Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma Football: Six Bowl Losses Sooner Fans Would Like to Forget

By Chip Rouse

Sep 13, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners fans during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners fans during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA;A general view of Oklahoma Sooners helmets in the third quarter of the 2015 CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA;A general view of Oklahoma Sooners helmets in the third quarter of the 2015 CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

1968 Bluebonnet Bowl – No. 10 Oklahoma vs. No. 20 Southern Methodist University

The beginning of the 1968 season, the second under head coach Chuck Fairbanks, was strikingly similar to the 2016 season for the Oklahoma Sooners.

OU opened the season at No. 3-ranked Notre Dame, where they were soundly beaten, 45-21. On the fourth weekend of that season, the Sooners faced longtime archrival Texas and lost for the 10th time in the previous 11 games against the Longhorns.

So, just like this season, OU got off to a 1-2 start before heading into the Big Eight Conference season. The Sooners rebounded to win six of their seven conference game and capture their second consecutive league title.

Oklahoma actually tied with Kansas that season for the conference crown, both with identical 6-1 records. The league had a policy at the time that prohibited the conference champion from going to the Orange Bowl in back-to-back seasons.

Because of that rule, Kansas represented the Big Eight in the Orange Bowl (where the Jayhawks lost to Penn State in the game that will always be remembered for Kansas’ ineligible 12th man, which allowed Penn State a second chance to score a game-winning two-point conversion). Oklahoma went bowling that season in Houston for the Bluebonnet Bowl.

The Sooners’ opponent in the 1968 Bluebonnet Bowl was the SMU Mustangs. OU came into the game ranked 10th in the country. SMU was 10 back at No. 20 in the Associated Press rankings.

Oklahoma led 7-0 at the half and scored two third-quarter touchdowns to take a 21-6 lead after three quarters.

The Mustangs came storming back, though, scoring 22 unanswered points in the final quarter to flip the scoreboard to 28-21 in SMU’s favor.

Oklahoma, without the services of starting quarterback Bob Warmack, who was injured earlier in the game, managed a late score to pull within one at 28-27. The Sooners went for a two-point conversion in an attempt to win the game, but were unsuccessful.

OU successfully executed an onside kick and was afforded one more chance to win the game in the closing seconds, but a field-goal try by Bruce Derr from inside the SMU 30-yard line was off the mark, preserving the SMU upset win and turn what looked every bit like a Sooner victory as the final quarter began into a crushing defeat.

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