What's your favorite "WOW" moment in OU history?

[K2C Sooner]

I had some favorites that Waymon brought. I loved the Keith Jackson reverse against Nebraska. Loved the Scott Hill tackle on Tony Dorsett against Pitt.


My favorite was Little Joe's punt return against USC.


It's kind of slow on the board, so I thought I would throw out a topic I hope everybody has an opinion on. What you got?

 

[barkingwater2000]

There are 2 plays I remember growing up as an early teenager. One was the Keith Jackson reverse and the other was the one handed grab, also by Jackson, against Nebraska up in Lincoln. Those were some big time plays and Sooner magic at its best.

 

[Yankees03]

This might not be one of everyones favorite but I still watch it on youtube every once in a while. Renaldo Works run vs alabama where he leaped a defender and ran it to i believe around the 10 yard line before being tackled? man, talk about the crowd going nuts. It was awesome.

Also Travis Lewis interception right before halftime in the OU/tech jump around game. It sent the crowd into a frenzy.

 

[Plainosooner]

Second and five ..... OK lahoma just outside the FSU ten.....

Quentin Griffin .... TOUCHDOWN.......

Ten yard draw play. . .And now, the Sooners can smell it.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well, the entire 2000 season was a dream sequence.

I, along with others didn't even see it coming, and that stretch in Oct. when we beat K State, Texas and Nebbish was pure magic.
I knew we had it going on then.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

Jerry Anderson knocking Rick Leach out in the Orange Bowl. I was like 6 years old and it was the first bowl game I ever remember watching. Bo Schembechler was crying to the officials, who were having none of it. OU won their 5th NC after a 14-6 victory giving them an 11-1 record, even though Arizona State ended with a 12-0 mark, finishing 2nd in the polls.

Jerry Anderson came to OU from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and was a 4th round draft choice of the Bengals. He played two seasons in the NFL and then tow more in the CFL. On May 27, 1985 he saved two motorists in Tulsa from being trapped during a flood. Four years to the day later, Jerry drowned while saving two kids from drowning in his hometown of Murfreesboro. Hailed as a hero, in 1990 the NAACP started the Jerry Anderson Hero/Humanitarian Award, and last year, 25 years after his passing, his hometown named a street in his honor.

In my opinion, the world needs a lot more people like Jerry Anderson.

 

[bcsoonerfan]

As for an individual play, its Roy Williams Superman.

But I'm with the guys on the 2000 season as a whole. I was a 16 year old, emotionally charged teen who had never witnessed Sooner greatness.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Arriving in Calera to visit the Choctaw Indians in 2000. It was halftime Nebraska. I commented on the Sooner halftime lead. They had turned the radio off after Nebraska had taken a 14-0 lead 7 minutes into the game. When I told them OU had made a big time comeback, they suggested I was a liar.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Watching Aggie & OU at Kyle Field. AD went into the locker room banged up and later came back out and played. On one play he just simply put it into a high gear and simply out ran everyone on the field. It was indeed a WOW moment. So much so, Aggie fans were looking around and at me saying, "Wow". Truly a special moment.

BTW K2C, nice thread!

 

[Schoonerman]

Originally posted by bcsoonerfan:
As for an individual play, its Roy Williams Superman.

But I'm with the guys on the 2000 season as a whole. I was a 16 year old, emotionally charged teen who had never witnessed Sooner greatness.

Ditto on Roy "Superman" Williams. The Keith Jackson reverse vs. Nebraska is a close second.

 

[soonerdave]

Originally posted by PtLavacaSooner:
Jerry Anderson knocking Rick Leach out in the Orange Bowl. I was like 6 years old and it was the first bowl game I ever remember watching. Bo Schembechler was crying to the officials, who were having none of it. OU won their 5th NC after a 14-6 victory giving them an 11-1 record, even though Arizona State ended with a 12-0 mark, finishing 2nd in the polls.

Jerry Anderson came to OU from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and was a 4th round draft choice of the Bengals. He played two seasons in the NFL and then tow more in the CFL. On May 27, 1985 he saved two motorists in Tulsa from being trapped during a flood. Four years to the day later, Jerry drowned while saving two kids from drowning in his hometown of Murfreesboro. Hailed as a hero, in 1990 the NAACP started the Jerry Anderson Hero/Humanitarian Award, and last year, 25 years after his passing, his hometown named a street in his honor.

