Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Sooner mascot hasn’t always been the Schooner

By Chip Rouse

Oct 29, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; A general view from outside of the venue prior to action the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; A general view from outside of the venue prior to action the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oklahoma football has a long and rich history. Jake Trotter, who covers and comments on the Sooners and the Big 12 for ESPN.com recently came up with some OU trivia that even the most devoted of Sooner fans may be learning for the very first time.

In case you missed it, ESPN.com published an article, “What gives top-25 teams a home-field advantage.” The evergreen piece offers some intriguing, little-known facts about the gridiron edifices that serve as home for ESPN’s 2017 post-spring top-25 college football teams.

When it came to No. 8-ranked Oklahoma and Owen Field, Trotter writes:

"“During the 1920s, the Sooners’ mascot was a terrier named “Mex,” whom an OU trainer had found serving as an Army medic while stationed by the Mexican border.“Donning a red sweater with a red letter “O” on the side, Mex would bark whenever OU scored a touchdown. He remains buried in a small casket somewhere under Owen Field.”"

On Sept. 9 this season, Oklahoma will travel to play the Ohio State Buckeyes at historic Ohio Stadium, more commonly referred to as the “Horseshoe.” Here is what ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren offers up about that iconic and spacious football cathedral:

"“How much do they love football in Ohio? Well, Ohio Stadium was built near the Olentangy River and subject to flooding, but rather than move the location of the stadium, Ohio State decided to move the river.“A bend in the river was eventually straightened to help prevent any flooding of the stadium because it was on a flood plain in Columbus (Ohio). The Horseshoe was a times subject to a few floods despite straightening the riverbed, but it did help keep the waters at bay, proving that nothing, not even a river, will keep Ohio State fans from their football team.”"

As Oklahoma plays out its 2017 football schedule, particularly its road schedule, which will take the Sooners to two other school’s listed in the post-spring top-25 (Oklahoma State and Kansas State), we will pass along other little-known facts about where the visiting Sooners are going to battle.

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