1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1971 Oklahoma Sooners football
Sugar Bowl champion
Sugar Bowl, W 40–22 vs. Auburn
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 2
Record11–1 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBarry Switzer (6th season)
Offensive schemeWishbone
Defensive coordinatorLarry Lacewell (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumOklahoma Memorial Stadium
1971 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Nebraska $ 7 – 0 – 0 13 – 0 – 0
No. 2 6 – 1 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 3 Colorado 5 – 2 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Iowa State 4 – 3 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Kansas State 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Oklahoma State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 1
Kansas 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Missouri 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1971 NCAA University Division 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 an 11–1 and 6–1 conference record under head coach Chuck Fairbanks.[2][3] The Sooners finished the season ranked #2, losing only once, 35–31 to eventual national champion Nebraska in the 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game, which has become known as Game of the Century.

In 1971, offensive coordinator Barry Switzer perfected the wishbone offense as it led the nation in both scoring (45 points average) and total yards (563 total yards average), and set an NCAA record by averaging over 472.4 (5196 in 11 games) rushing yards in a season.[4] The team holds the current school record with 7.07 yards per rushing attempt and 7.6 yards per play as well as the records for 469.6 rushing yards (5635 in 12 games counting bowl game) and 566.83 yards of total offense per game. The team also holds the single-season rushing touchdowns record of 62 and rushing touchdowns per game record of 5.17. The team's records of 711 single-game rushing yards and 785 total yards stood for nine seasons.[5] Jack Mildren's single-season record for yards rushing by a quarterback of 1140 would be broken three seasons later by Freddie Solomon.[6]

Greg Pruitt set the current national single-season record with 8.98 yards per attempt,[7] the school's single-game records of 294 rushing yards and 374 all-purpose yards. Meanwhile, Jon Harrison set the single-season and career yards per reception with 29.1 and 27.0.[8] His 2066 single-season all-purpose yards record stood until Quentin Griffin broke it in 2002. Joe Wylie's kickoff return average record of 28.5 stood for 27 years.[9]

The team was led by three All-Americans: Pruitt,[7] Tom Brahaney[10] and Jack Mildren.[11] The team won its first nine games on a schedule that included five ranked opponents (In order, #17 USC, #3 Texas, #6 Colorado, #1 Nebraska and #5 Auburn). All five of these opponents finished the season ranked. The only loss was to Nebraska. They played Auburn in the Sugar Bowl and won 40–22.[3]

The top three teams in the final AP poll for the 1971 season were from the Big Eight: Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Colorado. The top two teams had never been from the same conference, and this year had three.[12]

Pruitt led the team in rushing with 1760 yards, Mildren led the team in passing yards for the third straight season with 889 yards and also in scoring with 120 points, Harrison led the team in receiving with 494 yards, Mark Driscoll led the team in tackles with 134, and John Shelly led the team in interceptions with 5.[13]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 18SMU*No. 10
W 30–048,500–53,545[14]
September 25at Pittsburgh*No. 11
W 55–2934,916
October 2No. 17 USC*No. 8
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 33–2062,351
October 9vs. No. 3 Texas*No. 8
ABCW 48–2772,032–73,580[15]
October 16No. 6 ColoradoNo. 2
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 45–1762,501
October 23at Kansas StateNo. 2
W 75–2837,198
October 30Iowa StateNo. 2
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 43–1260,477
November 6at MissouriNo. 2
W 20–355,098
November 13KansasNo. 2
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ABCW 56–1054,347
November 25No. 1 NebraskaNo. 2
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK (rivalry)
ABCL 31–3562,884
December 4at Oklahoma StateNo. 3
W 58–1436,571
January 1, 1972vs. No. 5 Auburn*No. 3
ABCW 40–2284,031[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[17]

Game summaries

SMU

Team 1 234Total
SMU 0 000 0
• Oklahoma 3 1773 30

Pittsburgh

Team 1 234Total
• Oklahoma 21 2167 55
Pittsburgh 11 6012 29
  • Date: September 25
  • Location: Pitt Stadium
  • Game attendance: 34,916

USC

Team 1 234Total
USC 7 706 20
• Oklahoma 13 6140 33
  • Date: October 2
  • Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Game attendance: 62,351

