1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team

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 111 overall record and a 70 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]

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big Eight champion
Orange Bowl champion
ConferenceBig 8 Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
1979 record111 (70 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGalen Hall (7th season)
Offensive schemeWishbone
Defensive coordinatorRex Norris (2nd season)
Base defense5–2
Home stadiumOklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 71,187)
1979 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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 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

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 15Iowa*No. 3ESPNW 21–672,531[10]
September 22Tulsa*No. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ESPNW 49–1372,451[10]
September 29at Rice*No. 3ESPNW 63–2130,442[10]
October 6ColoradoNo. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ESPNW 49–2472,512[10]
October 13vs. No. 4 Texas*No. 3ABCL 7–1672,032[10]
October 20at Kansas StateNo. 8ESPNW 38–627,257[10]
October 27Iowa StateNo. 7
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ESPNW 38–972,069[10]
November 3at Oklahoma StateNo. 7ABCW 38–751,453[10]
November 10KansasNo. 6
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ESPNW 38–071,882[10]
November 17at MissouriNo. 7ABCW 24–2269,973[10]
November 24No. 3 NebraskaNo. 8
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK (rivalry)
ABCW 17–1472,516[10]
January 1, 1980vs. No. 4 Florida StateNo. 5NBCW 24–766,714[10]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
OG 75 Terry Crouch So
HB 11 Fred Nixon Sr
HB 22 David Overstreet Jr
WR 24 Steve Rhodes Sr
HB 20 Billy Sims Sr
C 73 Paul Tabor Sr
QB 1 J.C. Watts Jr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 28 George Cumby Sr
DT 92 Keith Gary Jr
DE 72 John Goodman Sr
S 33 Bud Hebert Sr
DE 83 Mike Joyce Sr
S 3 Darrol Ray Sr
DT 96 Richard Turner Jr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K John Hoge
K Mike Keeling Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Roster

Season summary

Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners
1 2 34Total
Iowa 6 0 006
Oklahoma 0 7 01421

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

  • Date: September 15
  • Game attendance: 72,531
  • [11]


Tulsa

Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2–1) at #3 Oklahoma Sooners (1–0)
1 2 34Total
Tulsa 0 3 10013
Oklahoma 21 7 02149

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)
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 21 21 14763
Rice 0 0 02121

at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas

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

Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes (1–3) at #3 Oklahoma Sooners (3–0)
1 2 34Total
Colorado 7 0 31424
Oklahoma 7 28 7749

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

  • Date: October 6
  • Game attendance: 72,512
  • [12]

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

vs Texas

#3 Oklahoma Sooners (4–0) vs. #4 Texas Longhorns (3–0)
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 7 0 007
Texas 3 7 0616

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: October 13
  • Game attendance: 72,032

at Kansas State

#8 Oklahoma Sooners (4–1) at Kansas State Wildcats
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 3 0 142138
Kansas State 0 6 006

at KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

  • Date: October 20
  • Game attendance: 27,757
  • [13]

Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones at #7 Oklahoma Sooners (5–1)
1 2 34Total
Iowa State 0 0 099
Oklahoma 7 10 14738

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

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

at Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)

#7 Oklahoma Sooners (6–1) at Oklahoma State Cowboys
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 24 7 7038
Oklahoma State 0 0 077

at Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma

  • Date: November 3
  • Game attendance: 51,453
  • [14]

Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks at #6 Oklahoma Sooners (7–1)
1 2 34Total
Kansas 0 0 000
Oklahoma 3 7 72138

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

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

at Missouri

#7 Oklahoma Sooners (8–1) at Missouri Tigers
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 7 0 14324
Missouri 3 6 7622

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) [15]

Nebraska

#3 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #8 Oklahoma Sooners (9–1)
1 2 34Total
Nebraska 0 7 0714
Oklahoma 0 3 7717

at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

  • Date: November 24
  • Game attendance: 71,180


[16] [17]

Orange Bowl (vs Florida State)

Orange Bowl: #4 Florida State Seminoles (11–0) vs. #5 Oklahoma Sooners (10–1)
1 2 34Total
Florida State 7 0 007
Oklahoma 0 17 0724

at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

  • Date: January 1, 1980
  • Game attendance: 66,714

Awards and honors

1980 NFL Draft

The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.[18]

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Billy SimsRB11Detroit Lions
George CumbyLB126Green Bay Packers
Darrol RayS240New York Jets
John GoodmanDE256Pittsburgh Steelers
Fred NixonWR487Green Bay Packers
Paul TaborC5130Chicago Bears
Darry HebertDB5179New York Giants
Barry BurdetLB9235New England Patriots
Mike BabbDB11284Atlanta 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. http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1979
  11. "Sluggish Oklahoma Downs Iowa." September 16, 1979
  12. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 October 7.
  13. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Oct 21. Retrieved 2018-Oct-28.
  14. Palm Beach Post. 1979 Nov 4.
  15. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 18.
  16. Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25.
  17. DataOmaha.com. Retrieved 2020-Dec-06.
  18. "1980 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
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