1972 Oklahoma Sooners football team

The 1972 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1972 college football season. Oklahoma was a member of the Big Eight Conference and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923.^[1] The team posted an 11–1 overall record and a 6–1 conference record, which were later changed to 8–4 overall record and a 3–4.^[2][3] This was Chuck Fairbanks' last season as Sooner head coach.^[2]

There is actually a discrepancy as to the Sooners' record. The NCAA never officially forced Oklahoma to forfeit games, having only penalized scholarships, TV appearances, bowl appearances, etc.^[4] Oklahoma had used players (including Kerry Jackson, the team's first black quarterback) with falsified transcripts and at one point volunteered to forfeit all its games.^[5] Eventually, the Big Eight conference asked them to forfeit three victories despite the fact that the NCAA still recognizes them,^[6] but Oklahoma now recognizes these as wins and claims the 1972 conference title.^[7]

The team was led by four All-Americans: Rod Shoate (Oklahoma's second three-time All-American),^[8] Greg Pruitt,^[9] Tom Brahaney^[10] and Derland Moore.^[11] This was the first season that the Selmon brothers Lucious, Lee Roy and Dewey, who would all become All-Americans,^[12] anchored the defensive line for Oklahoma. The team played a schedule that included seven ranked opponents (In order, #10 Texas, #9 Colorado, #14 Iowa State, #14 Missouri, #5 Nebraska, #20 Oklahoma State, and #5 Penn State). Four of these opponents finished the season ranked. The team only loss on the field was in the fifth game against Colorado. The team concluded its season with a victory over Penn State in the Sugar Bowl.^[3]

Pruitt led the team in rushing with 1024 yards, Dave Robertson led the team in passing with 1136 yards, Tinker Owens led the team in receiving for the first of what would become four consecutive seasons with 430 yards, Pruitt led the team in scoring with 86 points, Shoate led the team in tackles with 145, and Dan Ruster led the team in interceptions with 7.^[13]

The team twice posted 37 first downs, which was a school record that stood for 16 seasons.^[14]

Schedule

Date	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 16	Utah State*	No. 4	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK		W 49–0	62,546[15]
September 23	Oregon*	No. 2	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK		W 68–3	62,240[15]
September 30	Clemson*	No. 2	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK		W 52–3	61,210[15]
October 14	vs. No. 10 Texas*	No. 2	Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Red River Shootout)	ABC	W 27–0	72,032[15]
October 21	at No. 9 Colorado	No. 2	Folsom Field • Boulder, CO	ABC	L 14–20	52,022[15]
October 28	Kansas State	No. 8	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK		W 52–0	61,451[15]
November 4	at No. 14 Iowa State	No. 7	Clyde Williams Field • Ames, IA		W 20–6	34,941[15]
November 11	No. 14 Missouri	No. 7	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe)		W 17–6	62,267[15]
November 18	at Kansas	No. 4	Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS		W 31–7	37,356[15]
November 23	at No. 5 Nebraska	No. 4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE (Rivalry)	ABC	W 17–14	76,587[15]
December 2	No. 20 Oklahoma State	No. 3	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK (Bedlam Series)		W 38–15	62,363[15]
December 31	vs. No. 5 Penn State	No. 2	Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl)	ABC	W 14–0	80,123[15]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Game notes

Clemson

^[16]

Kansas

^[17]

Awards and honors

• All-American: Greg Pruitt,^[9] Rod Shoate,^[8] Tom Brahaney^[10] and Derland Moore^[11]

References

1. ↑ "Memorial Stadium". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010. 
2. 1 2 "OU Football Tradition – 42 Conference Titles". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010. 
3. 1 2 "1972 Football Season". SoonerStats.com. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
4. ↑ Brant, Tim (January 11, 2008). "After Further Review...The NCAA Weighs In". WJLA/NewsChannel 8. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
5. ↑ Cronley, Jay (April 30, 1973). "Oklahoma Penalty: Illegal Procedure: Admitting that Quarterback Kerry Jackson's high school transcript was altered, the Sooners forfeited eight of their 1972 wins". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
6. ↑ Edwards, Mark (June 13, 2009). "Forfeits, Voids, Vacations Make Mess of Records". Decatur Daily. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
7. ↑ "1972 season". soonersports.com. Sooner Sports Properties. Retrieved November 2, 2013. 
8. 1 2 "All-American: Rod Shoate". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
9. 1 2 "All-American: Greg Pruitt". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
10. 1 2 "All-American: Tom Brahaney". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
11. 1 2 "All-American: Derland Moore". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
12. ↑ "OU Football Tradition - All-Americans". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
13. ↑ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big12sports.com. p. 164. Retrieved July 2, 2010. 
14. ↑ "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 164. Retrieved July 1, 2010. 
15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1972
16. ↑ "Sooners again." Eugene Register-Guard. October 1, 1972
17. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 November 19.