The Russell Athletic Bowl game against Clemson is coming up quickly--brush up on Oklahoma's bowl history and impress all your friends.
Missed our previous posts? Check out OU's bowl game history from 1939 through 1959, 1960-1969, 1970-1979, 1980-1989 and 1990-1999.
FINAL SCORE: 10-3, Oklahoma win
After two disappointing losses in a season which had “national championship” written all over it, 10-2 Oklahoma received a bid to play four-loss Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. In what many fans have described as a “boring” game, Oklahoma overpowered the Hogs for a final score of 10-3.
- photo from gettyimages.com
FINAL SCORE: 34-14, Oklahoma win
Bob Stoops and the Sooners won their second Big 12 title with an improved offensive attack. The Rose Bowl is traditionally a match-up between the BigTen and Pac-10 champions. However, because No. 3 Ohio State finished undefeated and was selected to play for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl, the Rose Bowl selected Big 12 champion Oklahoma to face Pac-10 co-champion Washington State. With a 34-14 victory led by game MVP Nate Hybl, Oklahoma became the first program in history to win all four BCS bowl games (Orange, Fiesta, Rose, Sugar).
- photo from ljworld.com
FINAL SCORE: 21-14, Oklahoma loss
During the 2003 regular season, Oklahoma was considered one of the greatest teams to ever take a college football field. However, a bitter 35-7 blowout at the hands of Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship game changed that. Despite the loss, Oklahoma was still selected to play for the national title in the Sugar Bowl versus LSU according to the BCS formula. Heisman-winning quarterback Jason White played the game with a broken hand and Oklahoma never got into an offensive rhythm, resulting in a second loss to end the season.
- photo from betweenthesynapse.com
FINAL SCORE: 55-19, Oklahoma loss
Once again, Oklahoma disappointed in the postseason after many tremendous performances in the regular season. Although the game officially never happened due to an NCAA investigation that revealed USC running back Reggie Bush was receiving impermissible benefits, every Sooners fan knows what happened on the field that night. USC demolished Oklahoma in every facet of the game. Bob Stoops suffered his second straight national title game loss with a 55-19 Trojans victory.
- photo from unathleticmag.com
FINAL SCORE: 17-14, Oklahoma win
A disappointing four-loss season landed Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl against Oregon, who narrowly missed out on a BCS bid despite a 10-1 campaign. As heavy underdogs, Oklahoma and freshman quarterback Rhett Bomar surprised the Ducks in the second half with two quick touchdowns to take a 17-7 lead. Oregon attempted a comeback, but the Sooners defense was too much with four sacks on the night as Oklahoma recorded the victory.
- photo from tulsaworld.com
FINAL SCORE: 43-42, Oklahoma loss
In one of the greatest games of all time, No. 9 Boise State upset No. 7 Oklahoma to cap a perfect season and launch the program onto the national stage. With the Sooners leading 42-35 in overtime, Boise State executed a wide receiver reverse-pass for a touchdown to draw within a point. After the decision to go for two points and end the game, Broncos quarterback Jared Zebransky faked a pass and held the ball behind his back for running back Ian Johnson to take into the endzone on what became known as the “Statue of Liberty” play.
- photo from bloguin.com
FINAL SCORE: 48-28, Oklahoma loss
West Virginia, champion of the Big East conference, wasted no time scoring in this game. With a 20-6 lead at halftime, quarterback Pat White and running back Noel Devine torched the Sooners on the ground to the tune of 349 yards for a 48-28 victory.
- photo from zimbio.com
FINAL SCORE: 24-14, Oklahoma loss
After the Sooners won a three-way tie in the Big 12 South and eventually demolished Nebraska in the conference championship game, Bob Stoops suffered his third straight loss in a BCS national championship came. Armed with Heisman-winner Sam Bradford and statistically the best offense in college football history, Florida and Oklahoma went into halftime tied. However, a Tim Tebow touchdown pass – his second of the night – and a Percy Harvin touchdown run proved too much for the Sooners defense. Florida won the national title with a 24-14 victory.
