Five of the Most Frightening Sooner Football Games Under Bob Stoops

Dec 29, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain (78) holds up quarterback Cole Stoudt (18) after a touchdown as the Clemson Tigers beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

October is the month of ghosts and goblins and all things frightening. It is the month of Halloween, which falls on the final day of the month, just prior to flipping the calendar page to November and the final weeks in college football’s regular season. November is also the month of some of the most frightening Sooner football games in the Bob Stoops era.

Like beauty, fright is very much in the eyes – not to mention the mind, heart and soul – of the beholder. One man’s fright can be another man’s fun. That is another way of saying there are two sides to every frightening encounter: a person or thing that evokes the fright and a recipient of the frightening event. An element of fright can exist at both ends of the continuum.

Taking this premise a step further, in the game of football, as in any competition, a loss can be as frightening as being on the winning side, depending on the circumstances. To that end, some of Oklahoma’s most frightening football games in Bob Stoops’ 17 seasons as head coach have not come in the traditional fright month of October, but rather the month following, in November.

We’ve identified five of the most frightening games in the Stoops era and offered up an explanation as to why:

Next: November 25, 2000 - Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State