In my opinion, the world needs a lot more people like Jerry Anderson.

Lights Out baby!!!!

 

[CTOkie]

1971.....OU 48, Texas 27.....the long 13 year drought came to an end.

 

[Oklabama]

1976 OU - Nebraska game. Sooner's win in the last seconds when Woodie Shepherd throws 50 yards down field to Steve Rhoads who makes a great catch. WOW. Couples plays later.... Sooner Magic ....the Rhoads to Elvis Peacock hook and lateral with Peacock running to the Husker 3. WOW Then Peacock scores with seconds remaining. WOW The best OU win against Nebraska ever! Peacock just murdered the Huskers during his career. I love it.

 

[stuck in del rio]

1975. I was 9 and had just attended my first OU game, which they lost to Nolan Cromwell and Kansas, 23-3. The following week, OU was trailing Mizzou 27-20 late in the 4th quarter, and OU was backed up on their own 28 yard line facing a 4th and 2 - they went for it, pitching it out on the option to Little Joe, who miraculously took it 72 yards to paydirt...this brought us to 27-26 so they ran the same play again, with Little Joe barely crossing the goal line to take the lead and win, 28-27...this was my first wow moment...my second came two months later in the Orange Bowl vs. Michigan when Billy Brooks, split end, took a reverse about 40 yards and scored to put us on top for good.

 

[sooner_mike]

Originally posted by stuck in del rio:

1975. I was 9 and had just attended my first OU game, which they lost to Nolan Cromwell and Kansas, 23-3. The following week, OU was trailing Mizzou 27-20 late in the 4th quarter, and OU was backed up on their own 28 yard line facing a 4th and 2 - they went for it, pitching it out on the option to Little Joe, who miraculously took it 72 yards to paydirt...this brought us to 27-26 so they ran the same play again, with Little Joe barely crossing the goal line to take the lead and win, 28-27...this was my first wow moment...my second came two months later in the Orange Bowl vs. Michigan when Billy Brooks, split end, took a reverse about 40 yards and scored to put us on top for good.

I have many individual moments to post but the wow moment for me was an 70 yard strike to Kieth Jackson in the 1986 national Championship game. That play was made vrs a very stingy Penn State defense.

 

[anon_5z68cgtvj4ggn]

Patrick Collins run down the sideline for a touchdown in the 2nd half in Lincoln in 1987.

Torrance Marshall's pick 6 at A&M in 2000.

 

[runningback43]

Keith Jackson's one handed catch against Nebraska in 1986.

Home run ball to Jackson in the Orange Bowl.

 

[humblesooner]

This for me. I am 56 and have followed OU as long as I can remember. There have been a lot of WOW moments in OU history, but a lot of them were not unexpected. You didn't know exactly what would happen or exactly when. But you knew they were coming.
Until the Griffin TD, we were only one big play away from an awesome "What if.." season.
As soon as he was in the EZ, you knew it was about to be bigger than "What if...".
Totally unexpected season and totally unexpected final result.

Originally posted by Plainosooner:
Second and five ..... OK lahoma just outside the FSU ten.....

Quentin Griffin .... TOUCHDOWN.......

Ten yard draw play. . .And now, the Sooners can smell it.

 

[Plainosooner]

For me, just typing that put goose bumps on the back of my neck.

The Superman play would have been bigger, except that the 2001 team was decimated by OLine attrition, ended up starting four freshmen by November and faded.

As you said, that was the recent one, where it was so special. A magical season in so many ways. And that was the moment, when most of us felt like it was past might happen, and became a going to happen.

Nobody has mentioned Marshall's pick six in College Station, but that was a really big deal, too.

I also have incredibly fond memories of the 1971 RRR. But there wasn't a defining moment in that game, because we kicked their butts, soundly, though a less than admirable defensive performance kept it in doubt until Jack Mildren's final touchdown in the South end zone where he jumped over a defender around the two on an option left.

That day, was really the dawning of the second dynasty.

 

[anon_5z68cgtvj4ggn]

Originally posted by Plainosooner:

Nobody has mentioned Marshall's pick six in College Station, but that was a really big deal, too.

