Sooner Scrapbook: 1949 Sugar Bowl

1949 Sugar Bowl

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Nothing takes a viewer back in time quite like old video clips. A vintage photograph captures a moment in time but only video can truly immerse the viewer in the aura of the past. Join us as we travel back to witness the Sooners in action in these classic video clips from YouTube.

We travel back to the 1956 season as Oklahoma, under head coach Bud Wilkinson, continued to build what would become its NCAA-record 47-game winning streak. The Sooners had lost the season opener in 1953 to Notre Dame and were tied at Pittsburgh before reeling off a string of nine victories including a win against previously-undefeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl to cap the season at 9-1-1.

Oklahoma would then roll through its 1954 (10-0) and 1955 seasons (11-0) undefeated. OU earned the program's second national title after again dispatching Maryland in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the '55 season.

In 1956, the Sooners beat North Carolina, Kansas State, Texas and Kansas before traveling to South Bend to meet Notre Dame on October 27. OU routed the Irish, 40-0, in front of a record crowd of 60,128 at Notre Dame Stadium and a national TV audience following the action on NBC.

The first play in the highlight video shows Irish quarterback Paul Hornung (No. 5) dishing off to No. 17 who's pass is picked off by Sooner Tommy McDonald (No. 25). McDonald returns the interception 55 yards to put the Sooners up, 26-0, late in the first half.

Of special interest is the shot of the OU cheerleaders and unofficial mascot "Little Red" celebrating wildly on the sideline at the 0:22 mark (and again at 0:49).

At the 0:24 mark, Tommy McDonald hurls a pass to OU quarterback Jimmy Harris (No. 15) for a 49-yard gain. Harris, by the way, never lost a game as OU's starting QB (he went 31-0). You'll see Harris carry the ball in for the subsequent touchdown (but, alas, not see him line up and also kick the extra point).

At the 0:52 mark, Clendon Thomas (No. 35) picks off another Hornung pass in the fourth quarter and returns the INT for the final Sooner score. Oklahoma intercepted eventual Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung four times, twice returning them for scores, as OU handed the Fighting Irish their first shutout since 1951 and first at home in 26 years. Oklahoma would go on to earn its second-straight national title.

Is there any doubt who "played like a champion" on this day?

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