# 1977 Oklahoma Sooners football team

The 1977 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1977 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. The team posted a 10–2 overall record and a 7–0 conference record to earn the Conference title under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's fifth conference title and third undefeated conference record in five seasons.
The team was led by All-Americans George Cumby, Daryl Hunt, Reggie Kinlaw, and Zac Henderson Cumby was named Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year. After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl where it lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks. During the season, it faced five ranked opponents (In order, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Texas, No. 16 Iowa State, No. 11 Nebraska, and No. 6 Arkansas). Four of its opponents ended the season ranked. It endured its only regular season defeat in the Red River Shootout against Texas. The Sooners started the season with a four consecutive wins before losing to Texas and then won the next six before their unsuccessful bowl game.
Elvis Peacock led the team in rushing with 812 yards, Dean Blevins led the team in passing with 385 yards, Steve Rhodes led the team in receiving with 272 yards, Uwe von Schamann led the team in scoring with 89 points, Hunt led the team in tackles with 159 tackles and Henderson posted 7 interceptions.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 10 | Vanderbilt* | No. 1 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 25–23 | 71,184 |
| September 17 | Utah* | No. 5 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 62–24 | 71,184 |
| September 24 | at No. 4 Ohio State* | No. 3 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | ABC | W 29–28 | 88,119 |
| October 1 | Kansas | No. 1 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 24–9 | 71,184–72,331 |
| October 8 | vs. No. 5 Texas* | No. 2 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (Red River Shootout) | | L 6–13 | 72,032 |
| October 15 | at Missouri | No. 7 | Faurot FieldColumbia, MO (rivalry) | | W 21–17 | 63,774 |
| October 22 | No. 16 Iowa State | No. 6 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 35–16 | 71,184 |
| October 29 | at Kansas State | No. 4 | KSU StadiumManhattan, KS | | W 42–7 | 25,600 |
| November 5 | at Oklahoma State | No. 3 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK (Bedlam Series) | | W 61–28 | 50,088 |
| November 12 | Colorado | No. 3 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | ABC | W 52–14 | 71,184 |
| November 25 | No. 11 Nebraska | No. 3 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (rivalry) | ABC | W 38–7 | 71,184 |
| January 1, 1978 | vs. No. 6 Arkansas* | No. 2 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL (Orange Bowl) | NBC | L 6–31 | 60,987 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | 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 | Final |
| AP | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Coaches Poll | Not released | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |

## Game summaries
### Vanderbilt

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vanderbilt | 5 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 23 |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 25 |

### Utah

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Utah | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| • Oklahoma | 31 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 62 |

### At Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 17 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 29 |
| Ohio State | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
* Date: September 29
* Game time: 1:55 p.m.
* Game weather: Overcast, 78 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 88,119
* Referee: Gene Calhoun (Big Ten)
* TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OKLA – Elvis Peacock 33-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 11:59. Oklahoma 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:09.
OKLA – Billy Sims 14-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 11:05. Oklahoma 14–0. Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:45.
OKLA – Uwe von Schamann 23-yard field goal, 3:29. Oklahoma 17–0. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:08.
Second quarter
OKLA – Uwe von Schamann 33-yard field goal, 12:58. Oklahoma 20–0. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 3:31.
OSU – Ron Springs 30-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 10:32. Oklahoma 20–7. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:23.
OSU – Rod Gerald 19-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 9:46. Oklahoma 20–14. Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:06.
Third quarter
OSU – Joel Payton 1-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 8:04. Ohio State 21–20. Drive: 7 plays, 48 yards, 3:51.
OSU – Jimmy Moore 16-yard pass from Greg Castignola (Vlade Janakievski kick), 4:44. Ohio State 28–20. Drive: 5 plays, 33 yards, 2:01.
Fourth quarter
OKLA – Elvis Peacock 1-yard run (run failed), 1:29. Ohio State 28–26. Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 4:55.
OKLA – Uwe von Schamann 41-yard field goal, 0:03. Oklahoma 29–28. Drive: 5 plays, 50 yards, 1:18.
Top passers
OKLA – Dean Blevins – 3/5, 44 yards, 2 INT
OSU – Greg Castignola – 2/2, 29 yards, TD
Top rushers
OKLA – Billy Sims – 11 rushes, 60 yards, TD
OSU – Ron Springs – 14 rushes, 64 yards, TD
Top receivers
OKLA – Steve Rhodes – 3 receptions, 44 yards
OSU – Jimmy Moore – 1 reception, 16 yards, TD :
"The Kick" - Uwe von Schamann pretended to conduct the crowd as they chanted prior to his field goal attempt

### Kansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 24 |

### Texas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| • Texas | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 13 |

### Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| Missouri | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |

### Iowa State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Iowa St | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |

### Kansas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| Kansas St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |

### Oklahoma State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 10 | 11 | 24 | 16 | 61 |
| Oklahoma St | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 28 |

### Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colorado | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| • Oklahoma | 14 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 52 |

### Nebraska

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Nebraska | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 38 |

### Orange Bowl

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Arkansas | 14 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |

## Awards and honors

* All-American: George Cumby, Daryl Hunt, Reggie Kinlaw, and Zac Henderson
* Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year: Cumby

## NFL draft

The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Team |
| 1 | 20 | Elvis Peacock | Running back | Los Angeles Rams |
| 3 | 84 | Dave Hudgens | Tackle | Dallas Cowboys |
| 7 | 178 | Karl Baldischwiler | Tackle | Miami Dolphins |
| 11 | 289 | Richard Murray | Defensive tackle | Detroit Lions |