Oklahoma's Fiesta Bowl History

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NORMAN | SoonerSports.com will provide complete coverage of Oklahoma's trip to the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl from the team's departure for Arizona through post-game reaction.

Leading up to bowl week, the site will provide content featuring different aspects of the bowl experience. Once the team arrives in Arizona, Sooner fans will enjoy unprecedented access to the week's events with blogs, interviews, player features, photos and video coverage.

Check Sooner Fiesta Bowl Gameday Central for broadcast options and important information for OU fans attending the game.

OU BOWL EXPERIENCE | The Fiesta | The Stadium
Oklahoma makes its third trip all-time to the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day 2007 to face undefeated Boise State. The game will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl marks Oklahoma's 40th bowl appearance overall and eighth consecutive under head coach Bob Stoops. At 24-14-1 (.628), Oklahoma ranks No. 3 on the all-time bowl victories list.

OU Bowl History | OU History & Tradition | Quick Facts

It's also the fifth BCS bowl in seven seasons for the Sooners. Only Florida State (6) has more BCS appearances.

Fifth-year seniors including Paul Thompson and Rufus Alexander complete their tour of all four BCS bowl games (Fiesta, Rose, Sugar, Orange). OU becomes only the second school to send its players to all four in a career (Miami accomplished it in 2000-2003).

Oklahoma's previous appearances in the Fiesta Bowl came in 1983 against Arizona State and Wyoming in 1976.

1983 Fiesta Bowl
Under head coach Barry Switzer, the 1982 Sooners posted a mark of 8-4 overall and 6-1 in the Big Eight Conference. OU began the season 1-2 with losses to No. 19 West Virginia and No. 15 USC bookending a victory at Lexington against Kentucky.

The Sooners rallied to win their next seven games including a 28-22 victory in Dallas against No. 17 Texas.

The conference championship came down to a familiar script. No. 11 OU traveled to Lincoln to face No. 3 Nebraska. The Huskers posted a 21-10 halftime lead but Oklahoma's freshman tailback, Marcus Dupree, broke loose for 86 yards and a touchdown early in the third quarter. Nebraska's lead was cut to 21-17.

The Huskers answered, marching 80 yards for a score to go up, 28-17, but OU drove 78 yards to again tighten the score to 28-24 heading into the fourth quarter.

Nebraska's defense stiffened and twice denied OU in Husker territory in the final stanza to seal the game, 28-24. Nebraska would go on to beat LSU in the Orange Bowl, 21-20.

The Sooners accepted a bid to play Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 1983.

Meeting for the first time, OU and Arizona State essentially played a home game in Tempe for the Sun Devils although the Sooners wore crimson jerseys.

The magic of Marcus Dupree ran out as Arizona State rallied for 14 fourth-quarter points to win, 32-21. Dupree ran wild early, amassing 239 yards before recurrent leg injuries forced him out in the third quarter.

The turning point came when Oklahoma punter Michael Keeling could not get his punt away and was forced to throw an illegal pass. The Devils took over at the OU 43 and later scored when Darryl Clack raced 15 yards for the TD.

Marcus Dupree's 239 yards on 17 carries set a bowl record and Dupree was named Fiesta Bowl MVP. Oklahoma finished with 457 total yards (ASU had 429) including 417 yards rushing against the nation's No. 1-ranked rush defense.

Defensive tackle Rick Bryan was named an All-American and joined five teammates, including Dupree and linebacker Jackie Shipp, as All-Conference selections.

Other notable players on the 1983 Fiesta Bowl team included Kelly Phelps, Stanley Wilson, Steve Sewell, Paul Parker, Weldon Ledbetter, Bob Slater, John Truitt, John Blake, Keith Stanberry, Thomas Benson and Kevin Murphy.

1976 Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma posted back-to-back national championships in 1974 and 1975. Adding a third would be difficult with eight All-Americans, including Lee Roy and Dewey Selmon, graduating prior to the '76 season.

Oklahoma rolled early with wins against Vanderbilt, California, Florida State and Iowa State before a 6-6 tie against Texas in Dallas.

Losses to Oklahoma State and Colorado dimmed the Sooners' conference title hopes but OU rallied for three consecutive wins to finish the regular season at 8-2-1.

The Sooners beat preseason No. 1 Nebraska, 20-17, in Lincoln for OU's fifth-consecutive win in the series. Oklahoma shared the conference title with OSU and Colorado.

The No. 8 Sooners headed to Tempe to play WAC co-champion Wyoming coached by Fred Akers. Akers would later show up in Dallas as the Texas head coach in 1977.

The game was played on Christmas Day 1976, marking the second bowl game of the year for the Sooners. OU defeated Michigan, 14-6, in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day at the conclusion of the 1975 season.

This was a mismatch that was decided early on as Oklahoma rolled up almost 500 yards in total offense and cruised to an easy victory. The Sooners led 27-0 at the third quarter mark before the reserves added two more scores in the fourth period. The final was 41-7, OU.

Oklahoma did not punt the entire game, the only time in Sooner bowl history that had happened. The Sooner defense held the Cowboys to 204 yards and forced six turnovers including a Fiesta Bowl-record five interceptions.

QB Thomas Lott and CB Terry Peters were named Fiesta Bowl MVPs.

OU finished 9-2-1 and ranked No. 5 in the AP poll. Zac Henderson and Mike Vaughan were named All-Americans while Scott Hill and Daryl Hunt joined them as All-Big Eight selections.

Other notable players on the 1976 Fiesta Bowl team included Jerry Anderson, Sidney Brown, Mike Phillips, Anthony Bryant, Dean Blevins, Thomas Lott, Elvis Peacock, Horace Ivory, Kenny King, George Cumby, Greg Roberts, Chez Evans, Jaime Melendez and Karl Baldischwiler.

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