On this day five years ago, Samaje Perine did the unthinkable. Sooners Wire’s Brayden Conover was there, takes you through the historic day.
Records and awards are broken and won all the time at the University of Oklahoma.
While going through one of the worst seasons in the Bob Stoops’ Era, you’d be hard pressed to find a better moment or performance than Samaje Perine’s 427-yard NCAA record breaking performance.
Perine, a freshman at the time, carried it 34 times to break Melvin Gordon’s record set a week prior, and TCU great LaDainian Tomlinson’s that was set in 1999.
On the fifth anniversary of this performance, Sooners Wire’s Brayden Conover gives you his perspective on that day from inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.
NOV. 22, 2014.
It was a rainy, chilly and dreary Saturday in Oklahoma.
Just as we always did, my step-dad and I got to our seats plenty early to watch warmups. We sat in section 18, row five, seats 26-28 so we had a close view of the visiting team’s warmups and would throw kicking balls that escaped the net in the North end zone back to trainers. After a lengthy lightening delay, we made our way back to our seats, already drenched and oblivious to what was about to take place.
We knew that with the weather, the Sooners would likely keep it on the ground with a combination of Samaje Perine, Keith Ford and Alex Ross.
Perine, though, had other plans.
On Oklahoma’s first possession, Perine stayed on the sideline as Ford got the start. After a negative one yard run and two five yard gains from Ford, the Sooners punted away.
Oklahoma regained possession after a Kansas three-and-out. This time, Perine jogged onto the field. All he needed was one play to kick off his historic day, taking it 49 yards to the house on the first play of the drive. The smallest crowd I’ve seen at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium erupted as the Perine gained the lead for the Sooners.
On the next drive, Ford checks back in and fumbles after two plays, giving Kansas the ball.
After an uneventful rest of the quarter, Perine finished with 61 yards on six carries after the first quarter and the Sooners were up 10-0.
From there, Oklahoma’s career rushing yards leader took over.
In the second-quarter, Perine tallied 161 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. He dominated the Jayhawks to the tune of 222 yards and three touchdowns on just 18 first half carries.
At halftime, there were rumblings that if he kept the pace, he would break Melvin Gordon’s record of 408 rushing yards that was set just the week prior as Wisconsin beat Nebraska also on a rainy Madison, Wisconsin day. Of course, no one really thought a true freshman would break a record that was previously held by TCU’s LaDainian Tomlison (406 yards) and stood for nearly 16 seasons just seven days after the new bar was set.
But once again, Perine had other plans.
On Oklahoma’s first possession of the third quarter, Perine once again needed just one play. Running 66 yards for a touchdown, the crowd that remained knew they were in for a treat.
The chants began as the offense jogged off the field.
“PERINE! PERINE! PERINE!”
The 30,000 or so fans that remained, had their voices heard as the chants reverberated against the empty metal bleachers.
Some 288 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries with 13:56 left in the third. Everyone in the stadium hoped the defense could get the ball back as soon as possible, just to see No. 32 trot out there again.
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