It has been a disappointing season for the Oklahoma Sooners. A season that started with hopes of a national title will end with the hope of an appearance in the Alamo Bowl. It has not been without highlights though. Here are our top-3 moments of the 2014 football season.
1. Perine pounds his way to history
Freshman running back Samaje Perine runs for his first of five touchdowns against Kansas during the November 22 game at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Perine set a new FBS single game rushing record carrying the ball 34 times for a total if 427 yards during the 44-7 blowout of the Jayhawks.
On a dreary day in November, freshman running back Samaje Perine turned an unappetizing matchup against Kansas into a game that is now firmly embedded in Sooners lore. The physical young runner shredded the Kansas defense to the tune of five touchdowns and 427 yards, which gave him the most rushing yards in a single game in NCAA history. The Pflugerville, Texas native was humble about the accomplishment after the game, but the image of him plowing his way to the record appeased a grumbling fan-base and will define the 2014 season in the coming years.
2. Ross saves the day
Sophomore running back Alex Ross carries the ball between two cowboy defenders during the December 6 against Oklahoma State at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners were defeated in overtime 38-35.
Back in September, the fourth-ranked Sooners still had very real dreams of a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff. They faced their first big obstacle in a trip to Morgantown to take on West Virginia, one of the biggest surprises of the Big 12 this season. The Mountaineers opened the season with a close loss to mighty Alabama and had proven they were no fluke by the time Oklahoma came to town. The Sooners played from behind for most of the first half, and when West Virginia scored to go up 24-17 with just over a minute until halftime, it felt like the game was getting away from the crimson and cream. Enter Alex Ross, who took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the game-tying touchdown. Ross’ big return led to a huge momentum swing in Oklahoma’s favor, and the Sooners rode what was a breakout performance for Perine to a big win.
3. SEC who?
Sophomore quarterback, Trevoe Knight, throws the ball to his intended reciever during the game against Tennessee on Sat. Sept. 13 at Gaylord Family Memorial Football Stadium. The Sooners beat the Vols 34-10.
The Sooners’ third game of the season came at home against the Tennessee Volunteers. It was a contest that had taken on a bigger meaning after an offseason full of Bob Stoops banter that SEC country didn’t take kindly to. This was OU’s chance to back up their coach’s rhetoric and prove that the SEC really was no big deal. They delivered and then some. Tennessee’s fans traveled well — their orange and white checkered clothes threatened to ruin the crimson and cream stripe the stadium effort — but their team did not put up much of a fight. Sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight threw for over 300 yards and senior cornerback Julian Wilson returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in one of the Sooners’ most complete performances of the year. The two teams will meet again in what should be a more competitive matchup at Tennessee next season, but OU’s 34-10 victory felt bigger than one game and provided one of the highlights of 2014.
