1950 Oklahoma Sooners football team
American college football season
The 1950 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1950 college football season , the 56th season of Sooner football . Led by fourth-year head coach Bud Wilkinson , they played their home games at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman , and competed in the Big Seven Conference .
The Sooners finished the regular season 10–0 (6–0 in Big 7), and won their fifth consecutive conference championship, and eleventh overall. Both major polls (AP writers, UP coaches) awarded the Sooners with their first national championship at the end of the regular season. They were invited to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year's Day ,[ 1] but were upset 13–7 by the Kentucky Wildcats , halting their winning streak at 32 games.[ 2]
Five Sooners received All-American honors following the season: Frankie Anderson , Buddy Jones, Leon Heath , and Jim Weatherall . In addition, eight sooners won all conference honors, Anderson, Claude Arnold , Tom Catlin, Heath, Norman McNabb, Harry Moore, Billy Vessels , and Weatherall.[ 3]
Schedule
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 30 Boston College * No. 6 W 28–036,049 [ 4]
October 7 Texas A&M * No. 5 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK W 34–2836,586 [ 5]
October 14 vs. No. 4 Texas * No. 3 W 14–1375,959 [ 6]
October 21 Kansas State No. 2 Memorial Stadium Norman, OK W 58–038,546 [ 7]
October 28 at Iowa State No. 3 W 20–716,883 [ 8]
November 4 at Colorado No. 3 W 27–1830,001 [ 9]
November 11 at Kansas No. 3 W 33–1337,621 [ 10]
November 18 Missouri No. 2 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (rivalry ) W 41–746,463 [ 11]
November 25 No. 16 Nebraska No. 1 Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (rivalry ) W 49–3553,066 [ 12]
December 2 at Oklahoma A&M * No. 1 W 41–1428,530 [ 13]
January 1, 1951 vs. No. 7 Kentucky * No. 1 L 7–1380,206 [ 14]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
Roster
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Final AP 6 (3) 5 (17) 3 (29) 2 (47) 3 (35) 3 (25) 3 (48) 2 (63) 1 (173) 1 (213)
Game summaries
Texas (Red River Shootout)
Late in the contest, a low punt snap gives Oklahoma the ball at the Texas 11. Billy Vessels dashes around right end for the touchdown while Texas native Jim Weatherall kicks the game-winning extra point for the 14–13 victory. Minutes earlier, Longhorns defensive back Bobby Dillon had returned at interception 50 yards for a touchdown and a 13-7 Texas lead. Twice during the contest Texas had goal-line scoring opportunities, once stopped by Oklahoma's defense at the one-yard line and another ended with a fumble at the five.[ 15]
After the season
NFL Draft
The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.[ 16] [ 17]
References
^ "Oklahoma choice to grab 32nd grid win" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. January 1, 1951. p. 4, part 2.
^ "Kentucky passes upset Oklahoma, 13-7" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. January 2, 1951. p. 3, part 2.
^ "2014 Oklahoma Football Records Supplement" (PDF) . University of Oklahoma. 2014. pp. 90–5. Retrieved July 20, 2014 .
^ "Oklahoma again humiliates Eagles, 28–0" . The Boston Globe . October 1, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners overtake Aggies, 34–28" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 8, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners are later but better than Texas, 14 to 13" . St. Louis Globe-Democrat . October 15, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners trounce K-State 58–0 to open title bid" . Manhattan Mercury-Chronicle . October 22, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Oklahoma takes Iowa State 20–7" . Argus-Leader . October 29, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners set grid record; Win, 27 to 18" . The Nebraska State Journal . November 5, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners rip Kansas, 33–13" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . November 12, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Sooners race by Missouri, 41–7" . The Montana Standard . November 19, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Oklahoma outscores Nebraska, 49 to 35, for 30th straight triumph" . The Baltimore Sun . November 26, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Arnold flips Sooners past battling Aggie club, 41–14as Big Red hits for No. 31" . The Chickasha Daily Express . December 3, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Kentucky wins, 13 to 7, and ends Oklahoma's 31-game victory streak" . The Courier-Journal . January 2, 1951. Retrieved September 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Palm Beach Post
^ "1951 NFL Draft Listing" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved November 29, 2020 .
^ "Oklahoma Drafted Players/Alumni" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved April 23, 2023 .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1936–1949 1950s 1960s
1960 : Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF ) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
1961 : Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
1962 : USC
1963 : Texas
1964 : Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
1965 : Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
1966 : Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
1967 : USC
1968 : Ohio State
1969 : Texas
1970s 1980–1991
MVIAA Big Six Big Seven Big Eight National championships in bold