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Oklahoma football: OU’s 5 best season openers since 2000

By Christopher Dukes

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 01: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to throw against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Owls 63-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 01: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to throw against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Owls 63-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

A 41-27 win over North Carolina, 2001

There are many more dominant wins for the Sooners in season openers, but this one makes the list because strangely it is the Sooners’ only season opener against a Power Five oponnent since the year 2000 and Oklahoma made the most of it, rolling out to a 31-7 lead in the first quarter and 41-14 at halftime before shifting into cruise control in the second half of a 41-27 victory over North Carolina.

The game is perhaps best remembered as Tommie Harris‘ coming out party. The true freshman defensive tackle, playing in his first game, was an absolute monster for the defending National Champion Sooners, shutting down future Super Bowl Champion Willie Parker and holding North Carolina to just 64 rushing yards on 34 carries.

The defense forced five turnovers, returning two for touchdowns in an preview of what would be perhaps the best defensive season of the Bob Stoops era.

A just-okay offense was led by Nate Hybl, who threw for 152 yards on 20-of-29 passing. The Sooners grinded the game out on the ground in the second half, milking the clock and feeding the ball to Quentin Griffin.

That Oklahoma team would go on to win its first seven games – extending the nation’s longest winning  streak to 18 games before a 20-10 loss to Nebraska. Still the team had a shot at defending its national title late in the year until it fell to Oklahoma State 16-13.

The Sooners would settle for the Cotton Bowl and a 10-3 win over Arkansas.

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