Originally posted by OUSooner4623:
Patrick Collins run down the sideline for a touchdown in the 2nd half in Lincoln in 1987.

Torrance Marshall's pick 6 at A&M in 2000.

[/QUOTE]

 

[MiccoMacey]

Originally posted by Yankees03:
This might not be one of everyones favorite but I still watch it on youtube every once in a while. Renaldo Works run vs alabama where he leaped a defender and ran it to i believe around the 10 yard line before being tackled? man, talk about the crowd going nuts. It was awesome.

YES! I absolutely love that play! The fact that it was made by the son of a firefighter I know and respect up here...icing on the cake.

I'll also add the following year in Tuscaloosa, when Michael Thompson caught the pass on the fake punt. That's a kid who was so close to death just a few years earlier, who made such a miraculous recovery from a horrible vehicle accident. One of my all-time favorite moments in life, not just sports.

 

[Section22Sooner]

Originally posted by Plainosooner:
Second and five ..... OK lahoma just outside the FSU ten.....

Quentin Griffin .... TOUCHDOWN.......

Ten yard draw play. . .And now, the Sooners can smell it.

Agree with this moment. I will always remember exactly where I was standing and the elation that I felt, because I could smell it too. We all could.

 

[Medic007]

Plenty of moments, but one for me was Adrian Peterson's 4th quarter run against Tulsa in 2005. It was 17-15 OU leading with a little over 3 minutes in the game. OU had a 4th and 1 and Stoops went for it. Peterson ripped off a crazy 41 yard run for a touchdown to seal the game. This game came on the heels of the TCU loss that season. Peterson was a one man show in the second half when Bomar was struggling, running for 180 of his total 220 yards.

It's at the 0:51 mark in the video, but why not watch the whole thing. Fitting song for the highlights reel. The last 2 runs vs OSU still make me giggle.

Peterson highlights, 0:51 for Tulsa 4th down run

 

[soonerdave]

Really tough question since we ARE talking about the Sooners. However, one that really stands out to me was Tillman's 5+ yard leap for a TD against Nebraska. Right in line with where my seats are, and I felt as if I was flying through the air with him.

 

[iasooner1]

yeah dave, even though that game was a close loss, Tillman's leap was great. I was at that game sitting next to Schoonerman and my dear departed Father-in-law.

Sam's "helicopter leap" (for 6 ? or just short) against the Pokes was awesome too!
Way too many favorites to nail down just one.

 

[Belldozer1]

Knight leading OU to a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.

 

[opk]

Originally posted by stuck in del rio:

1975. I was 9 and had just attended my first OU game, which they lost to Nolan Cromwell and Kansas, 23-3. The following week, OU was trailing Mizzou 27-20 late in the 4th quarter, and OU was backed up on their own 28 yard line facing a 4th and 2 - they went for it, pitching it out on the option to Little Joe, who miraculously took it 72 yards to paydirt...this brought us to 27-26 so they ran the same play again, with Little Joe barely crossing the goal line to take the lead and win, 28-27...this was my first wow moment...my second came two months later in the Orange Bowl vs. Michigan when Billy Brooks, split end, took a reverse about 40 yards and scored to put us on top for good.

I was sitting in the endzone, about 3 rows back. I thought Little Joe was going to jump into my lap.

What an ending! Sooner Magic, baby.

 

[Plainosooner]

Originally posted by opk:

Originally posted by stuck in del rio:

1975. I was 9 and had just attended my first OU game, which they lost to Nolan Cromwell and Kansas, 23-3. The following week, OU was trailing Mizzou 27-20 late in the 4th quarter, and OU was backed up on their own 28 yard line facing a 4th and 2 - they went for it, pitching it out on the option to Little Joe, who miraculously took it 72 yards to paydirt...this brought us to 27-26 so they ran the same play again, with Little Joe barely crossing the goal line to take the lead and win, 28-27...this was my first wow moment...my second came two months later in the Orange Bowl vs. Michigan when Billy Brooks, split end, took a reverse about 40 yards and scored to put us on top for good.

I was sitting in the endzone, about 3 rows back. I thought Little Joe was going to jump into my lap.

What an ending! Sooner Magic, baby.

On the touchdown? Or the two point conversion?

