Completed Event: Football versus UTEP on September 4, 2026 , Win , 51, to, 0
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Football
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners No Strangers to Large Crowds
September 10, 2015 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma Football is no stranger to stadiums filled to capacity. Throughout their unrivaled history, the Sooners have played in some of college football's greatest venues and in its biggest games. As this year's team prepares to hit the road to take on No. 23 Tennessee in front of what will be the largest crowd to ever watch an OU football game (Neyland Stadium seats 102,455 and the game is sold out), we take at a look back at some of the highest-attended games throughout Sooner history.
LARGEST OU/TEXAS CROWDS
T1. 2010 vs. Texas (96,009)
8 Oklahoma
28
20
21 Texas
Recap
Final StatsThe 2010 Red River Rivalry came down to the wire, but when the smoke cleared Oklahoma stood victorious yet again on Cotton Bowl soil.
The No. 8 Sooners controlled the game early over No. 21 Texas. OU jumped out quickly after running back (and current NFL Offensive Player of the Year) DeMarco Murray rushed for a touchdown and quarterback Landry Jones threw a pair of scores to wide receiver Kenny Stills and tight end James Hanna.
After intermission, the Sooners added what would turn out to be the clinching touchdown when Murray took a handoff 20 yards around the left edge and tip-toed down the sideline before summersaulting into the end zone to put Oklahoma up 28-10 with just under 13 minutes to play.
Texas rallied to cut the lead to 28-20 late and forced the Sooners to punt from deep in their own territory with 1:08 left to play. The Texas returner muffed the punt and OU longsnapper James Winchester pounced on the ball to ice another Bob Stoops win over the Longhorns, his seventh.
T1. 2011 vs. Texas (96,009)
3 Oklahoma
55
14
11 Texas
Oklahoma entered the Cotton Bowl in 2011 ranked No. 3 in the nation and looking to make a case as the best team in the country with a win over No. 11 Texas. The Sooners would do just that with a 55-14 rout of the Longhorns.
The swarming Oklahoma defense set the tone, scoring three touchdowns, forcing five turnovers, recording 16.0 tackles for loss and sacking the Texas signal caller eight times. The Sooners' offense was spectacular, as well, as quarterback Landry Jones went 31-50 for 367 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Walk-on running back Dominique Whaley led OU in rushing with 13 carries for 83 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown scamper.
The game marked the fourth largest margin of victory against Texas. OU's wins in 2003 (65-13), 2000 (63-14) and 1973 (52-13) were the only ones more lopsided.
T1. 2009 vs. Texas (96,009)
20 Oklahoma
13
16
3 Texas
LARGEST HOME CROWDS
1. 2012 vs. Notre Dame (86,031)
5 Oklahoma
13
30
8 Notre Dame
2. 2012 vs. Oklahoma State (85,824)
13 Oklahoma
51
48
21 Oklahoma St.
In one of the most dramatic games in the 109-year history of the Bedlam series, the Sooners outlasted Oklahoma State in a high-scoring affair that need overtime to determine a winner.
The Cowboys jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and were ahead for much of the first half before a juggling catch by wide receiver Kenny Stills with just seconds remaining in the second quarter knotted the contest at 24. OSU was quick out of the gates again in the second half, leading most of the way, but a punt return from receiver Jalen Saunders and a surgical drive led by quarterback Landry Jones that was capped by a rushing touchdown from the 'Belldozer' formation with just 10 seconds remaining in regulation erased the Cowboy lead and sent the game to overtime.
In the extra period, the Sooners won the toss and elected to play defense. OU was able to hold the Cowboys to just a field goal and thus could win the game with a touchdown. On 2nd-and-3 from the 18-yard line, Brennan Clay took a shotgun handoff from Jones right up the middle and broke two tackles on his way to pay dirt. The score gave the Sooners a 51-48 win and the second largest crowd in Gaylord Family – Memorial Stadium history rejoiced.
3. 2011 vs. Texas A&M (85,709)
6 Oklahoma
41
25
Texas A&M
In Texas A&M's last trip to Norman as a member of the Big 12 Conference, the Sooners gave the Aggies quite a going-away gift. In front of, at the time, the largest home crowd in Sooners history, No. 6 Oklahoma topped the visitors from College Station 41-25.
As they do in nearly every football game, turnovers played a pivotal role in the contest. The OU defense snagged four takeaways, including three interceptions of future Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and notched eight tackles for loss. OU quarterback Landry Jones went 18 for 38 for 255 yards and threw touchdown passes to receivers Jaz Reynolds and Kenny Stills. Running back Roy Finch led the Sooners in rushing with 102 yards on 26 carries and added a touchdown, while backup quarterback Blake Bell racked up another 37 yards and several key first-down pickups from the 'Belldozer' formation to go along with a pair of rushing touchdowns of his own.
