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University of Oklahoma Athletics
How Big a Game is OU-Notre Dame?
October 21, 2012 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- How big a game is in store for Oklahoma fans when their No. 8 Sooners host undefeated and No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday (7 p.m., ABC)? Take a look at history.
Since the AP Poll began in 1936, the matchup will mark just the 17th time a game has been played on Owen Field in Norman with both Oklahoma and the opponent ranked in the AP Top 10.
The Sooners are 10-6 (.625) in the previous 16 games:
* Largest football crowd in the history of the state of Oklahoma.
Twleve of the 16 games have been conference games. The other four? A 38-3 win against UCLA in 1986 (the last non-conference game this big in Norman), a 24-14 loss to Ohio State in 1983 and a pair of losses to Notre Dame in 1966 (the last time the Irish visited Owen Field) and 1953.
In the 76 seasons since 1936, OU has played in 83 total games between AP Top-10 teams. The Sooners are 48-34-1 (.584) in those matchups. But 67 of those 83 games (80%) were away from Norman.
The most common opponents for OU in those 83 Top-10 games? Nebraska (17 meetings), Texas (15), Colorado (4), Florida State (4), Notre Dame (4) and USC (3).
Under Coach Stoops, the Sooners have played in three Top-10 matchups on Owen Field, winning all three (Texas Tech in 2008, Iowa State in 2002 and Nebraska in 2000).
Since the AP Poll began in 1936, the matchup will mark just the 17th time a game has been played on Owen Field in Norman with both Oklahoma and the opponent ranked in the AP Top 10.
The Sooners are 10-6 (.625) in the previous 16 games:
| Top-10 Matchups in Norman | ||||
| Date |
Score | Att. | ||
| 10/27/12 | - |
(8) Oklahoma vs. (5) Notre Dame | Non-Conference | - |
| 11/22/08 | W |
(5) Oklahoma 65, (2) Texas Tech 21 | Big 12 Conference Game | 85,646* |
| 10/19/02 | W |
(2) Oklahoma 49, (9) Iowa State 3 | Big 12 Conference Game | 75,201 |
| 10/28/00 | W |
(3) Oklahoma 31, (1) Nebraska 14 | Big 12 Conference Game | 75,989 |
| 09/30/95 | L |
(4) Colorado 38, (10) Oklahoma 17 | Big 8 Conference Game | 75,004 |
| 11/19/88 | L |
(7) Nebraska 7, (9) Oklahoma 3 | Big 8 Conference Game | 75,004 |
| 09/06/86 | W |
(1) Oklahoma 38, (4) UCLA 3 | Non-Conference | 75,684 |
| 11/23/85 | W |
(5) Oklahoma 27, (2) Nebraska 7 | Big 8 Conference Game | 75,554 |
| 11/24/84 | W |
(2) Oklahoma 24, (3) Oklahoma State 14 | Big 8 Conference Game | 76,198 |
| 09/17/83 | L |
(6) Ohio State 24, (2) Oklahoma 14 | Non-Conference | 76,520 |
| 11/24/79 | W |
(8) Oklahoma 17, (3) Nebraska 14 | Big 8 Conference Game | 72,516 |
| 11/22/75 | W |
(7) Oklahoma 35, (2) Nebraska 10 | Big 8 Conference Game | 71,952 |
| 11/23/73 | W |
(3) Oklahoma 27, (10) Nebraska 0 | Big 8 Conference Game | 62,257 |
| 11/25/71 | L |
(1) Nebraska 35, (2) Oklahoma 31 | Big 8 Conference Game | 62,884 |
| 10/16/71 | W |
(2) Oklahoma 45, (6) Colorado 17 | Big 8 Conference Game | 62,501 |
| 10/22/66 | L |
(1) Notre Dame 38, (10) Oklahoma 0 | Non-Conference | 62,626 |
| 09/26/53 | L |
(1) Notre Dame 28, (6) Oklahoma 21 | Non-Conference | 59,461 |
* Largest football crowd in the history of the state of Oklahoma.
Twleve of the 16 games have been conference games. The other four? A 38-3 win against UCLA in 1986 (the last non-conference game this big in Norman), a 24-14 loss to Ohio State in 1983 and a pair of losses to Notre Dame in 1966 (the last time the Irish visited Owen Field) and 1953.
In the 76 seasons since 1936, OU has played in 83 total games between AP Top-10 teams. The Sooners are 48-34-1 (.584) in those matchups. But 67 of those 83 games (80%) were away from Norman.
The most common opponents for OU in those 83 Top-10 games? Nebraska (17 meetings), Texas (15), Colorado (4), Florida State (4), Notre Dame (4) and USC (3).
Under Coach Stoops, the Sooners have played in three Top-10 matchups on Owen Field, winning all three (Texas Tech in 2008, Iowa State in 2002 and Nebraska in 2000).
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