1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1976 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.[1] The team posted a 9–2–1 overall record and a 5–2–0 conference record to earn a share of the Conference title under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973.[2][3] This was Switzer's fourth conference title in four seasons.[2]
The team was led by two All-Americans: Zac Henderson[4] and Mike Vaughan.[5] After tying with Oklahoma State and Colorado for the conference title, it earned a trip to the Fiesta Bowl where it came out victorious against the Wyoming Cowboys.[3] During the season, it faced five ranked opponents (In order, #16 Texas, #15 Kansas, #19 Colorado, #11 Missouri and #10 Nebraska). Four of its opponents finished the season ranked. It tied with Texas in the Red River Shootout and lost to Oklahoma State and Colorado.[3] The Sooners started the season with a 5–0–1 record. They also began and ended the season with four-game winning streaks.[3] Sophomore Daryl Hunt's 177 tackles that season would stand as the school record for five years and continues to be the second highest total behind Jackie Shipp's 189 in 1981.
Kenny King led the team in rushing with 839 yards, Dean Blevins led the team in passing with 384 yards, Steve Rhodes led the team in receiving with 160 yards, Uwe von Schamann and Horace Ivory led the team in scoring with 72 points, Hunt led the team in tackles with a record-setting 177 as well as interceptions with 4.
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
September 11 |
at Vanderbilt* |
#5 |
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN |
|
W 24–3 |
34,171[7] |
September 18 |
California* |
#4 |
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK |
|
W 28–17 |
72,026[7] |
September 25 |
Florida State* |
#4 |
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK |
|
W 24–9 |
71,343[7] |
October 2 |
at Iowa State |
#3 |
Cyclone Stadium • Ames, IA |
|
W 24–10 |
47,186[7] |
October 9 |
vs. #16 Texas* |
#3 |
Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Red River Shootout) |
ABC |
T 6–6 |
72,032[7] |
October 16 |
at #15 Kansas |
#6 |
Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS |
|
W 28–10 |
49,085[7] |
October 23 |
Oklahoma State |
#5 |
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Bedlam Series) |
|
L 24–31 |
72,041[7] |
October 30 |
at #19 Colorado |
#13 |
Folsom Field • Boulder, CO |
|
L 31–42 |
52,000[7] |
November 6 |
Kansas State |
#14 |
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK |
|
W 49–20 |
70,987[7] |
November 13 |
#11 Missouri |
#14 |
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe) |
|
W 27–20 |
71,620[7] |
November 26 |
at #10 Nebraska |
#8 |
Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE (Rivalry) |
ABC |
W 20–17 |
74,284[7] |
December 25 |
vs. Wyoming* |
#8 |
Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl) |
CBS |
W 41–7 |
48,714[7] |
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. |
Game notes
Florida State
Florida State Seminoles at #4 Oklahoma Sooners
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Florida State |
6 |
0 | 3 | 0 |
9 |
• Oklahoma |
3 |
14 | 0 | 7 |
24 |
- Source: Eugene Register-Guard
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
1 |
| OKLA | von Schamann 40-yard field goal | OKLA 3-0 |
|
1 |
| FSU | Key 5-yard run (kick failed) | FSU 6-3 |
|
2 |
| OKLA | Ivory 37-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 10-6 |
|
2 |
| OKLA | Ivory 23-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 17-6 |
|
3 |
| FSU | Cappelen 41-yard field goal | OKLA 17-9 |
|
4 |
| OKLA | Peacock 3-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 24-9 |
|
Kansas State
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Kansas St |
7 |
10 | 3 | 0 |
20 |
• Oklahoma |
21 |
7 | 7 | 14 |
49 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
1 |
| OKLA | Ivory 4-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 7-0 |
|
1 |
| OKLA | Ivory 6-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 14-0 |
|
1 |
| KSU | Lovely 1-yard run (Sinovic kick) | Oklahoma 14-7 |
|
1 |
| OKLA | King 30-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 21-7 |
|
2 |
| OKLA | Lott 2-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 28-7 |
|
2 |
| KSU | Whitley 9-yard pass from Henrikson (Sinovic kick) | Oklahoma 28-14 |
|
2 |
| KSU | Sinovic 30-yard field goal | Oklahoma 28-17 |
|
3 |
| KSU | Sinovic 39-yard field goal | Oklahoma 28-20 |
|
3 |
| OKLA | Lott 11-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 35-20 |
|
4 |
| OKLA | Lott 3-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 42-20 |
|
4 |
| OKLA | Ivory 8-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 49-20 |
|
[8]
Awards and honors
References
External links
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