# 1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team

The 1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1979 NCAA Division I-A season. Oklahoma Sooners football participated in the former Big Eight Conference at that time and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted an 11–1 overall record and a 7–0 conference record to earn the Conference title outright under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's seventh conference title and fourth undefeated conference record in seven seasons.
The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims and George Cumby. After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl for a bout with Florida State. During the season, it faced three different ranked opponents (In order, #4 Texas, #3 Nebraska and #4 Florida State). All three of these opponents finished the season ranked. It endured its only defeat of the season against Texas in the Red River Shootout. The Sooners started the season with a four consecutive wins before losing to Texas and then won their remaining seven games. Sims and J.C. Watts both posted for 100-yard games in the Orange Bowl.
Sims led the nation in scoring with 138 points (based on per game average of 12.0, which includes 132 in 11 games). Sims led the team in rushing with 1670 yards, Watts led the team in passing with 821 yards, Freddie Nixon led the team in receiving with 293 yards, Cumby led the team with 160 tackles and Bud Hebert posted 4 interceptions. Billy Sims set numerous Oklahoma offensive records that still stand including career 200-yard games, single-season rushing touchdowns (tied)

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 15 | Iowa* | No. 3 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 21–6 | 72,531 |
| September 22 | Tulsa* | No. 3 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 49–13 | 72,451 |
| September 29 | at Rice* | No. 3 | Rice StadiumHouston, TX | | W 63–21 | 30,442 |
| October 6 | Colorado | No. 3 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 49–24 | 72,512 |
| October 13 | vs. No. 4 Texas* | No. 3 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (rivalry) | ABC | L 7–16 | 72,032 |
| October 20 | at Kansas State | No. 8 | KSU StadiumManhattan, KS | | W 38–6 | 27,257 |
| October 27 | Iowa State | No. 7 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 38–9 | 72,069 |
| November 3 | at Oklahoma State | No. 7 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK (Bedlam Series) | | W 38–7 | 51,453 |
| November 10 | Kansas | No. 6 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 38–0 | 71,882 |
| November 17 | at Missouri | No. 7 | Faurot FieldColumbia, MO (rivalry) | | W 24–22 | 69,973 |
| November 24 | No. 3 Nebraska | No. 8 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (rivalry) | ABC | W 17–14 | 72,516 |
| January 1, 1980 | vs. No. 4 Florida State* | No. 5 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL (Orange Bowl) | NBC | W 24–7 | 66,714 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Season summary
### Iowa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Iowa | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: September 15
* Game attendance: 72,531

### Tulsa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tulsa | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 21 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 49 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: September 22
* Game attendance: 72,451

### At Rice

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 21 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 63 |
| Rice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 21 |
at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 29
* Game attendance: 30,442

### Colorado

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colorado | 7 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 28 | 7 | 7 | 49 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: October 6
* Game attendance: 72,512
Oklahoma faced its former coach Chuck Fairbanks for the first time since his departure following the 1972 season.

### vs Texas

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Texas | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
* Date: October 13
* Game attendance: 72,032
* TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles

### At Kansas State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 38 |
| Kansas State | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
at KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
* Date: October 20
* Game attendance: 27,757
Game information :
First quarter
OU – Mike Keeling 38-yard field goal. Oklahoma 3–0. Drive:
Second quarter
KSU – Black 1-yard run (kick failed). Oklahoma 7–6. Drive:
OU – J.C. Watts 1-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 14–6. Drive:
Third quarter
OU – J.C. Watts 18-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 21–6. Drive:
Fourth quarter
OU – Billy Sims 5-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 28–6. Drive:
OU – Phelps 14-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 35–6. Drive:
OU – Phelps 36-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 42–6. Drive:
Top passers
OU –
KSU –
Top rushers
OU – J.C. Watts – 118 yards, 2 TD
KSU –
Top receivers
OU
KSU – :

### Iowa State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Iowa State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: October 27
* Game attendance: 72,069

### At Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 24 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma
* Date: November 3
* Game attendance: 51,453

### Kansas

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 38 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: November 10
* Game attendance: 71,882

### At Missouri

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| Missouri | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 22 |
at Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
* Date: November 17
* Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,973
* Box Score
* Oklahoma's 100th win of the 1970s (Alabama only other school to do so)

### Nebraska

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Nebraska | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: November 24
* Game attendance: 71,180
* TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring
Second quarter
OU – Mike Keeling 31-yard field goal. Oklahoma 3–0. Drive:
NEB – Jarvis Redwine 11-yard pass from Jeff Quinn (Dean Sukup kick). Nebraska 7–3. Drive:
Third quarter
OU – Forrest Valora 58-yard pass from J.C. Watts (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 10–7. Drive:
Fourth quarter
OU – J.C. Watts 3-yard run (Mike Keeling kick). Oklahoma 17–7. Drive:
NEB – Randy Schleusaner 15-yard run (Dean Sukup kick). Oklahoma 17–14. Drive:
Top passers
NEB
OU
Top rushers
NEB
OU – Billy Sims – 28 rushes, 247 yards
Top receivers
NEB
OU :

### Orange Bowl (vs Florida State)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Florida State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
* Date: January 1, 1980
* Game attendance: 66,714
* TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui, John Brodie, and Bob Trumpy

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| AP | 3 (4) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Coaches Poll | 2 (2) | 3 (3) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 (1) |

## Awards and honors

* All-American: Billy Sims, and George Cumby,
* Big 8 rushing champion: Sims
* NCAA DI scoring champion: Sims
* Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year: Cumby

## NFL Draft

The following players were selected in the National Football League draft following the season.
Sooners who were picked in the 1980 NFL Draft:
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Team |
| 1 | 1 | Billy Sims | Running back | Detroit Lions |
| 1 | 26 | George Cumby | Linebacker | Green Bay Packers |
| 2 | 40 | Darrol Ray | Safety | New York Jets |
| 2 | 56 | John Goodman | Defensive end | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 4 | 87 | Fred Nixon | Wide receiver | Green Bay Packers |
| 5 | 130 | Paul Tabor | Center | Chicago Bears |
| 5 | 179 | Darry Hebert | Defensive back | New York Giants |
| 9 | 235 | Barry Burdet | Linebacker | New England Patriots |
| 11 | 284 | Mike Babb | Defensive back | Atlanta Falcons |