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Oklahoma football bowl history: Every bowl game the Sooners have played in

By Josh Yourish

Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops smiles as his defense hold the Alabama Crimson Tide near the end of the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma won, 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops smiles as his defense hold the Alabama Crimson Tide near the end of the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma won, 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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02 Dec 2000: Quarterback Josh Heupel #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 27-24 during the Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Oklahoma will play for the national championship at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT
02 Dec 2000: Quarterback Josh Heupel #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 27-24 during the Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Oklahoma will play for the national championship at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT /

Orange Bowl (12-8)

1939: Tennessee 17 Oklahoma 0

In Tom Stidham’s second season leading the Sooners, his team went 10-0 in the regular season to get the program’s first ever invite to a bowl game.

1954: Oklahoma 7 Maryland 0

By 1954, Oklahoma was a college football powerhouse, just three years removed from its first national championship. In 1953, the Sooners went 9-1-1 and finished fourth in the country for the second straight season.

1956: Oklahoma 20 Maryland 6

After knocking on the door of his second national title for four years, Bud Wilkinson followed up an undefeated 1954 season that had the Sooners finish third, with an 10-0 campaign  in 1955 that led to an Orange Bowl win and another national championship.

1958: Oklahoma 48 Duke 21

1959: Oklahoma 21 Syracuse 6

From 1954 through 1959, Oklahoma won two national championships, had three undefeated seasons and won the Orange Bowl four times.

1963: Alabama 17 Oklahoma 0

1968: Oklahoma 26 Tennessee 24

1976: Oklahoma 14 Michigan 6

In 1974, Switzer’s second season as the head coach of the Sooners, Oklahoma won its fourth national championship with an 11-0 record, but no bowl game appearance. Then, the next season, Switzer’s team went 10-1 in the regular season and claimed back-to-back national championships with a win over Michigan in the Orange Bowl.

1978: Arkansas 31 Oklahoma 6

1979: Oklahoma 31 Nebraska 24

1980: Oklahoma 24 FSU 7

1981: Oklahoma 18 FSU 17

Between 1977 and 1980, Oklahoma made the Orange Bowl four straight times and never finished lower than No. 7 in the AP Poll.

1985: Washington 28 Oklahoma 17

1986: Oklahoma 25 Penn State 10

Penn State came into the 1986 Orange Bowl 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country, but Oklahoma ran the ball 52 times for 228 yards to knock off the Nittany Lions. The 10-1 Sooners were No. 3 in the country and used four interceptions by their defense and 12 tackles from Brian Bosworth to beat No. 1 and claim the 1985 national championship.

1987: Oklahoma 42 Arkansas 8

1988: Miami 20 Oklahoma 14

2001: Oklahoma 13 FSU 2

The Orange Bowl was a fitting place for the 2000 Oklahoma Sooners to end up. Three times previously, Oklahoma finished off a national championship season with an Orange Bowl win and in Bob Stoops’ second season that’s what they were after.

Oklahoma entered the game 12-0 and No. 1 in the country against No. 2 FSU.

2005: USC 55 Oklahoma 19

2015: Clemson 37 Oklahoma 17

2018: Alabama 45 Oklahoma 34

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