Texas

See also: Red River Shootout
#8 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #3 Texas Longhorns
Team 1 234Total
• #8 Oklahoma 14 17710 48
#3 Texas 14 760 27
Scoring summary
110:29TEXDonnie Wigginton 5-yard run (Steve Valek kick)TEX 7-0
17:59OUGreg Pruitt 1-yard run (John Carroll kick)Tied 7-7
15:04TEXDonnie Wigginton 44-yard run (Steve Valek kick)TEX 14-7
12:04OURoy Bell 3-yard run (John Carroll kick)Tied 14-14
210:33OUGreg Pruitt 4-yard run (John Carroll kick)OU 21-14
29:09OUGregg Pruitt 20-yard run (John Carroll kick)OU 28-14
24:53TEXJim Bertelsen 3-yard run (Steve Valek kick)OU 28-21
20:01OUJohn Carroll 26-yard field goalOU 31-21
37:17OUJack Mildren 7-yard run (John Carroll kick)OU 38-21
32:16TEXJim Bertelsen 15-yard run (kick failed)OU 38-27
43:29OUJohn Carroll 27-yard field goalOU 41-27
42:10OUJack Mildren 1-yard run (John Carroll kick)OU 48-27

[18][19]

Colorado

#6 Colorado Buffaloes at #2 Oklahoma Sooners
Team 1 234Total
#6 Colorado 0 0170 17
• #2 Oklahoma 14 10714 45
Scoring summary
1OUPruitt 66-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 7-0
1OUHarrison 54-yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick)OU 14-0
2OUCarroll 36-yard field goalOU 17-0
2OUMildren 3-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 24-0
3COLNichols 64-yard pass from Johnson (Dean kick)OU 24-7
3OUPruitt 14-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 31-7
3COLDavis 16-yard run (Dean kick)OU 31-14
3COLDean 32-yard field goalOU 31-17
4OUWylie 68-yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick)OU 38-17
4OUBell 3-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 45-17

[20]

Kansas State

Team 1 234Total
• Oklahoma 14 271321 75
Kansas St 7 777 28
Scoring summary
1KSUButler 2 yard run (Goerger kick)Kansas St 7–0
1OKLAMildren 1 yard run (kick failed)Kansas St 7–6
1OKLAPruitt 15 yard run (Chandler pass from Mildren)Oklahoma 14–7
2OKLABell 24 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 21–7
2KSUButler 1 yard run (Goerger kick)Oklahoma 21–14
2OKLAPruitt 38 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 28–14
2OKLAPruitt 15 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 35–14
2OKLABell 5 yard run (kick failed)Oklahoma 41–14
3OKLABell 6 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 48–14
3KSUButler 1 yard run (Goerger kick)Oklahoma 48–21
3OKLAMildren 42 yard run (kick failed)Oklahoma 54–21
4OKLAChandler 15 yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 61–21
4KSUButler 1 yard run (Goerger kick)Oklahoma 61–28
4OKLABell 11 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 68–28
4OKLAMarshall 6 yard run (Carroll kick)Oklahoma 75–28

[21]

Iowa State

Team 1 234Total
Iowa St 6 060 12
• Oklahoma 17 1277 43
  • Date: October 30
  • Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Game attendance: 60,477

Missouri

Team 1 234Total
• Oklahoma 6 1400 20
Missouri 0 300 3
  • Date: November 6
  • Location: Faurot Field
  • Game attendance: 55,098

Kansas

Team 1 234Total
Kansas 0 0010 10
• Oklahoma 14 3570 56
  • Date: November 13
  • Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Nebraska

Main article: 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game
#1 Nebraska at #2 Oklahoma
Team 1 234Total
• #1 Nebraska 7 7147 35
#2 Oklahoma 3 1477 31

Oklahoma and Nebraska battled back and forth in the Game of the Century in front of a sold-out crowd in Norman and over 55 million viewers on ABC on Thanksgiving Day. Nebraska struck first with a 72-yard Johnny Rodgers punt return, but Oklahoma pulled ahead by 3 by halftime. The Cornhuskers came back strong in the third quarter with two more touchdowns, but the Sooners responded with two of their own to retake the lead with only 7:10 remaining. Down by 3 points, the Huskers went on a final drive and with only 1:38 remaining, Jeff Kinney scored his fourth touchdown of the day for the lead and the win.[22][23][24]

Oklahoma State

See also: Bedlam Series

Frustrated from their painful loss to Nebraska, the Sooners showed their in-state archrival no mercy in the final game for Cowboys coach Floyd Gass, as well as the last game at Lewis Field (now Boone Pickens Stadium) before a massive renovation which expanded the stadium's capacity, removed the cinder track around the field, and replaced the grass surface with artificial turf.