LARGEST ROAD GAME CROWDS
1. 1977 at Ohio State (88,119)
3 Oklahoma
29
28
4 Ohio State
The 1977 Oklahoma football team traveled to Columbus, Ohio, ranked No. 3 in the nation and hoping for a big win over No. 4 Ohio State that would send a message to the college football world. What ensued was one of the most memorable games in Sooners' history, capped by an iconic play that became legend.
Oklahoma opened a 20-0 lead, overwhelming the larger Buckeyes with its team speed. The Sooners' wishbone offense produced rushing touchdowns from Elvis Peacock and Billy Sims, and added a pair of field goals from Uwe von Schamann.
The OU attack was then slowed by injuries to Sims and quarterback Thomas Lott, and the OSU offense found its rhythm, ripping off 28 straight points to lead 28-20.
With just minutes left in the game, the Sooners drove the length of the field and cut the Buckeyes' lead with another rushing touchdown from Peacock. After an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt and trailing by two, OU was forced try an on-side kick to keep its hopes alive.
As fate would have it, the Sooners fell on the bouncing attempt and drove into field goal range with just six seconds left in regulation. Legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes called a timeout in an effort to ice von Schamann, but as the home crowd chanted, “Block that kick!” von Schamann led the cheer from midfield as if he were an orchestra conductor.
That confidence turned out to be justified, as von Schamann drilled a 41-yarder to give Oklahoma a 29-28 win in the first ever meeting between the two teams.
2. 2000 at Texas A&M (87,188)
1 Oklahoma
35
31
23 Texas A&M
Along the road to a championship, any great team must overcome adversity. When Oklahoma entered Aggie land in 2000 undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation, No. 23 Texas A&M was more than happy to try and play the role of spoiler.
The game was extremely close for much of the first half, with A&M taking a touchdown lead into the break. OU quarterback Josh Heupel finished 28 for 42 with two touchdowns and running back Quentin Griffin added two more scores on 17 carries for 74 yards, but the Aggies maintained a lead for much of the second half as turnovers plagued the Sooners.
Trailing 31-21 early in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma assembled a 16-play touchdown drive that was capped by a two-yard score from Griffin to cut the lead to three. On the first play of A&M's ensuing drive, linebacker Torrance Marshall dropped into coverage and came up with a play Sooners fans will never forget. After snagging the pass, Marshall spun and took the ball back 41 yards to pay dirt to give OU a 35-31 lead, a score that held for the remainder of the contest.
The Sooners went on to finish the year undefeated, winning the Big 12 Championship and topping Florida State in the Orange Bowl to claim the program's seventh national championship.
3. 1988 at USC (86,124)
5 Oklahoma
7
23
3 USC
LARGEST BOWL GAME CROWDS
1. 2012 Cotton Bowl vs. Texas A&M (87,025)
9 Oklahoma
13
41
11 Texas A&M
2. 2002 Rose Bowl vs. Wash. St. (86,848)
7 Oklahoma
34
14
6 Washington State
The 2002 Rose Bowl bloomed all crimson as No. 8 Oklahoma soundly defeated No. 7 Washington State. The Sooners controlled the game from the opening kick and led wire-to-wire in their only Rose Bowl appearance in program history.
OU dominated on both sides of the ball, running out to a 27-0 lead through the third quarter. Running back Quentin Griffin led the Sooners with 162 yards rushing on 30 carries. Quarterback Nate Hybl completed 19 of 29 attempts for 240 yards, including touchdowns to wideouts Antwone Savage and Curtis Fagan.
The Oklahoma defense, led by All-American linebacker Teddy Lehman, was perhaps even more impressive, forcing three turnovers while sacking the Cougars' signal caller six times.
When the clock read all zeroes, the Sooners stood victorious, 34-14. Hybl was named the game's MVP and Oklahoma became just the fourth school in college football history to win all four BCS Bowls plus the Cotton Bowl.
2. 1972 Sugar Bowl vs. Auburn (84,031)
3 Oklahoma
40
22
5 Auburn
The 1971 Sooners finished the season with just one loss, to Nebraska in the “Game of the Century” in the second-to-last game of the regular season. With their national championship hopes dashed, the Sooners were hungry to prove that they were still one of the best teams in the nation. They got that opportunity with a Sugar Bowl bid, and made the most of it, routing Auburn 40-22.
It was run vs. pass as the Sooners' triple option stood toe-to-toe with Heisman quarterback Pat Sullivan. Oklahoma set Sugar Bowl records for rushing attempts with 87 and rushing yards with 439, records that still stand today.
In the final game of his historic career, quarterback Jack Mildren led the Sooners with 149 yards rushing and three touchdowns and was named the game's MVP. Oklahoma stormed to a 31-0 lead at halftime and never looked back, finishing off the Tigers to end the year at 11-1 and No. 2 in the final AP Poll.
Players Mentioned
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