1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big 8 champion Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 24–7 vs. Florida State
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 3
AP	No. 3
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
Captains	George Cumby Darrol Ray Billy Sims Paul Tabor Sherwood Taylor
Home stadium	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

1979 Big Eight Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		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	Source
September 15	Iowa*	No. 3	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		W 21–6	72,531	[10]
September 22	Tulsa*	No. 3	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		W 49–13	72,451	[11]
September 29	at Rice*	No. 3	Rice Stadium Houston, TX		W 63–21	30,442	[12]
October 6	Colorado	No. 3	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		W 49–24	72,512	[13]
October 13	vs. No. 4 Texas*	No. 3	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (rivalry)	ABC	L 7–16	72,032	[14]
October 20	at Kansas State	No. 8	KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS		W 38–6	27,257	[15]
October 27	Iowa State	No. 7	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		W 38–9	72,069	[16]
November 3	at Oklahoma State	No. 7	Lewis Field Stillwater, OK (Bedlam Series)		W 38–7	51,453	[17]
November 10	Kansas	No. 6	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		W 38–0	71,882	[18]
November 17	at Missouri	No. 7	Faurot Field Columbia, MO (rivalry)		W 24–22	69,973	[19]
November 24	No. 3 Nebraska	No. 8	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (rivalry)	ABC	W 17–14	72,516	[20]
January 1, 1980	vs. No. 4 Florida State*	No. 5	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	NBC	W 24–7	66,714	[21]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[22]

Personnel

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class G 75 Terry Crouch Jr OT 59 Darrell Irvin Sr RB 11 Fred Nixon Sr OT 66 Louis Oubre  Jr HB 22 David Overstreet Jr QB 7 Kelly Phelps So SE 24 Steve Rhodes Sr RB 20 Billy Sims  Sr OT 73 Paul Tabor  Sr QB 1 J. C. Watts  Jr G 76 Steve Williams So RB 32 Stanley Wilson Fr RB 40 Chet Winters Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DL 36 John Blake Fr LB 28 George Cumby  Sr DT 92 Keith Gary Jr DT 72 John Goodman Sr DB 6 Steve Haworth Fr S 33 Bud Hebert  Sr DE 83 Mike Joyce Sr S 3 Darrol Ray Sr DE 41 Mike Rilley Jr DT 96 Richard Turner Jr DE 88 Mike Weddington Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 9 John Hoge So K 99 Mike Keeling Fr	Head coach Barry Switzer Coordinators/assistant coaches Gary Gibbs (LB) Galen Hall (OC) Warren Harper (LB) Merv Johnson (OL) Wendell Mosley (RB) Rex Norris (DC) Lucious Selmon (DL) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster

Season summary

Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Iowa	6	0	0	0	6
Oklahoma	0	7	0	14	21

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: September 15
• Game attendance: 72,531
• ^[23]

Game information
First quarter IOWA – Dennis Mosley 10-yard pass from Phil Seuss (kick failed). Iowa 6–0. Drive: Second quarter OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (John Hoge kick). Oklahoma 7–6. Drive: Third quarter No scoring 'Fourth quarter OU – Billy Sims 3-yard run (John Hoge kick). Oklahoma 14–6. Drive: OU – J.C. Watts 1-yard run (John Hoge kick). Oklahoma 21–6. Drive:

Tulsa

Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2–1) at #3 Oklahoma Sooners (1–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Tulsa	0	3	10	0	13
Oklahoma	21	7	0	21	49

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: September 22
• Game attendance: 72,451

At Rice

#3 Oklahoma Sooners (2–0) at Rice Owls (1–2)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oklahoma	21	21	14	7	63
Rice	0	0	0	21	21

at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: September 29
• Game attendance: 30,442

Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes (1–3) at #3 Oklahoma Sooners (3–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Colorado	7	0	3	14	24
Oklahoma	7	28	7	7	49

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: October 6
• Game attendance: 72,512
• ^[24]

Game information

First quarter OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 7–0. Drive: CU – Solomon 6-yard pass from Pugh (Field kick). Tie 7–7. Drive: Second quarter OU – J.C. Watts 11-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 14–7. Drive: OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 21–7. Drive: OU – David Overstreet 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 28–7. Drive: OU – Billy Sims 6-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 35–7. Drive:' Third quarter CU – Field 41-yard field goal. Oklahoma 35–10. Drive: OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 42-10. Drive: Fourth quarter CU – Davis 11-yard run (Field kick). Oklahoma 42–17. Drive: OU – Winters 28-yard run (Keeling kick). Oklahoma 49–17. Drive: CU – Green 1-yard run (Field kick). Oklahoma 49–24. Drive:

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

vs Texas

See also: Red River Rivalry

#3 Oklahoma Sooners (4–0) vs. #4 Texas Longhorns (3–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oklahoma	7	0	0	0	7
Texas	3	7	0	6	16

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

• Date: October 13
• Game attendance: 72,032
• TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles

At Kansas State

#8 Oklahoma Sooners (4–1) at Kansas State Wildcats

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oklahoma	3	0	14	21	38
Kansas State	0	6	0	0	6

at KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

• Date: October 20
• Game attendance: 27,757
• ^[25]

Game information

First quarter OU – Mike Keeling 38-yard field goal. Oklahoma 3–0. Drive: Second quarter KSU – Black 1-yard run (kick failed). Oklahoma 7–6. Drive: OU – J.C. Watts 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 14–6. Drive: Third quarter OU – J.C. Watts 18-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 21–6. Drive: Fourth quarter OU – Billy Sims 5-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 28–6. Drive: OU – Phelps 14-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 35–6. Drive: OU – Phelps 36-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 42–6. Drive: Top passers OU – KSU – Top rushers OU – J.C. Watts – 118 yards, 2 TD KSU – Top receivers OU KSU –

Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones at #7 Oklahoma Sooners (5–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Iowa State	0	0	0	9	9
Oklahoma	7	10	14	7	38

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: October 27
• Game attendance: 72,069

At Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)

See also: Bedlam Series

#7 Oklahoma Sooners (6–1) at Oklahoma State Cowboys

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oklahoma	24	7	7	0	38
Oklahoma State	0	0	0	7	7

at Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma

• Date: November 3
• Game attendance: 51,453
• ^[26]

Game information

First quarter OU – Billy Sims 4-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 7–0. Drive: OU – David Overstreet 72-yard pass from J.C. Watts (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 14–0. Drive: OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 21–0. Drive: OU – Mike Keeling 39-yard field goal. Oklahoma 24–0. Drive: Second quarter OU – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 31–0. Drive: Third quarter OU – Billy Sims 11-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 38–0. Drive: Fourth quarter OSU – Sullentrop 2-yard run (Anderson kick). Oklahoma 38–7. Drive:

Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks at #6 Oklahoma Sooners (7–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Kansas	0	0	0	0	0
Oklahoma	3	7	7	21	38

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: November 10
• Game attendance: 71,882

At Missouri

See also: Missouri–Oklahoma football rivalry

#7 Oklahoma Sooners (8–1) at Missouri Tigers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oklahoma	7	0	14	3	24
Missouri	3	6	7	6	22

at Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri

• Date: November 17
• Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C)
• Game attendance: 69,973
• Box Score

• Oklahoma's 100th win of the 1970s (Alabama only other school to do so) ^[27]

Nebraska

#3 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #8 Oklahoma Sooners (9–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Nebraska	0	7	0	7	14
Oklahoma	0	3	7	7	17

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

• Date: November 24
• Game attendance: 71,180
• TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles

Game information

First quarter No scoring Second quarter OU – Mike Keeling 31-yard field goal. Oklahoma 3–0. Drive: NEB – Jarvis Redwine 11-yard pass from Jeff Quinn (Dean Sukup kick). Nebraska 7–3. Drive: Third quarter OU – Forrest Valora 58-yard pass from J.C. Watts (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 10–7. Drive: Fourth quarter OU – J.C. Watts 3-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 17–7. Drive: NEB – Randy Schleusaner 15-yard run (Dean Sukup kick). Oklahoma 17–14. Drive: Top passers NEB OU Top rushers NEB OU – Billy Sims – 28 rushes, 247 yards Top receivers NEB OU

^{[28] [29]}

Orange Bowl (vs Florida State)

Main article: 1980 Orange Bowl

Orange Bowl: #4 Florida State Seminoles (11–0) vs. #5 Oklahoma Sooners (10–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Florida State	7	0	0	0	7
Oklahoma	0	17	0	7	24

at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

• Date: January 1, 1980
• Game attendance: 66,714
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui, John Brodie, and Bob Trumpy

Rankings

See also: 1979 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
AP	3 (4)	3	3	3	3	3	8	7	7	6	7	8	5	5	3
Coaches Poll	2 (2)	3 (3)	3	3	3	3	8	9	7	7	7	7	4	5	3 (1)

Awards and honors

• All-American: Billy Sims,^[4] and George Cumby,^[5]
• Big 8 rushing champion: Sims^[4]
• NCAA DI scoring champion: Sims^[4]
• Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year: Cumby^[5]

NFL Draft

Main article: 1980 NFL draft

The following players were selected in the National Football League draft following the season.^[30][31]

Sooners who were picked in the 1980 NFL Draft:

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Team
1	1	Billy Sims	Running back	Detroit Lions
1	26	George Cumby	Linebacker	Green Bay Packers
2	40	Darrol Ray	Safety	New York Jets
2	56	John Goodman	Defensive end	Pittsburgh Steelers
4	87	Fred Nixon	Wide receiver	Green Bay Packers
5	130	Paul Tabor	Center	Chicago Bears
5	179	Darry Hebert	Defensive back	New York Giants
9	235	Barry Burdet	Linebacker	New England Patriots
11	284	Mike Babb	Defensive back	Atlanta Falcons

References

1. "Memorial Stadium". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
2. "OU Football Tradition – 42 Conference Titles". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
3. "1979 Football Season". SoonerStats.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
4. "All-American: Billy Sims". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
5. "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. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. 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. "Oklahoma survives scare from Iowa". Springfield Leader and Press. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Sooners' Julius Caesar conquers Tulsa, 49–13". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Sooners clobber Rice". Lincoln Journal Star. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Oklahoma downs Colorado..." The Grand Island Independent. October 7, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Texas defense stifles Sooners". The Columbian. October 14, 1979. Retrieved October 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "OU rallies to dance over K-State". The Kansas City Star. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Sims crushes Cyclones". The Grand Island Independent. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Sooners triumph, 38–7". Wisconsin State Journal. November 4, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Oklahoma too much for Kansas". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 11, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Sooners escape Missouri". St. Petersburg Times. November 18, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Oklahoma does it again, spoils NU title hopes, 17–14". Lincoln Journal Star. November 25, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Oklahoma ends Florida State's streak". The Palm Beach Post. January 2, 1980. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "1979 OU Football Season Schedule - SoonerStats - Historical scores, records, and stats for Oklahoma Sooners football, basketball, baseball, and softball".
23. "Sluggish Oklahoma Downs Iowa." September 16, 1979
24. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 October 7.
25. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Oct 21. Retrieved 2018-Oct-28.
26. Palm Beach Post. 1979 Nov 4.
27. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 18.
28. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25.
29. DataOmaha.com Archived October 19, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-Dec-06.
30. "1980 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
31. "Oklahoma Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.