The 1979 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...

 in the college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 1979 NCAA Division I-A season

1979 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title....

. Oklahoma Sooners football

Oklahoma Sooners football

The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...

 participated in the former Big Eight Conference

Big Eight Conference

The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...

 at that time and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the University of Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma. The official capacity of the stadium, following recent renovations, is 82,112, making it the 16th largest college stadium in the United States and the third...

 where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted a 11–1 overall record and a 7–0 conference record to earn the Conference title outright under head coach

Head coach

A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...

 Barry Switzer

Barry Switzer

Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...

 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

Billy Sims

Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...

 and George Cumby

George Cumby

George Edward Cumby is a former NFL football player. After graduating from Bishop T.K. Gorman High School in 1975, he went on to become a three-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma, , being a consensus choice in 1979...

. After winning the conference title outright, it earned a trip to the for a bout with . During the season, it faced three different ranked opponents (In order, #4 , #3 Nebraska

1979 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1979 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...

 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

J.C. Watts

Julius Caesar "J. C." Watts, Jr. is an American politician from Oklahoma who was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners and professionally in the Canadian Football League. Watts served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, representing the 4th...

 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

Tackle (football move)

Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....

 and Bud Hebert posted 4 interceptions. Billy Sims

Billy Sims

Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...

 set numerous Oklahoma offensive records that still stand including career rushing yards, career 200-yard games, single-season rushing touchdowns (tied)

Schedule

Awards & Honors

• All-American: Billy Sims
  Billy Sims
  Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
  
  , and George Cumby
  George Cumby
  George Edward Cumby is a former NFL football player. After graduating from Bishop T.K. Gorman High School in 1975, he went on to become a three-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma, , being a consensus choice in 1979...
  
  ,
• Big 8 rushing champion: Sims
• NCAA DI scoring champion: Sims
• Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year: Cumby

External links

• 1979 season at SoonerStats.com