# 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.
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, but were upset 13–7 by the Kentucky Wildcats, halting their winning streak at 32 games.
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.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 30 | Boston College* | No. 6 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | W 28–0 | 36,049 |
| October 7 | Texas A&M* | No. 5 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | W 34–28 | 36,586 |
| October 14 | vs. No. 4 Texas* | No. 3 | Fair ParkDallas, TX (rivalry) | W 14–13 | 75,959 |
| October 21 | Kansas State | No. 2 | Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | W 58–0 | 38,546 |
| October 28 | at Iowa State | No. 3 | Clyde Williams FieldAmes, IA | W 20–7 | 16,883 |
| November 4 | at Colorado | No. 3 | Folsom FieldBoulder, CO | W 27–18 | 30,001 |
| November 11 | at Kansas | No. 3 | Memorial StadiumLawrence, KS | W 33–13 | 37,621 |
| November 18 | Missouri | No. 2 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (rivalry) | W 41–7 | 46,463 |
| November 25 | No. 16 Nebraska | No. 1 | Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (rivalry) | W 49–35 | 53,066 |
| December 2 | at Oklahoma A&M* | No. 1 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK (Bedlam) | W 41–14 | 28,530 |
| January 1, 1951 | vs. No. 7 Kentucky* | No. 1 | Tulane StadiumNew Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | L 7–13 | 80,206 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Final |
| AP | 6 (3) | 5 (17) | 3 (29) | 2 (47) | 3 (35) | 3 (25) | 3 (48) | 2 (63) | 1 (173) | 1 (213) |

## Roster

* QB Eddie Crowder, So.
* QB Claude Arnold, Sr.
* HB Billy Vessels, So.
* T Jim Weatherall
* RE Bill Beckman, So.

## 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.

## NFL draft

The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL team |
| 1 | 4 | Leon Heath | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 8 | 95 | Clair Mayes | Guard | Chicago Bears |
| 9 | 107 | Nolan Lang | Back | Los Angeles Rams |
| 11 | 128 | Frankie Anderson | End | Detroit Lions |
| 12 | 229 | Ed Lisak | Back | Chicago Bears |