1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team

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1971 Oklahoma Sooners football
Sugar Bowl Champions
Sugar Bowl, W 40–22 vs. Auburn
Conference Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches #3
AP #2
1971 record 11–1 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach Chuck Fairbanks (5th year)
Offensive coordinator Barry Switzer (6th year)
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Larry Lacewell (2nd year)
Home stadium Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 61,836)
Seasons
« 1970 1972 »
1971 Big 8 football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Nebraska $ 7 – 0 – 0     13 – 0 – 0
#2 Oklahoma 6 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#3 Colorado 5 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
Iowa State 4 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Kansas State 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Oklahoma State 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 1
Kansas 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Missouri 0 – 7 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

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] The team posted an 11–1 and 6–1 conference record to under head coach Chuck Fairbanks.[2][3] The Sooners finished the season ranked #2, losing only once, 35–31 to eventual national champion Nebraska in the 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] The team holds the current school record with 7.07 yards per rushing attempt and 7.6 yards per play as well as the records for 469.6 rushing yards (5635 in 12 games counting bowl game) and 566.83 yards of 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] Jack Mildren's single-season record for yards rushing by a quarterback of 1140 would be broken three seasons later by Freddie Solomon.[6]

Greg Pruitt set the current national single-season record with 8.98 yards per attempt,[7] the school's single-game records of 294 rushing yards and 374 all-purpose yards. Meanwhile, Jon Harrison set the single-season and career yards per reception with 29.1 and 27.0.[8] His 2066 single-season all-purpose yards record stood until 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] and Jack Mildren.[11] The team won its first nine games on a schedule that included five ranked opponents (In order, #17 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 Coloradodagger #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. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

[14]

Game notes

SMU

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Pittsburgh

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USC

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Texas

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See also: Red River Shootout
#8 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #3 Texas Longhorns
1 2 3 4 Total
• #8 Oklahoma 14 17 7 10 48
#3 Texas 14 7 6 0 27

[15][16]

Colorado

#6 Colorado Buffaloes at #2 Oklahoma Sooners
1 2 3 4 Total
#6 Colorado 0 0 17 0 17
• #2 Oklahoma 14 10 7 14 45

[17]

Kansas State

1 2 3 4 Total
• Oklahoma 14 27 13 21 75
Kansas St 7 7 7 7 28

[18]

Iowa State

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Missouri

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Kansas

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Nebraska

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Oklahoma State

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See also: Bedlam Series
#3 Oklahoma Sooners at Oklahoma State Cowboys
1 2 3 4 Total
• #3 Oklahoma 17 20 7 14 58
Oklahoma State 0 7 0 7 14

[19]

Sugar Bowl

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Awards and honors

1972 NFL Draft

Player Position Round Pick NFL Club
Jack Mildren Defensive Back 2 46 Baltimore Colts
Al Quallis Linebacker 8 191 Baltimore Colts
Roy Bell Running Back 9 234 Dallas Cowboys

[20]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 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
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ "Sooners thunder past favored Longhorns, 48-27." Eugene Register-Guard. October 10, 1971
  16. ↑ 1971 Oklahoma vs. Texas recap - SoonerStats.com
  17. ↑ "Oklahoma Routs Buffs." Palm Beach Post. October 17, 1971
  18. ↑ "Sooners Romp, 75-28." Palm Beach Post. 1971 Oct 24.
  19. ↑ "Oklahoma Ropes Cowboys, 58-14." Palm Beach Post. December 5, 1971
  20. ↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1972.htm
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