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Oklahoma football: How good has OU been against AP No. 1 opponents?

By Chip Rouse

CHINA - 2023/02/15: In this photo illustration, the American news agency Associated Press (AP) logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an economic stock exchange index graph in the background. (Photo Illustration by Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
CHINA - 2023/02/15: In this photo illustration, the American news agency Associated Press (AP) logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an economic stock exchange index graph in the background. (Photo Illustration by Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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Up until a couple of years ago, no team had been ranked No. 1 in the history of the Associated Press poll more than the Oklahoma football program.

In the AP poll era, which now spans 78 years (since 1936), the Sooner have been ranked No. 1 in the country for a total of 101 weeks. Only Alabama (120) and Ohio State (105) have ranked No. 1 more often than OU.

Because of whom they are and what the Oklahoma football brand represents, the Sooners typically get everyone’s best shot regardless of what the record is or what the rankings reveal.

As the team with the most wins (700) since the end of World War II and one of the teams with the most No. 1 rankings in the modern era of college football, it is safe to assume that Oklahoma has won many games as the country’s top-ranked team, but they haven’t prevailed in all of them.

In the AP poll era, the Sooners have lost eight times as the No. 1 ranked team:

  • 13-7 to No. 7 Kentucky in Sugar Bowl in 1951 (1950 season)
  • 28-7 to No. 2 Texas in 1964
  • 17-14 to No. 4 Nebraska in 1978
  • 28-16 to No. 2 Miami in 1986
  • 20-14 to No. 2 Miami in 1988 Orange Bowl (1987 season)
  • 30-26 to unranked Texas A&M in 2002
  • 35-7 to No. 13 Kansas State in 2003 Big 12 Championship
  • 45-35 to No. 5 Texas in 2008

This made me curious how many times has an Oklahoma team has been on the winning side against an Associated Press No. 1-ranked opponent?

According toresearch conducted by FanNation, a sports website affiliated with Sports Illustrated, Oklahoma is tied for third with Purdue and USC with seven wins against teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25.

  • No. 4 OU over No. 1 Maryland in 1954 Orange Bowl (1953 season)
  • No. 3 OU 17-12 over No. 1 USC in 1963
  • No. 6 OU 17-7 over No. 1 Nebraska in 1984
  • No. 3 OU 25-10 over No. 1 Penn State in 1986 Orange Bowl (1985 season)
  • No. 2 OU 17-7 over No. 1 Nebraska in 1987
  • No. 3 OU 31-14 over No. 1 Nebraska 2000
  • No. 9 OU 38-17 over No. 1 Missouri in 2007 Big 12 Championship

In addition to the seven wins the Oklahoma program has recorded over No. 1-ranked teams in its history, the Sooners have also played to a tie twice against top-ranked opponents.

  • No. 8 OU 7-7 against No. 1 USC in 1973
  • No. 3 OU 15-15 against No. 1 Texas in 1984

Miami and Notre Dame are tied for the second most wins over No. 1-ranked teams with nine each, and Alabama sits at No. 1 in this category with 11 wins over top-ranked teams, including the 27-24 win over No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship on Saturday.

The 1963 season, Bud Wilkinson’s final year as Oklahoma head coach, the Sooners knocked off No. 1-ranked USC 17-12 at USC in the second week of the season. That victory elevated No. 3 OU to No. 1 in the country. The very next week, however, the Sooners lost to No. 2 Texas 28-7 in the annual Red River rivalry game.

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