#3 Oklahoma Sooners at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Team 1 234Total
• #3 Oklahoma 17 20714 58
Oklahoma State 0 707 14
Scoring summary
1OUCarroll 26-yard field goalOU 3-0
1OUMildren 4-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 10-0
1OUHarrison 77-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 17-0
2OUMildren 1-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 24-0
2OUPruitt 1-yard run (kick failed)OU 30-0
2OSUGarrett 38-yard run (Pruss kick)OU 30-7
2OUChandler 18-yard pass from Mildren (Carroll kick)OU 37-7
3OUPruitt 7-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 44-7
4OSUGraham 7-yard pass from Pounds (Pruss kick)OU 44-14
4OUBell 4-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 51-14
4OUDodd 5-yard run (Carroll kick)OU 58-14

[25]

Sugar Bowl

Team 1 234Total
• Oklahoma 19 1236 40
Auburn 0 0715 22
  • Passing: AUB Sullivan 20/44, 250 Yds, TD, INT, OU Mildren 1/4, 11 Yds
  • Rushing: AUB Unger 6 Rush, 38 Yds, 2 TD, OU Mildren 30 Rush, 149 Yds, 3 TD
  • Receiving: AUB Beasley 6 Rec, 117 Yds, OU Chandler 1 Rec, 11 Yds
  • OU Crosswhite 4 yd run (kick failed)
  • OU Mildren 5 yd run (Carroll kick)
  • OU Mildren 4 yd run (kick failed)
  • OU Mildren 7 yd run (kick failed)
  • OU Wylie 71 yd punt return (kick failed)
  • AUB Unger 1 yd run (Jett kick)
  • OU Caroll 53 yd FG
  • AUB Unger 1 yd run (Jett kick)
  • OU Pruitt 2 yd run (kick failed)
  • AUB Cannon 11 yd pass from Sullivan (run good)

[26]

Rankings

See also: 1971 NCAA University Division football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213Final
AP101011882 (8)2 (18)2 (21)2 (17)2 (6)2 (8)2 (8)332

