1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team
American college football season
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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]
| 1976 Oklahoma Sooners football | |
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Big 8 co-champion Fiesta Bowl champion | |
Fiesta Bowl, W 41–7 vs. Wyoming | |
| Conference | Big Eight Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 6 |
| AP | No. 5 |
| Record | 9–2–1 (5–2 Big 8) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Galen Hall (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Wishbone |
| Defensive coordinator | Larry Lacewell (7th season) |
| Base defense | 5–2 |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Oklahoma Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Colorado + | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 Oklahoma State + | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Oklahoma + | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 19 Iowa State | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Nebraska | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 10 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 11 | at Vanderbilt* | No. 5 | W 24–3 | 34,694 | [7] | ||
| September 18 | California* | No. 4 | W 28–17 | 71,286 | [8] | ||
| September 25 | Florida State* | No. 4 |
| W 24–9 | 71,184 | [9] | |
| October 2 | at Iowa State | No. 3 | W 24–10 | 48,500 | [10] | ||
| October 9 | vs. No. 16 Texas* | No. 3 | ABC | T 6–6 | 72,032 | [11] | |
| October 16 | at No. 15 Kansas | No. 6 | W 28–10 | 52,100 | [12] | ||
| October 23 | Oklahoma State | No. 5 |
| L 24–31 | 71,184 | [13] | |
| October 30 | at No. 19 Colorado | No. 13 | L 31–42 | 53,380 | [14] | ||
| November 6 | Kansas State | No. 14 |
| W 49–20 | 71,184 | [15] | |
| November 13 | No. 11 Missouri | No. 14 |
| W 27–20 | 71,184 | [16] | |
| November 26 | at No. 10 Nebraska | No. 8 | ABC | W 20–17 | 76,247 | [17] | |
| December 25 | vs. Wyoming* | No. 8 | CBS | W 41–7 | 48,714 | [18] | |
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Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||
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| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| AP | 5 (6) | 4 (4) | 4 (3) | 3 (2) | 2 (3) | 6 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
Game summaries
Vanderbilt
California
Florida State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida State | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| • Oklahoma | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
- Date: Saturday, September 25
- Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
- Source: Eugene Register-Guard
| 1 | OKLA | von Schamann 40-yard field goal | OKLA 3-0 | |
| 1 | FSU | Key 5-yard run (kick failed) | FSU 6-3 | |
| 2 | OKLA | Ivory 37-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 10-6 | |
| 2 | OKLA | Ivory 23-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 17-6 | |
| 3 | FSU | Cappelen 41-yard field goal | OKLA 17-9 | |
| 4 | OKLA | Peacock 3-yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 24-9 | |
Iowa State
Texas
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
- Date: October 9
- Location: Cotton Bowl
- Game attendance: 72,032
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson and Bud Wilkinson
Kansas
Oklahoma State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Oklahoma St | 10 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 31 |
| Oklahoma | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
- Date: October 23
- Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Colorado
Kansas State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas St | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| • Oklahoma | 21 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 49 |
- Date: November 6
- Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma
- Game attendance: 71,184
| 1 | OKLA | Ivory 4-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 7-0 | |
| 1 | OKLA | Ivory 6-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 14-0 | |
| 1 | KSU | Lovely 1-yard run (Sinovic kick) | Oklahoma 14-7 | |
| 1 | OKLA | King 30-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 21-7 | |
| 2 | OKLA | Lott 2-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 28-7 | |
| 2 | KSU | Whitley 9-yard pass from Henrikson (Sinovic kick) | Oklahoma 28-14 | |
| 2 | KSU | Sinovic 30-yard field goal | Oklahoma 28-17 | |
| 3 | KSU | Sinovic 39-yard field goal | Oklahoma 28-20 | |
| 3 | OKLA | Lott 11-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 35-20 | |
| 4 | OKLA | Lott 3-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 42-20 | |
| 4 | OKLA | Ivory 8-yard run (von Schamann kick) | Oklahoma 49-20 | |
Missouri
Nebraska
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: November 26
- Location: Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 76,247
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian
| Q1 | 0:16 | OKLA | Peacock 1 yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 7–0 |
| Q2 | 9:06 | NEB | Eveland 33 yard field goal | OKLA 7–3 |
| Q3 | 9:56 | NEB | Craig 9 yard run (Eveland kick) | NEB 10–7 |
| Q3 | 6:31 | NEB | Berns 4 yard run (Eveland kick) | NEB 17–7 |
| Q4 | 12:28 | OKLA | Peacock 50 yard run (run failed) | NEB 17–13 |
| Q4 | 0:38 | OKLA | Peacock 2 yard run (von Schamann kick) | OKLA 20–17 |
Wyoming—Fiesta Bowl
Roster
| 1976 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Awards and honors
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NFL draft
The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.[24]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 44 | Horace Ivory | Running back | New England Patriots |
| 3 | 82 | Sidney Brown | Defensive back | New England Patriots |
| 4 | 88 | Mike Vaughan | Tackle | New York Giants |
| 4 | 105 | Jerry Anderson | Defensive back | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 10 | 260 | Jim Culbreath | Running back | Green Bay Packers |