OU to Fiesta Bowl vs. West Virginia

NORMAN, Okla. -- Big 12 champion Oklahoma (11-2) will be playing in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl for the second consecutive year and the fourth time overall. The Sooners will meet Big East champion West Virginia (10-2) in Glendale, Ariz., on January 2.

The 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl marks OU's ninth consecutive bowl game -- a Sooner record. Head coach Bob Stoops has led Oklahoma to bowl games in each of his nine seasons. It's OU's 41st bowl game overall.

Oklahoma is 3-0 this season against ranked opponents and 28-10 during Bob Stoops' nine-year tenure. Oklahoma claimed it's 41st conference title when it defeated then-No. 1-ranked Missouri, 38-17, last Saturday in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Fiesta Bowl Tickets
The OU Athletics Ticket Office will be open Sunday at 7:30 p.m., for all ticket inquiries. The numbers to call are (405) 325-2424 or (800) 456-GoOU. Although the football season ticket holder deadline has passed, season ticket holders that have not already made requests will have that opportunity from 7:30 – 8 p.m., Sunday.

If tickets remain, internet sales will begin at 8 p.m., Sunday for all public sales on SoonerSports.com. Seat locations will be determined at a later date and will be assigned based on priority points within giving levels. All orders will be assessed a processing fee and will be shipped via UPS the week of Dec. 10. Internet sales are available around the clock. The ticket office will be open Monday at 8 a.m.

Tickets are $135 each. Parking passes also can be pre-ordered for $30 each.

OU's Previous Fiesta Bowls
· 1976 – Oklahoma 41, Wyoming 7
· 1982 – Arizona State 32, Oklahoma 21
· 2006 – Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42 (OT)

OU vs. West Virginia
This will be the fourth meeting between Oklahoma and West Virginia. All have been regular season match-ups.
· 1958 at Norman, OU 47-14
· 1987 at Norman, OU 52-10
· 1982 at Norman, WVU 41-27

Rankings
Oklahoma is ranked No. 3 in the Harris Interactive, AP and USA Today/Coaches Polls. West Virginia is No. 9, No. 11 and No. 9, respectively. OU is No. 4 in the BCS with WVU at No. 9. Oklahoma is 18-2-1 against teams currently holding membership in the Big East Conference.
· 2-1 vs. West Virginia
· 2-0 vs. Louisville
· 9-1-1 vs. Pittsburgh
· 1-0 vs. South Florida
· 4-0 vs. Syracuse

Conference Titles
Oklahoma has won five conference titles under head coach Bob Stoops … with five different quarterbacks …
· 2000 (Josh Heupel)
· 2002 (Nate Hybl)
· 2004 (Jason White)
· 2006 (Paul Thompson)
· 2007 (Sam Bradford)

Bowl Games
Oklahoma has played in 12 different bowl games and played in BCS bowls (since the BCS was formed) in these seasons …
· 2000 (Orange)
· 2002 (Rose)
· 2003 (Sugar)
· 2004 (Orange)
· 2006 (Fiesta)

The Post-Season
· This is Oklahoma's 41st bowl game. That total ranks No. 7 nationally.
· Oklahoma is 24-15-1 in bowls. That victory total ranks No. 3 nationally.
· This is Oklahoma's ninth consecutive bowl season, a school record. The Sooners have played in a bowl in each of Bob Stoops' nine seasons in Norman.
· Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops (Iowa '83) is 97-21 in his ninth season with the Sooners.

This will be Oklahoma's fifth all-time game in the state of Arizona.
· Previously mentioned Fiesta Bowls and a 6-3 loss to Arizona in 1989.

Oklahoma has ties to the state of Arizona …
· University of Arizona head coach Mike Stoops and his defensive coordinator, Mark Stoops, are brothers to OU head coach Bob Stoops. Mike was the Sooners' defensive coordinator from 1999-2003.
· OU quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel was on the UA staff in 1999 and 2000.
· There are two native Arizonans on the OU roster – P Mike Knall (Scottsdale – Chaparral HS) and FB Matt Clapp (Phoenix – Paradise Valley HS). The former is a starter, the latter is redshirting.

Bowl Notes
· There are no players on the Oklahoma roster from West Virginia.
· Oklahoma is designated the home team for this year's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

A little on Oklahoma's two losses this season …
· The Sooners blew a 17-point lead in dropping a 27-24 decision at Colorado on Sept. 29. The Buffaloes won on a last-play field goal.
· In dropping a Nov. 17 decision at Texas Tech, OU QB Sam Bradford suffered a concussion on the Sooners' first play from scrimmage and played only two series. TTU won 34-27.

Oklahoma Tradition
· Oklahoma owns seven national titles – 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000.
· Oklahoma enjoyed its 30th season with 10 or more wins in 2007. That's the most double-digit victory seasons by any college program. Alabama is next at 28.
· The Sooners have an all-time record of 779-294-53.
· Oklahoma has won more games since WWII than any other college program – 535.
· Oklahoma and Notre Dame are tied for the most weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll – 95.
· Oklahoma has been ranked for 657 weeks in the AP poll. That's No. 4 all-time.
· The last 67 OU games have been televised.
· Oklahoma is working on a streak of 56 consecutive sellouts at 82,112-seat Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
· Oklahoma has had a first-round NFL draft pick in five consecutive years.
· OU has produced four Heisman Trophy winners – 1952 Billy Vessels, 1969 Steve Owens, 1978 Billy Sims and 2003 Jason White.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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