1978 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1978 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big Eight co-champion Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 31–24 vs. Nebraska
Conference	Big 8 Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 3
AP	No. 3
1978 record	11–1 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach	Barry Switzer (6th year)
Offensive coordinator	Galen Hall (6th year)
Offensive scheme	Wishbone
Defensive coordinator	Rex Norris (1st year)
Base defense	5–2
Home stadium	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 71,187)
Seasons ← 1977 1979 →

1978 Big 8 football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#3 Oklahoma +	6	–	1	–	0	11	–	1	–	0
#8 Nebraska +	6	–	1	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
Iowa State	4	–	3	–	0	8	–	4	–	0
#15 Missouri	4	–	3	–	0	8	–	4	–	0
Kansas State	3	–	4	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Oklahoma State	3	–	4	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Colorado	2	–	5	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Kansas	0	–	7	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

#4 Oklahoma Sooners at Stanford Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #4 Oklahoma	14	14	0	7	35
Stanford	7	3	10	9	29

Date: Saturday, September 9
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, California

Source: Eugene Register-Guard

Scoring summary

1	OKLA	Sims 2-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 7-0

1	OKLA	Rhodes 70-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 14-0

1	STAN	Margerum 7-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 14-7

2	STAN	Naber 43-yard field goal	OKLA 14-10

2	OKLA	Lott 19-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 21-10

2	OKLA	Kimball 17-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 28-10

3	STAN	Banks 4-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 28-17

3	STAN	Naber 49-yard field goal	OKLA 28-20

4	OKLA	Lott 1-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 35-20

4	STAN	Safety, von Schamann intentionally downed ball in end zone	OKLA 35-22

4	STAN	Margerum 11-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 35-29

Scoring summary

1	OKLA	Sims 2-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 7-0

1	OKLA	Rhodes 70-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 14-0

1	STAN	Margerum 7-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 14-7

2	STAN	Naber 43-yard field goal	OKLA 14-10

2	OKLA	Lott 19-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 21-10

2	OKLA	Kimball 17-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 28-10

3	STAN	Banks 4-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 28-17

3	STAN	Naber 49-yard field goal	OKLA 28-20

4	OKLA	Lott 1-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OKLA 35-20

4	STAN	Safety, von Schamann intentionally downed ball in end zone	OKLA 35-22

4	STAN	Margerum 11-yard pass from Dils (Naber kick)	OKLA 35-29

#1 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #6 Texas Longhorns

	1	2	3	4	Total
#6 Texas	0	3	7	0	10
• #1 Oklahoma	7	10	7	7	31

Date: Saturday, October 7
Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
Game attendance: 72,032
Game weather: Sunny
Television network: ABC

Source: Palm Beach Post

Scoring summary

1	OKLA	Billy Sims 18-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 7-0

2	OKLA	Billy Sims 1-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 14-0

2	TEX	Russell Erxleben 26-yard field goal	OKLA 14-3

2	OKLA	Uwe von Schamann 35-yard field goal	OKLA 17-3

3	OKLA	Bobby Kimball 24-yard pass from Thomas Lott (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 24-3

3	TEX	Johnny Lam Jones 25-yard run (Russell Erxleben kick)	OKLA 24-10

4	OKLA	David Overstreet 2-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 31-10

Scoring summary

1	OKLA	Billy Sims 18-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 7-0

2	OKLA	Billy Sims 1-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 14-0

2	TEX	Russell Erxleben 26-yard field goal	OKLA 14-3

2	OKLA	Uwe von Schamann 35-yard field goal	OKLA 17-3

3	OKLA	Bobby Kimball 24-yard pass from Thomas Lott (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 24-3

3	TEX	Johnny Lam Jones 25-yard run (Russell Erxleben kick)	OKLA 24-10

4	OKLA	David Overstreet 2-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick)	OKLA 31-10

#1 Oklahoma Sooners at Colorado Buffaloes

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #1 Oklahoma	7	0	14	7	28
Colorado	0	7	0	0	7

Date: November 4
Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
Game attendance: 53,553

Scoring summary

1	OU	Lott 1-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 7-0

2	COL	Mayberry 4-yard run (Dadiotis kick)	Tied 7-7

3	OU	Sims 59-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 14-7

3	OU	Valora 20-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OU 21-7

4	OU	King 74-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 28-7

Scoring summary

1	OU	Lott 1-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 7-0

2	COL	Mayberry 4-yard run (Dadiotis kick)	Tied 7-7

3	OU	Sims 59-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 14-7

3	OU	Valora 20-yard pass from Lott (von Schamann kick)	OU 21-7

4	OU	King 74-yard run (von Schamann kick)	OU 28-7

The 1978 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1978 NCAA Division I-A season. Oklahoma Sooners football participated in the former Big Eight Conference at that time and played its home games in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted an 11–1 overall record and a 6–1 conference record to earn a share of the conference title under head coach Barry Switzer. This was Switzer's sixth conference title in six seasons since taking the helm in 1973.

The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims (who won the Heisman Trophy),Daryl Hunt,Reggie Kinlaw, and Greg Roberts, The Sooners started the season with nine consecutive wins before losing to Nebraska. During the season, OU faced ranked opponents four times (#14 Missouri, #6 Texas, and #4 & #6 Nebraska); four different opponents finished the season ranked. Its only defeat came against Nebraska in their regular season match. The Sooners were able to avenge that loss as an at-large selection to the Orange Bowl against conference co-champions Nebraska, who had claimed the automatic berth by virtue of their victory over OU.

Sims led the nation in scoring with 132 points (based on per game average of 10.9, which includes 120 in 11 games). Sims led the team in rushing with a record-setting 1896 yards, Thomas Lott led the team in passing with 487 yards, Bobby Kimball led the team in receiving with 207 yards, Hunt led the team with 157 tackles and Darrol Ray posted 8 interceptions.

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