1950 Oklahoma Sooners football team
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.
1950 Oklahoma Sooners football | |
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Consensus national champion Big Seven champion | |
Sugar Bowl, L 7–13 vs. Kentucky | |
Conference | Big Eight Conference |
Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 1 |
AP | No. 1 |
1950 record | 10–1 (6–0 Big 7) |
Head coach | Bud Wilkinson (4th season) |
Home stadium | Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 55,647) |
1950 Big Seven Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 1 Oklahoma $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 17 Nebraska | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa State | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas State | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 9 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 30 | at Boston College* | No. 6 |
| W 28–0 | 36,049 |
October 7 | Texas A&M* | No. 5 |
| W 34–28 | 36,586 |
October 14 | vs. No. 4 Texas* | No. 3 |
| W 14–13 | 75,959 |
October 21 | Kansas State | No. 2 |
| W 58–0 | 38,546 |
October 28 | at Iowa State | No. 3 |
| W 48–0 | 16,883 |
November 4 | at Colorado | No. 3 | W 27–18 | 30,001 | |
November 11 | at Kansas | No. 3 |
| W 33–13 | 37,621 |
November 18 | Missouri | No. 2 |
| W 41–7 | 46,463 |
November 25 | No. 16 Nebraska | No. 1 |
| W 49–35 | 53,066 |
December 2 | Oklahoma A&M* | No. 1 |
| W 41–14 | 28,530 |
January 1, 1951 | vs. No. 7 Kentucky* | No. 1 | L 7–13 | 80,206 | |
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Roster
- QB Eddie Crowder, So.
- QB Claude Arnold, Sr.
- HB Billy Vessels, So.
- T Jim Weatherall
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.[4]
NFL Draft
The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.[5]
Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leon Heath | Back | 1 | 4 | Washington Redskins |
Clair Mayes | Guard | 8 | 95 | Chicago Bears |
Nolan Lang | Back | 9 | 107 | Los Angeles Rams |
Frankie Anderson | End | 11 | 128 | Detroit Lions |
Ed Lisak | Back | 19 | 229 | Chicago Bears |
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.
- Palm Beach Post
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1951.htm