The first two OU bowls games I watched, we lost both and neither was close. JFK was at the OB on January 1, 1963. Joe Namath was a soph at Bama and Lee Roy Jordan set some record making 31 tackles in the days when we ran less than 60 plays, and CT beat us 17-0.
Two years later, we lost four players who signed pro contracts early, three of them our best players, and Florida State in their first game against the Sooners beat us handily 36-19. Rentzel, Grisham and Neely were missed. Fred Biletnikoff made a name for himself, and "signed his contract" alongside his quarterback Steve Tensi under the goal posts still in uniform. They'd also signed early, but their coach didn't turn them in. That was FSU's only victory over OU, ever. So far.
The first OU bowl win I ever saw was three years later, over UTenn in the Orange Bowl, in a nail biter, where we led 17-0 at half and then barely held on. A year later, we lost to SMU, 28-27 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, after losing OUr best offensive and best defensive player five minute apart in the first half. Chuck Hixson was brilliant for the Mustangs, alongside Jerry Levias. Mickey Ripley and Johnny Barr almost pulled it out for OU.
Then I was at the A-B in 1970 in when we tied Bama. Both team only lost one game a year later, both to Nebraska. We went to the Sugar Bowl back to back and beat Auburn and their Heisman winner like a drum, much bigger than the final score of 40-22. Then beat Penn State a year later, 14-0, my senior year.
I've seen every OU bowl game since 1963, mostly on TV. The tickets have gotten too price for me, but I've been to all but two of the CCG's we've played in. I hope I get to see un in another one, though I don't relish the trip to Atlanta.
