1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team

1979 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big Eight champion Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 24–7 vs. Florida State
Conference	Big 8 Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 3
AP	No. 3
1979 record	11–1 (7–0 Big 8)
Head coach	Barry Switzer (7th year)
Offensive coordinator	Galen Hall (7th year)
Offensive scheme	Wishbone
Defensive coordinator	Rex Norris (2nd year)
Base defense	5–2
Home stadium	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 71,187)
Seasons ← 1978 1980 →

1979 Big 8 football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#3 Oklahoma $	7	–	0	–	0	11	–	1	–	0
#9 Nebraska	6	–	1	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
Oklahoma State	5	–	2	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Missouri	3	–	4	–	0	7	–	5	–	0
Colorado	2	–	5	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Iowa State	2	–	5	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Kansas	2	–	5	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Kansas State	1	–	6	–	0	3	–	8	–	0

$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Iowa Hawkeyes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners

	1	2	3	4	Total
Iowa	6	0	0	0	6
• #3 Oklahoma	0	7	0	14	21

Date: September 15
Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
Game attendance: 72,531

Scoring summary

1		IOWA	Dennis Mosley 10-yard pass from Phil Seuss (kick failed)	IOWA 6-0

2	4:00	OU	Billy Sims 1-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 7-6

4		OU	Billy Sims 3-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 14-6

4		OU	J.C. Watts 1-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 21-6

Scoring summary

1		IOWA	Dennis Mosley 10-yard pass from Phil Seuss (kick failed)	IOWA 6-0

2	4:00	OU	Billy Sims 1-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 7-6

4		OU	Billy Sims 3-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 14-6

4		OU	J.C. Watts 1-yard run (John Hoge kick)	OU 21-6

Colorado Buffaloes at #3 Oklahoma Sooners

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colorado	7	0	3	14	24
• #3 Oklahoma	7	28	7	7	49

Date: October 6
Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

Scoring summary

1	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 7-0

1	Colorado	Solomon 6-yard pass from Pugh (Field kick)	Tie 7-7

2	Oklahoma	Watts 11-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 14-7

2	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 21-7

2	Oklahoma	Overstreet 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 28-7

2	Oklahoma	Sims 6-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 35-7

3	Colorado	Field 41-yard field goal	Oklahoma 35-10

3	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 42-10

4	Colorado	Davis 11-yard run (Field kick)	Oklahoma 42-17

4	Oklahoma	Winters 28-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 49-17

4	Colorado	Green 1-yard run (Field kick)	Oklahoma 49-24

Scoring summary

1	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 7-0

1	Colorado	Solomon 6-yard pass from Pugh (Field kick)	Tie 7-7

2	Oklahoma	Watts 11-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 14-7

2	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 21-7

2	Oklahoma	Overstreet 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 28-7

2	Oklahoma	Sims 6-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 35-7

3	Colorado	Field 41-yard field goal	Oklahoma 35-10

3	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 42-10

4	Colorado	Davis 11-yard run (Field kick)	Oklahoma 42-17

4	Oklahoma	Winters 28-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 49-17

4	Colorado	Green 1-yard run (Field kick)	Oklahoma 49-24

#7 Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #7 Oklahoma	24	7	7	0	38
Oklahoma State	0	0	0	7	7

Date: November 3
Location: Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma

Scoring summary

1	Oklahoma	Sims 4-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 7-0

1	Oklahoma	Overstreet 72-yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 14-0

1	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 21-0

1	Oklahoma	Keeling 39-yard field goal	Oklahoma 24-0

2	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 31-0

3	Oklahoma	Sims 11-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 38-0

4	Oklahoma St	Suellentrop 2-yard run (Ankerson kick)	Oklahoma 38-7

Scoring summary

1	Oklahoma	Sims 4-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 7-0

1	Oklahoma	Overstreet 72-yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 14-0

1	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 21-0

1	Oklahoma	Keeling 39-yard field goal	Oklahoma 24-0

2	Oklahoma	Sims 1-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 31-0

3	Oklahoma	Sims 11-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 38-0

4	Oklahoma St	Suellentrop 2-yard run (Ankerson kick)	Oklahoma 38-7

#3 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #8 Oklahoma Sooners

	1	2	3	4	Total
#3 Nebraska	0	7	0	7	14
• #8 Oklahoma	0	3	7	7	17

Date: November 24
Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma

Scoring summary

2	Oklahoma	Keeling 31-yard field goal	Oklahoma 3-0

2	Nebraska	Redwine 11-yard pass from Quinn (Sukup kick)	Nebraska 7-3

3	Oklahoma	Valora 58-yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 10-7

4	Oklahoma	Watts 3-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 17-7

4	Nebraska	Schleusaner 15-yard run (Sukup kick)	Oklahoma 17-14

Scoring summary

2	Oklahoma	Keeling 31-yard field goal	Oklahoma 3-0

2	Nebraska	Redwine 11-yard pass from Quinn (Sukup kick)	Nebraska 7-3

3	Oklahoma	Valora 58-yard pass from Watts (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 10-7

4	Oklahoma	Watts 3-yard run (Keeling kick)	Oklahoma 17-7

4	Nebraska	Schleusaner 15-yard run (Sukup kick)	Oklahoma 17-14

The 1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football 1979 NCAA Division I-A season. Oklahoma Sooners football participated in the former Big Eight Conference at that time and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted an 11–1 overall record and a 7–0 conference record to earn the Conference title outright under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's seventh conference title and fourth undefeated conference record in seven seasons.

The team was led by All-Americans Billy Sims and George Cumby. After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl for a bout with Florida State. During the season, it faced three different ranked opponents (In order, #4 Texas, #3 Nebraska and #4 Florida State). All three of these opponents finished the season ranked. It endured its only defeat of the season against Texas in the Red River Shootout. The Sooners started the season with a four consecutive wins before losing to Texas and then won their remaining seven games. Sims and J.C. Watts both posted for 100-yard games in the Orange Bowl.

Sims led the nation in scoring with 138 points (based on per game average of 12.0, which includes 132 in 11 games). Sims led the team in rushing with 1670 yards, Watts led the team in passing with 821 yards, Freddie Nixon led the team in receiving with 293 yards, Cumby led the team with 160 tackles and Bud Hebert posted 4 interceptions.Billy Sims set numerous Oklahoma offensive records that still stand including career rushing yards, career 200-yard games, single-season rushing touchdowns (tied)

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