma Sims 11 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 38-0 4
Oklahoma St Suellentrop 2 yard run (Ankerson kick) Oklahoma 38-7
[13]
Nebraska [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Nebraska
0
7
0
7
14
• Oklahoma
0
3
7
7
17
Scoring summary 2
Oklahoma Keeling 31 yard field goal Oklahoma 3-0 2
Nebraska Redwine 11 yard pass from Quinn (Sukup kick) Nebraska 7-3 3
Oklahoma Valora 58 yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 10-7 4
Oklahoma Watts 3 yard run (Keeling kick) Oklahoma 17-7 4
Nebraska Schleusaner 15 yard run (Sukup kick) Oklahoma 17-14
[14]
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 .↑ 2.0 2.1 "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 3.2 "1979 Football Season" . SoonerStats.com. http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?SeasonID=1979 . Retrieved June 30, 2010 .↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "All-American: Billy Sims" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100525143926/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-billy-sims-1978-79.html . Retrieved June 29, 2010 .↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "All-American: George Cumby" . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100523224720/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-george-cumby-1977-1979.html . Retrieved June 29, 2010 .↑ "Sooners Spoil Seminole Uprising" . Orange Bowl Committee. http://www.orangebowl.org/orange_bowl/1980s.aspx . Retrieved June 30, 2010 .↑ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . p. 47. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf . Retrieved July 9, 2010 .↑ "2009 Football Record Book" . Big 12 Conference. p. 175. http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/football/record_book.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=10410 . Retrieved June 30, 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 June 30, 2010 .↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1979 ↑ "Sluggish Oklahoma Downs Iowa." September 16, 1979
↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 October 7.
↑ Palm Beach Post. 1979 Nov 4.
↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25.
External links [ ] 