Sooners Football: Five Biggest OU Orange Bowl Wins

Aug 30, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer comes out of the tunnel at the end of the third quarter against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 1, 1976 – Oklahoma 14, Michigan 6

Big Eight co-champion Oklahoma was 10-1 and ranked 3rd in the nation coming into the 1976 Orange Bowl. The Wolverines of Michigan owned a similar 10-1 record, their only loss coming in the annual rivalry game with Ohio State. Michigan was ranked 5th in the Associated Press poll.

The Sooners’ lone loss in 1975 was a stunning upset against Kansas.

Billy Brooks got Oklahoma on the board first in the Orange Bowl game with Michigan on a 39-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter. And that’s the way things remained until the fourth quarter.

OU head coach Barry Switzer knew his team had a shot at a national title with a win over the Wolverines, but that would also be contingent on Ohio State and Texas A&M, the two teams ranked head of the Sooners in the AP poll, both losing in their bowl games.

The Sooners widened their advantage to 14 points when quarterback Steve Davis took the ball to the end zone on a nine-yard run. Michigan finally got on the board later in the quarter, but it was too little, too late as Oklahoma held on for a thrilling 14-6 victory. By that tim, the Sooners were aware that both No. 1 Ohio State and Texas A&M had lost their bowl games, so all that was left was to wait.

The news came soon enough. Oklahoma was crowned the 1975 national champions, the fifth time they had captured the honor in school history.

Next: Jan. 1, 1979 - Oklahoma 31, Nebraska 24