Victor Hicks' block on both was absolutely crucial.

 

[opk]

Originally posted by Plainosooner:

Originally posted by opk:

Originally posted by stuck in del rio:

1975. I was 9 and had just attended my first OU game, which they lost to Nolan Cromwell and Kansas, 23-3. The following week, OU was trailing Mizzou 27-20 late in the 4th quarter, and OU was backed up on their own 28 yard line facing a 4th and 2 - they went for it, pitching it out on the option to Little Joe, who miraculously took it 72 yards to paydirt...this brought us to 27-26 so they ran the same play again, with Little Joe barely crossing the goal line to take the lead and win, 28-27...this was my first wow moment...my second came two months later in the Orange Bowl vs. Michigan when Billy Brooks, split end, took a reverse about 40 yards and scored to put us on top for good.

I was sitting in the endzone, about 3 rows back. I thought Little Joe was going to jump into my lap.

What an ending! Sooner Magic, baby.

On the touchdown? Or the two point conversion?

Victor Hicks' block on both was absolutely crucial.

Both the TD and 2 point conversion were scored at the south end of Faurot Field. That's where I was.

 

[sybarite]

I remember some plays because they stood out at the moment. I also remember some incidents that stood out.

Incident:
Prentice Gautt takes the field for the first time.

Plays:

1. The eight-yard run made by Roy Bell in the 1971 Texas game that converted a first down on 3rd and seven. We went on to score and broke open a tight game.
2. Scott Hill leveling Tony Dorsett.
3. The Keith Jackson catch against Nebraska.
4. The Roy Williams superman play.
5. The hit on the kickoff returner (I think it was Nance) by (I think it was Ralph Neely) after Looney scored the TD against Syracuse.
6. The Little Joe punt return against USC.
7. The counter play that Pruitt ran against Texas that had him one on one against the Texas safety with nobody else between Pruitt and the goal--one step to the right and gone.
8. The ND TD in 57.
9. The Von Schamann FG against Ohio State.

 

[iasooner1]

of course; "THE KICK". Surprised no one mentioned that one before now.

 

[Plainosooner]

My favorite Joe W play was the 70 yarder against Mizzou up there in '75. If that had been televised, rather than blocked by probation, it would be considered one of the all time plays in NCAA history, considering it was fourth and ten and we RAN not onl for a first down, but a touchdown. Without that, no NC in '75.

I loved the Pruitt play you mentioned. The victimized safety was Alan Lowry, who eventually became a Longhorn quarterback and then Dallas Cowboy assistant coach later on.

 

[CTOkie]

Originally posted by Plainosooner:
My favorite Joe W play was the 70 yarder against Mizzou up there in '75. If that had been televised, rather than blocked by probation, it would be considered one of the all time plays in NCAA history, considering it was fourth and ten and we RAN not onl for a first down, but a touchdown. Without that, no NC in '75.

I loved the Pruitt play you mentioned. The victimized safety was Alan Lowry, who eventually became a Longhorn quarterback and then Dallas Cowboy assistant coach later on.

The run by Washington against Missouri in 1975 was from the OU 29 yard line......on a 4th and one situation......was only one part of the drama that day. The run he made for two points and the lead and the win was the other part.

 

[Plainosooner]

Victor Hicks made the T scheme block on both plays. On the conversion, he almost drove the defender to the sideline.

OU 29, Mizzou 28

 

[iasooner1]

Thanks for the link Plaino; I'll ask once more without checking, is this not the year Griffin took his 2nd Heisman (away from Joe) and I'll assume probation played a part...?

 

[CTOkie]

Joe Don Looney's 62 yard run in the 1962 opening game against Syracuse with about 4 minutes left in the game to give OU a 7-3 win.

 

[SoonerSS]

Can't remember if it was 1986 or 1987....but Broderick Thomas and Turner Gill of Nebraska stating "no way OU can beat us".......OU beats them!

 

[SoonersR4Real]

I would naturally agree that "the Kick" is the first thing that came to my mind. However, in the midst of the "dark days" of the 1990s, OU played Syracuse and it appeared they would kick a FG to win it right at the end of the game and we would lose, again. However, the FG was blocked as time ran out and OU actually won a close game, which was remarkable unto itself during that "era"!