Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Five great games in the OU-Texas rivalry

By Chip Rouse

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 10: A general view of play between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns during the 2015 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 10, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 10: A general view of play between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns during the 2015 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 10, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Brian Asamoah (24) tackles Texas Longhorns running back Keaontay Ingram (26) during the game at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Brian Asamoah (24) tackles Texas Longhorns running back Keaontay Ingram (26) during the game at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

1974 — Oklahoma 16, Texas 13

In 1974, Barry Switzer’s second season as head coach of the Sooners, No. 2 Oklahoma faced No. 17 Texas. The Longhorns were coached by Darrell Royal, who played his collegiate football at Oklahoma before embarking on a long and successful coaching and administrative career at Texas. The Longhorns featured a sensational freshman running back named Earl Campbell.

In the opening half, the two teams traded fumbling the ball away to the other and the half ended with Oklahoma holding on to a 7-3 lead.

This Oklahoma team featured one of the great Sooner defenses of all-time with names like Elrod, Lee Roy and Dewey Selmon and All-American linebacker Rod Shoate.

A 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter by Campbell gave Texas its first lead in the game, 10-7. It marked the first time Oklahoma had trailed in its last seven games.

Texas added a 38-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, capping a 58-yard scoring drive, to extend the lead to 13-7.

With under 12 minutes to go and the ball resting on the Texas side of the 50 at the 40-yard line, Sooner quarterback Steve Davis took the center snap and started to the left down the line before pitching the ball to split end Billy Brooks, who was headed the other way back against the flow. As he turned the corner, he picked up a three-man convoy on his way to a 40-yard touchdown. OU kicker John Carroll missed the extra point, leaving the game deadlocked at 13.

At the nine-minute mark, the Oklahoma defense forced its third Texas fumble of the afternoon. This time, the Sooners were set up at midfield. Davis and the OU defense went to work, advancing the ball to the Texas 20-yard line. The drive stalled there, but Tony DirRenzo booted a 37-yard field goal to give the Sooners a 16-13 lead.

Texas was able to move the ball in position for a game-tying field goal, but a fourth Texas fumble was recovered by the Sooners with under a minute to play, snuffing out the Longhorns final scoring threat.

The Oklahoma wishbone offense produced 395 total yards, all but 42 of that amount on the ground. The Sooners attempted just six passes in the game, completing three.

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