The Oklahoma Sooners and the Auburn Tigers will meet for just the third time in their history on Saturday. Both teams are looking for a bounce-back performance. OU suffered its first loss last week while Auburn dropped to 2-2.
Interestingly, both prior matchups between these two programs have come in the postseason, and both were in the Sugar Bowl.
In 1971, Oklahoma lost in the historic “Game of the Century” against Nebraska, but it was still one of the best teams in college football. The third-ranked Sooners were just behind the top-ranked Cornhuskers and No. 2 Alabama in the polls, but the loss against Big Red meant OU would miss the Orange Bowl. Instead, the Sooners met the No. 5 Tigers in the Sugar Bowl instead. Auburn had lost to Alabama in its only loss of the regular season.
Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan and the Auburn attack were shut down in the first half, and OU built a 31-0 lead going into the locker room. The Sooners rolled to a 40-22 win.
In 2016, Oklahoma won its second straight Big 12 title, but because of two early season losses, missed the College Football Playoff. The seventh-ranked Sooners met No. 14 Auburn once again in the Sugar Bowl.
The Tigers handled the game in the first quarter, jumping to 7-0 lead. However, it was all OU from that point on. The Sooners rode a red-hot offense and a defense with something to prove to a one-point lead at halftime before rolling in the second half.
They capped a remarkable year with a statement win over an [autotag]SEC[/autotag] program that some thought would manhandle OU at the line of scrimmage. Oklahoma won 35-19.
In a big game, the Sooners stars played their best.
Wide receiver [autotag]Dede Westbrook[/autotag] finished his stellar season with one final touchdown in the third quarter. Tight end [autotag]Mark Andrews[/autotag] caught a touchdown, and running back [autotag]Joe Mixon[/autotag] was sensational on the ground and in the air. Quarterback [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] threw for nearly 300 yards and had two touchdowns, showing off his efficiency, accuracy and pocket mobility.
The big story late in the game was the record-breaking career of running back [autotag]Samaje Perine[/autotag]. The junior was playing in his final college game and broke the OU all-time rushing record in the fourth quarter. The mark was previously held by the legendary [autotag]Billy Sims[/autotag]. Perine burst onto the scene in 2014 as a true freshman and didn’t slow down, running to the top of the Oklahoma record books.
This game also turned out to be the final game for head coach [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]. Stoops retired from coaching college football that summer, handing the reins to [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag].
One of the greatest coaches in Sooners’ history, Stoops revitalized the program when he took over before in 1999. He won a national championship in 2000, and kept Oklahoma among the best in the sport for during 18 seasons at the helm. Stoops coached one more game for OU, serving as the interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl in 2021 after Riley had taken the job at USC.
As Oklahoma looks to get its first conference win as a member of the SEC, an offensive performance like the ones we saw in 1972 and 2017 would certainly help.
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