- photo from zimbio.com
FINAL SCORE: 31-27, Oklahoma win
In a rebuilding year that saw five Oklahoma losses, the Sooners defeated No. 19 Stanford in the Sun Bowl for the program’s first bowl victory since 2005. Despite Stanford’s 13th-ranked offense led by Toby Gerhart and freshman Andrew Luck, the Sooners proved to be the better team. Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles set a Sun Bowl record for receptions and quarterback Landry Jones threw for over 400 yards to clinch the upset 31-27.
- photo from newsok.com
FINAL SCORE: 48-20, Oklahoma win
Despite facing a clearly overmatched Connecticut squad, much of the pre-game talk revolved around Bob Stoops’ previous woes in BCS bowl games. With one of the smallest crowds to ever watch a BCS game looking on, Oklahoma silenced the critics with a 48-20 demolition of UCONN. The Sooners put up 524 yards and 27 first downs in the victory.
- photo from foxsports.com
FINAL SCORE: 31-14, Oklahoma win
After a nine-win season, Oklahoma pulled out a competitive 31-14 victory over Iowa in the 2011 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. The game was put on hold with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter when one of ESPN’s skycams crashed onto the field, nearly hitting Iowa receiver Marvin McNutt.
- photo from cabalse.com
FINAL SCORE: 41-13, Oklahoma loss
In the worst bowl defeat of the Bob Stoops era, Heisman-winner Johnny Manziel and the flashy Texas A&M offense embarrassed Oklahoma in the 2013 Cotton Bowl. Manziel rushed for 229 yards, a Cotton Bowl record, and two touchdowns. Though Texas A&M only led 14-13 at the half, the Aggies went on to score 27 unanswered second half points to win the game 41-13.
- photo from sportsworldreport.com
FINAL SCORE: 45-31, Oklahoma win
As 17 and a half point underdogs – the largest spread in BCS bowl history – Oklahoma downed Alabama in one of the greatest upsets in Sooners history. Coach Bob Stoops did not announce a starting quarterback before the game and chose freshman Trevor Knight for the job. Knight surprised almost everyone in the country, throwing 348 yards and four touchdowns against a highly-touted Crimson Tide defense. Although Alabama outgained Oklahoma in total yards 516-432, the Crimson Tide committed five turnovers to the Sooners’ one.
- photo from collegefootball.ap.org
More like this...
- photo from football.com
FINAL SCORE: 10-3, Oklahoma win
After two disappointing losses in a season which had “national championship” written all over it, 10-2 Oklahoma received a bid to play four-loss Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. In what many fans have described as a “boring” game, Oklahoma overpowered the Hogs for a final score of 10-3.
- photo from gettyimages.com
FINAL SCORE: 34-14, Oklahoma win
Bob Stoops and the Sooners won their second Big 12 title with an improved offensive attack. The Rose Bowl is traditionally a match-up between the BigTen and Pac-10 champions. However, because No. 3 Ohio State finished undefeated and was selected to play for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl, the Rose Bowl selected Big 12 champion Oklahoma to face Pac-10 co-champion Washington State. With a 34-14 victory led by game MVP Nate Hybl, Oklahoma became the first program in history to win all four BCS bowl games (Orange, Fiesta, Rose, Sugar).
- photo from ljworld.com
FINAL SCORE: 21-14, Oklahoma loss
During the 2003 regular season, Oklahoma was considered one of the greatest teams to ever take a college football field. However, a bitter 35-7 blowout at the hands of Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship game changed that. Despite the loss, Oklahoma was still selected to play for the national title in the Sugar Bowl versus LSU according to the BCS formula. Heisman-winning quarterback Jason White played the game with a broken hand and Oklahoma never got into an offensive rhythm, resulting in a second loss to end the season.
- photo from betweenthesynapse.com
FINAL SCORE: 55-19, Oklahoma loss
Once again, Oklahoma disappointed in the postseason after many tremendous performances in the regular season. Although the game officially never happened due to an NCAA investigation that revealed USC running back Reggie Bush was receiving impermissible benefits, every Sooners fan knows what happened on the field that night. USC demolished Oklahoma in every facet of the game. Bob Stoops suffered his second straight national title game loss with a 55-19 Trojans victory.
