Crimson Classics Debuts on Sooner Sports TV

NORMAN, Okla. -- Sooner Nation, before looking ahead to the Oct. 27 matchup with Notre Dame on Oklahoma's gridiron, let Sooner Sports TV powered by FOX Sports take you back to the same date 56 years ago in South Bend, Ind.

Crimson Classics debuts on FOX Sports Southwest (COX 37/722HD | Dish 416 | AT&T U-verse 753/1753HD | Verizon Fios 76/576HD) Sunday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. Central with a special edition replay of the 1956 meeting between the Sooners and Fighting Irish.

More than 4,000 feet of film from three 35-millimeter reels of original game footage was restored at DuArt Film Laboratories, Inc., in New York City, to be presented in a high definition telecast. The 90-year-old leader in film production washed, repaired and digitized the collection frame by frame. Much of the transfer is preserved in color and includes ambient sounds of that day's on-field battle and roars and groans from the 60,128 inside the House that Knute Rockne Built.

Hosted by Chad McKee with commentary from OU center Chuck Bowman and quarterback Jay O'Neal, the premiere episode of Crimson Classics delivers a stunning illustration of what many refer to as the greatest game played by one of the greatest teams ever assembled in the history of college football.

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Watch as Bud Wilkinson directs the Split-T offense run by Jimmy Harris, Tommy McDonald, Clendon Thomas and Jerry Tubbs. The cast Sooner legends led the charge against 1956 Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung and Coach Terry Brennan's team to deliver Oklahoma's 35th victory of its NCAA record 47-game winning streak.

Oklahoma entered the game ranked No. 2 behind Michigan State. The Sooners were criticized for playing an unimpressive schedule having dispatched of North Carolina, Kansas State, Texas and Kansas, respectively, by a combined score of 181-12.

The victory thrust the Sooners to No. 1 in the national polls and set the tone for the team's third national championship season. The 40-0 rout of Notre Dame was the fifth of six shutouts the Sooners would post as they finished the year with a 10-0 record. Oklahoma averaged a 42-point margin of victory and put at least half-a-hundred on the scoreboard four different times.

Crimson Classics: 1956 Oklahoma at Notre Dame was edited by SoonerVision's Mysi Jones-Hunter under the direction of OU Assistant Athletics Director for Broadcast Operations Brandon Meier. Additional graphics were created by Matt Jaques and historical research was provided by Josh Troupe and Nikki Zachary.

Sunday's premiere of Crimson Classics follows the OU football recap show Inside Sooner Football with Bob Stoops, which airs weekly on FS Southwest beginning at 7 p.m. Central.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Crimson Classics Debuts on Sooner Sports TV

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