1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1976 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big Eight co-champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 41–7 vs. Wyoming
Conference Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches No. 5
AP No. 6
1976 record 9–2–1 (5–2 Big 8)
Head coach Barry Switzer (4th year)
Offensive coordinator Galen Hall (4th year)
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Larry Lacewell (7th year)
Base defense 5–2
Home stadium Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 71,187)
1976 Big 8 football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#5 Oklahoma + 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 2 – 1
#14 Oklahoma State + 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#16 Colorado + 5 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
#9 Nebraska 4 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 1
#19 Iowa State 4 – 3 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
Missouri 3 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Kansas 2 – 5 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Kansas State 0 – 7 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Oklahoma was a member of the Big Eight Conference 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.[6]

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.[6]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 11 at Vanderbilt* No. 5 Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee W 24–3   34,171[7]
September 18 California* No. 4 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma W 28–17   72,026[7]
September 25 Florida State* No. 4 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma W 24–9   71,343[7]
October 2 at Iowa State No. 3 Cyclone Stadium • Ames, Iowa W 24–10   47,186[7]
October 9 vs. No. 16 Texas* No. 3 Cotton Bowl • Dallas (Red River Shootout) ABC T 6–6   72,032[7]
October 16 at No. 15 Kansas No. 6 Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, Kansas W 28–10   49,085[7]
October 23 Oklahoma State No. 5 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma (Bedlam Series) L 24–31   72,041[7]
October 30 at No. 19 Colorado No. 13 Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado L 31–42   52,000[7]
November 6 Kansas State No. 14 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma W 49–20   70,987[7]
November 13 No. 11 Missouri No. 14 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma (Tiger–Sooner Peace Pipe) W 27–20   71,620[7]
November 26 at No. 10 Nebraska No. 8 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska (Rivalry) ABC W 20–17   74,284[7]
December 25 vs. Wyoming* No. 8 Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, Arizona (Fiesta Bowl) CBS W 41–7   48,714[7]
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Game notes

Florida State

Florida State Seminoles at #4 Oklahoma Sooners
1 234Total
Florida State 6 030 9
• Oklahoma 3 1407 24
  • Source: Eugene Register-Guard

Kansas State

1 234Total
Kansas St 7 1030 20
• Oklahoma 21 7714 49

[8]

Awards and honors

A football signed by the 1976 Oklahoma Sooners, including Billy Sims and J. C. Watts, that was gifted to President Gerald Ford.

References

  1. ↑ "Memorial Stadium". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "OU Football Tradition – 42 Conference Titles". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "1976 Football Season". SoonerStats.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  4. 1 2 "All-American: Zac Henderson". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  5. 1 2 "All-American: Mike Vaughan". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 175. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1974
  8. ↑ Palm Beach Post. 1976 Nov 7.

External links

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