- photo from unathleticmag.com
FINAL SCORE: 17-14, Oklahoma win
A disappointing four-loss season landed Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl against Oregon, who narrowly missed out on a BCS bid despite a 10-1 campaign. As heavy underdogs, Oklahoma and freshman quarterback Rhett Bomar surprised the Ducks in the second half with two quick touchdowns to take a 17-7 lead. Oregon attempted a comeback, but the Sooners defense was too much with four sacks on the night as Oklahoma recorded the victory.
- photo from tulsaworld.com
FINAL SCORE: 43-42, Oklahoma loss
In one of the greatest games of all time, No. 9 Boise State upset No. 7 Oklahoma to cap a perfect season and launch the program onto the national stage. With the Sooners leading 42-35 in overtime, Boise State executed a wide receiver reverse-pass for a touchdown to draw within a point. After the decision to go for two points and end the game, Broncos quarterback Jared Zebransky faked a pass and held the ball behind his back for running back Ian Johnson to take into the endzone on what became known as the “Statue of Liberty” play.
- photo from bloguin.com
FINAL SCORE: 48-28, Oklahoma loss
West Virginia, champion of the Big East conference, wasted no time scoring in this game. With a 20-6 lead at halftime, quarterback Pat White and running back Noel Devine torched the Sooners on the ground to the tune of 349 yards for a 48-28 victory.
- photo from zimbio.com
FINAL SCORE: 24-14, Oklahoma loss
After the Sooners won a three-way tie in the Big 12 South and eventually demolished Nebraska in the conference championship game, Bob Stoops suffered his third straight loss in a BCS national championship came. Armed with Heisman-winner Sam Bradford and statistically the best offense in college football history, Florida and Oklahoma went into halftime tied. However, a Tim Tebow touchdown pass – his second of the night – and a Percy Harvin touchdown run proved too much for the Sooners defense. Florida won the national title with a 24-14 victory.
- photo from zimbio.com
FINAL SCORE: 31-27, Oklahoma win
In a rebuilding year that saw five Oklahoma losses, the Sooners defeated No. 19 Stanford in the Sun Bowl for the program’s first bowl victory since 2005. Despite Stanford’s 13th-ranked offense led by Toby Gerhart and freshman Andrew Luck, the Sooners proved to be the better team. Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles set a Sun Bowl record for receptions and quarterback Landry Jones threw for over 400 yards to clinch the upset 31-27.
- photo from newsok.com
FINAL SCORE: 48-20, Oklahoma win
Despite facing a clearly overmatched Connecticut squad, much of the pre-game talk revolved around Bob Stoops’ previous woes in BCS bowl games. With one of the smallest crowds to ever watch a BCS game looking on, Oklahoma silenced the critics with a 48-20 demolition of UCONN. The Sooners put up 524 yards and 27 first downs in the victory.
- photo from foxsports.com
FINAL SCORE: 31-14, Oklahoma win
After a nine-win season, Oklahoma pulled out a competitive 31-14 victory over Iowa in the 2011 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. The game was put on hold with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter when one of ESPN’s skycams crashed onto the field, nearly hitting Iowa receiver Marvin McNutt.
- photo from cabalse.com
FINAL SCORE: 41-13, Oklahoma loss
In the worst bowl defeat of the Bob Stoops era, Heisman-winner Johnny Manziel and the flashy Texas A&M offense embarrassed Oklahoma in the 2013 Cotton Bowl. Manziel rushed for 229 yards, a Cotton Bowl record, and two touchdowns. Though Texas A&M only led 14-13 at the half, the Aggies went on to score 27 unanswered second half points to win the game 41-13.
- photo from sportsworldreport.com
FINAL SCORE: 45-31, Oklahoma win
As 17 and a half point underdogs – the largest spread in BCS bowl history – Oklahoma downed Alabama in one of the greatest upsets in Sooners history. Coach Bob Stoops did not announce a starting quarterback before the game and chose freshman Trevor Knight for the job. Knight surprised almost everyone in the country, throwing 348 yards and four touchdowns against a highly-touted Crimson Tide defense. Although Alabama outgained Oklahoma in total yards 516-432, the Crimson Tide committed five turnovers to the Sooners’ one.
- photo from collegefootball.ap.org