Roster

1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G 63 Neil Acker  So
SE 6 Steve Allen So
OT 65 Drake Andarakes So
RB 35 Roy Bell Sr
HB 20 Bob Berg So
C 54 Tom Brahaney Jr
C 56 Paul Bunge  So
HB 25 Grant Burget So
HB 34 Dexter Bussey So
SE 10 John Carroll So
TE 82 Al Chandler So
RB 17 Leon Crosswhite Jr
C 50 Kyle Davis So
C 53 Glenn Dewberry Sr
FB 40 Steve Dodd  So
G 73 Darryl Emmert Sr
OT 77 Eddie Foster  So
SE 80 Willie Franklin Sr
QB 8 Rick Fulcher Jr
TE 87 David Geren  Jr
HB 36 Pete Halfman Sr
SE 12 Jon Harrison Sr
TE 84 Ron Hull So
OT 79 Robert Jensen  Jr
G 72 Ken Jones  Jr
OT 74 Phil Jordan  Jr
HB 24 Everett Marshall Sr
OT 69 John McLaughlin  So
TE 85 Mike McLaughlin  So
QB 11 Jack Mildren (C) Sr
G 64 Bill Orendorff  So
G 61 Jerry Perkey So
RB 30 Greg Pruitt Jr
TE 7 John Reddell So
G 62 Sidney Riley So
QB 15 Dave Robertson Jr
G 78 Ron Stacy  Sr
QB 9 James Stokely So
OT 67 Jim Taylor So
OT 75 Jimmy Teston So
G 83 Perry Thompson So
OT 71 Nelson Todd  Sr
OT 60 Dean Unruh Jr
FB 44 Ron Waters So
FB 45 Tim Welch So
OT 76 Brad White So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 43 Steve Aycock (C) Sr
LB 51 Gary Baccus Jr
DB 27 Gary Carter  Jr
DT 90 George Davis So
DT 66 Lionell Day Sr
DB 23 Max Dayton  Jr
DE 88 Bruce DeLoney Sr
LB 59 Mark Driscoll Sr
DB 4 Mike Dulan So
LB 55 Gary Gibbs So
DT 96 Ray Hamilton Jr
LB 57 Mike Hawpe Sr
LB 41 Wayne Hoffman So
DE 95 Mike Hronopulos So
LB 32 Ken Hulstein  So
DB 31 Vic Kearney Jr
DB 21 Glenn King (C) Sr
DE 99 Mark Lundquist So
DT 86 Haynes McBride  So
LB 48 Richard Mildren So
LB 49 Jon Milste Jr
DT 97 Derland Moore So
LB 58 Danny Mullen Jr
DB 19 Geoffrey Nordgren Sr
DB 18 Steve O'Shaughnessy Sr
DT 89 A.G. Perryman Jr
DB 28 Kenith Pope So
DB 29 Clyde Powers So
LB/DE 81 Al Qualls Sr
LB 42 Gary Rhynes  So
DB 26 Larry Roach Jr
DB 16 Dan Ruster Jr
DT 70 Tommy Saunders Jr
DE 98 Lucious Selmon So
DB 33 John Shelley Sr
DB 14 Steve Shotts Jr
DB 38 Dewayne Smith So
LB 46 Ricky Stokes So
DE 92 Mike Struck  So
LB 47 Gary Weibert So
DT 91 Chris West So
DT 94 Joe Whitaker So
DT 93 Dennis Woods So
DB 37 Gary Young So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 5 Steve Caruthers Sr
P 22 Joe Wylie Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Roster

Depth chart

Awards and honors

After the season

NFL draft

The following players were selected in the National Football League draft following the season.[27][28]

Round Pick Player Position NFL Team
2 46 Jack Mildren Defensive back Baltimore Colts
8 191 Al Qualls Linebacker Baltimore Colts
9 234 Roy Bell Running back Dallas Cowboys
17 417 John Shelley Defensive back Buffalo Bills

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. ^ a b "1971 Football Season". SoonerStats.com. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  4. ^ "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 27. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  5. ^ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 164. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  6. ^ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 35. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c "All-American: Greg Pruitt". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  8. ^ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 166. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  9. ^ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 173. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  10. ^ a b "All-American: Tom Brahaney". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c "All-American: Jack Mildren". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  12. ^ "Huskers solid No. 1". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. January 4, 1972. p. 20.
  13. ^ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 164. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  14. ^ "Sooners pin 30–0 defeat on Mustangs". The Austin American-Statesman. September 19, 1971. Retrieved March 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Sooners vanquish Longhorns, 48–27". The Arizona Republic. October 10, 1971. Retrieved March 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Sooners smack Auburn in Sugar Bowl matchup". The Daily Advertiser. January 2, 1972. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "1971 Oklahoma Sooners Schedule". Soonerstats.com. 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  18. ^ "Sooners thunder past favored Longhorns, 48-27." Eugene Register-Guard. October 10, 1971
  19. ^ 1971 Oklahoma vs. Texas recap - SoonerStats.com
  20. ^ "Oklahoma Routs Buffs." Palm Beach Post. October 17, 1971
  21. ^ "Sooners Romp, 75-28." Palm Beach Post. 1971 Oct 24.
  22. ^ "'Huskers dump Sooners". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. November 26, 1971. p. 3B.
  23. ^ "Kinney leads Nebraska triumph". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 26, 1971. p. 42.
  24. ^ Jenkins, Dan (December 6, 1971). "Nebraska rides high". Sports Illustrated. p. 22.
  25. ^ "Oklahoma Ropes Cowboys, 58-14." Palm Beach Post. December 5, 1971
  26. ^ 2018 Oklahoma football media guide. Retrieved 2019-Jan-15.
  27. ^ "1972 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  28. ^ "Oklahoma Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
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