# 1984 Oklahoma Sooners football team

The 1984 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1984 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 a 9–2–1 overall record and a 6–1 conference record to earn a share of the Conference title under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's ninth conference title in twelve seasons.
The team was led by All-American Tony Casillas, After winning a share of conference title, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl for an appearance against the Washington Huskies. During the season, it faced five ranked opponents (In order, #17 Pitt, #1 Texas, #1 Nebraska, #3 Oklahoma State and #4 Washington). The last three of these opponents finished the season ranked in the top 10. It endured a tie against Texas in the Red River Shootout, a loss against a 2–5 Kansas Jayhawks team and a bowl game loss to Washington.
Lydell Carr led the team in rushing with 688 yards, Danny Bradley led the team in passing with 1095 yards, Derrick Shepard led the team in receiving with 392 yards, Placekicker Tim Lashar led the team in scoring with 68 points, Casillas had 10 quarterback sacks, freshman Brian Bosworth led the team with 133 tackles and Gary Lowell posted 4 interceptions. The defense set a school record that would only be eclipsed by the 1986 team when it allowed only 2.2 yards per rush over the course of the season.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 8 | 1:30 p.m. | Stanford* | No. 16 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | USA | W 19–7 | 73,417 |
| September 15 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 17 Pittsburgh* | No. 15 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | ABC | W 42–10 | 40,075 |
| September 22 | 1:30 p.m. | Baylor* | No. 11 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 34–15 | 75,018 |
| September 29 | 1:30 p.m. | Kansas State | No. 7 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | | W 24–6 | 72,017 |
| October 13 | 2:30 p.m. | vs. No. 1 Texas* | No. 3 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (Red River Shootout) | ABC | T 15–15 | 75,587 |
| October 20 | 6:30 p.m. | at Iowa State | No. 2 | Cyclone StadiumAmes, IA | ESPN | W 12–10 | 48,509 |
| October 27 | 1:30 p.m. | at Kansas | No. 2 | Memorial StadiumLawrence, KS | | L 11–28 | 27,460 |
| November 3 | 11:30 a.m. | Missouri | No. 10 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (rivalry) | USA | W 49–7 | 75,357 |
| November 10 | 2:30 p.m. | at Colorado | No. 9 | Folsom FieldBoulder, CO | | W 42–17 | 34,673 |
| November 17 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 1 Nebraska | No. 6 | Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE (rivalry) | ABC | W 17–7 | 76,323 |
| November 24 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 3 Oklahoma State | No. 2 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (Bedlam Series) | ABC | W 24–14 | 76,198 |
| January 1, 1985 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. No. 4 Washington* | No. 2 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL (Orange Bowl) | NBC | L 17–28 | 56,294 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Stanford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Stanford | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 19 |

### Pittsburgh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 42 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |

### Baylor

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Baylor | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 15 |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 34 |

### Kansas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Kansas St | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| • Oklahoma | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |

### Texas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texas | 7 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 15 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 15 |

### Iowa State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
| Iowa St | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |

### Kansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| • Kansas | 0 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 28 |

### Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 49 |

### Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Colorado | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |

### Nebraska

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Oklahoma | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Oklahoma State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma St | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
* Date: November 24
* Game attendance: 76,198
* TV: ABC
* Box
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring
Second quarter
OU – Keith Jackson 6-yard pass from Danny Bradley (Tim Lashar kick). Oklahoma 7–0.
OSU – Jamie Harris 1-yard pass from Rusty Hilger (Larry Roach kick). Tie 7–7.
Third quarter
OSU – Malcolm Lewis 77-yard pass from Hilger (Larry Roach kick). Oklahoma St 14–7.
OU – Spencer Tillman 3-yard run (Tim Lashar kick). Tie 14–14.
OU – Tim Lashar 22-yard field goal. Oklahoma 17–14.
Fourth quarter
OU – Spencer Tillman 20-yard run (Tim Lashar kick). Oklahoma 24–14.
Top passers
OSU – Rusty Hilger – 14/26, 202 yards, 2 TD, INT
OU – Danny Bradley – 8/16, 102 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
OSU – Thurman Thomas – 11 rushes, 29 yards
OU – Spencer Tillman – 30 rushes, 102 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
OSU – Malcolm Lewis – 3 receptions, 94 yards, TD
OU – Derrick Shepard – 5 receptions, 51 yards :

### Orange Bowl

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Washington | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |

## 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 | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | 16 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 5 (1) | 3 (1) | 2 (10) | 2 (7) | 10 | 9 | 6 | 2 (7) | 2 (18) | 2 (16) | 6 |
| Coaches Poll | 11 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 (1) | 2 (3) | 3 (2) | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 (2) | 2 (10) | 2 (8) | 6 |

## Awards and honors

* All-American: Tony Casillas,
* Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year: Casillas
* UPI National Lineman of the Year: Casillas
* Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year: Danny Bradley
* Big Eight Conference MVP: Danny Bradley

## Postseason
### NFL draft

The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Team |
| 1 | 26 | Steve Sewell | Running back | Denver Broncos |
| 4 | 85 | Buster Rhymes | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings |
| 7 | 189 | Danny Bradley | Running back | Los Angeles Rams |
| 8 | 199 | Chuck Thomas | Center | Houston Oilers |
| 12 | 316 | Jim Rockford | Defensive back | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |