Upcoming Event: Football versus UTEP on September 5, 2026
Football
vs UTEP
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
University of Oklahoma Athletics
A Look Back: 1950 OU vs. Texas A&M
October 26, 2007 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- As Oklahoma prepares to host Texas A&M this Saturday, the Boomerblast takes a look back at one of the most memorable games in the history of the series.
On October 7, 1950, the Sooners, who had shut out their last three opponents dating back to the final two games of 1949, welcomed the 2-0 Aggies to Owen Field. It was the offense, however, that stole the thunder in this one, as OU quarterback Claude Arnold master-minded two scoring drives in the final 3:36 to lead the Sooners to a dramatic come-from-behind victory.
Eddie Crowder, an All-American in 1952 and Arnold's back-up at the time, had this to say about the game during an interview earlier this year: "It was the most startling football game I had seen up to that point, and still is one of the top two or three games I have ever seen."
Arnold and Crowder have remained close friends since their playing days and arrived together for the football intro video shoot this past July. The two former quarterbacks sat down with us to reflect on the 1950 Texas A&M game and shared some of their other most memorable experiences. View the interview by clicking the link above. All-Access members can also view the 1950 OU-Texas A&M game in its entirety.
In one of the most exciting come-from-behind victories in the history of Oklahoma football, the Sooners finished off the Texas A&M Aggies, 34-28.
Trailing 28-21 late in the fourth quarter, the Sooners looked like they were going to tie the game when Arnold found Billy Vessels for a 32-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Jim Weatherall, who had converted his last seven kicks, missed the conversion however, leaving the Sooners one point down with 3:36 remaining in the contest.
The Sooner defense stuffed A&M on the ensuing drive, forcing the Aggies to punt with 1:46 left.
Arnold came back onto the field cool and confident, orchestrating a beautiful 69-yard drive to guide the Sooners to the winning score. The senior signal-caller efficiently completed four of five passes for 65 yards to move the Sooners to the A&M four-yard line.
Facing a first-and-goal with 61 seconds remaining, Arnold called two plays in the huddle in case the first one didn't score. But it did, as fullback Leon Heath took a pitch from Arnold and darted into the end zone with just 37 seconds to go. Weatherall added the extra point to make the final score 34-28.
A game full of big scoring plays, Heath also scored in the second quarter on a 25-yard run and caught a 50-yard pass from Arnold that put the Sooners up 14-7.
The Aggies tied the game when Bill Tidwell scored on a 75-yard run that would close out the scoring in the first half.
• For the first time at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, a prayer was read over the public address system prior to the game.
• Heath accounted for 146 yards (78 rushing and 68 receiving) and three touchdowns, including the deciding score.
• A&M's Bill Tidwell ran for 166 yards and a TD on 15 carries.
• The win over the Aggies was Oklahoma's 23rd straight.
• OU needed another cardiac comeback the following week to defeat Texas, 14-13, in the Cotton Bowl. Vessels scored two touchdowns, including the deciding score with 3:46 left.
• The Sooners finished the 1950 regular season with a perfect 10-0 record to earn the first national championship in school history despite losing to Kentucky, 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
• Fullback Leon Heath and tackle/kicker Jim Weatherall earned consensus All-America honors, while Frankie Anderson and Buddy Jones also gained All-America recognition.
• Claude Arnold, Tom Catlin, Norman McNabb, Harry Moore and Billy Vessels joined them on the All-Big Seven first team.
• Two years later, Vessels became the first Sooner to win the Heisman Trophy.
• Head Coach Bud Wilkinson was honored as the National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press for guiding the Sooners to the national title despite retaining only one starter from the 1949 squad.
• Oklahoma established a new record with 31 straight victories before losing to Kentucky in the Sugar Bowl. The streak, which spanned from 1948-50, snapped the previous record of 26 set by Cornell from 1921-24.
• The streak of 31 lasted only seven years, as the Sooners reset the mark at 47 in 1957, a record which may never be broken.
2007 OU vs. Texas A&M
The No. 5 Sooners (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) host the Aggies (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. View complete information surrounding the game at Sooner Gameday Central.
On October 7, 1950, the Sooners, who had shut out their last three opponents dating back to the final two games of 1949, welcomed the 2-0 Aggies to Owen Field. It was the offense, however, that stole the thunder in this one, as OU quarterback Claude Arnold master-minded two scoring drives in the final 3:36 to lead the Sooners to a dramatic come-from-behind victory.
Eddie Crowder, an All-American in 1952 and Arnold's back-up at the time, had this to say about the game during an interview earlier this year: "It was the most startling football game I had seen up to that point, and still is one of the top two or three games I have ever seen."
|
|
Arnold and Crowder have remained close friends since their playing days and arrived together for the football intro video shoot this past July. The two former quarterbacks sat down with us to reflect on the 1950 Texas A&M game and shared some of their other most memorable experiences. View the interview by clicking the link above. All-Access members can also view the 1950 OU-Texas A&M game in its entirety.
| October 7, 1950: Oklahoma 34, Texas A&M 28 |
|
Trailing 28-21 late in the fourth quarter, the Sooners looked like they were going to tie the game when Arnold found Billy Vessels for a 32-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Jim Weatherall, who had converted his last seven kicks, missed the conversion however, leaving the Sooners one point down with 3:36 remaining in the contest.
The Sooner defense stuffed A&M on the ensuing drive, forcing the Aggies to punt with 1:46 left.
Arnold came back onto the field cool and confident, orchestrating a beautiful 69-yard drive to guide the Sooners to the winning score. The senior signal-caller efficiently completed four of five passes for 65 yards to move the Sooners to the A&M four-yard line.
Facing a first-and-goal with 61 seconds remaining, Arnold called two plays in the huddle in case the first one didn't score. But it did, as fullback Leon Heath took a pitch from Arnold and darted into the end zone with just 37 seconds to go. Weatherall added the extra point to make the final score 34-28.
A game full of big scoring plays, Heath also scored in the second quarter on a 25-yard run and caught a 50-yard pass from Arnold that put the Sooners up 14-7.
The Aggies tied the game when Bill Tidwell scored on a 75-yard run that would close out the scoring in the first half.
| Game Notes |
• For the first time at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, a prayer was read over the public address system prior to the game.
• Heath accounted for 146 yards (78 rushing and 68 receiving) and three touchdowns, including the deciding score.
• A&M's Bill Tidwell ran for 166 yards and a TD on 15 carries.
• The win over the Aggies was Oklahoma's 23rd straight.
| The Aftermath |
 |
|
| Oklahoma's 1950 National Championship Team |
• The Sooners finished the 1950 regular season with a perfect 10-0 record to earn the first national championship in school history despite losing to Kentucky, 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
• Fullback Leon Heath and tackle/kicker Jim Weatherall earned consensus All-America honors, while Frankie Anderson and Buddy Jones also gained All-America recognition.
 |
|
| Eddie Crowder earned All- America honors in 1952. |
• Two years later, Vessels became the first Sooner to win the Heisman Trophy.
• Head Coach Bud Wilkinson was honored as the National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press for guiding the Sooners to the national title despite retaining only one starter from the 1949 squad.
• Oklahoma established a new record with 31 straight victories before losing to Kentucky in the Sugar Bowl. The streak, which spanned from 1948-50, snapped the previous record of 26 set by Cornell from 1921-24.
• The streak of 31 lasted only seven years, as the Sooners reset the mark at 47 in 1957, a record which may never be broken.
2007 OU vs. Texas A&M
The No. 5 Sooners (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) host the Aggies (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. View complete information surrounding the game at Sooner Gameday Central.
Monday, May 18
Thursday, April 30
Thursday, April 30
Wednesday, April 29
