2017 Oklahoma Sooners football team

2017 Oklahoma Sooners football
Big 12 champion
Big 12 Championship, W 41–17 vs. TCU
Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal),
L 48–542OT vs. Georgia
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
Record12–2 (8–1 Big 12)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorCale Gundy (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorBill Bedenbaugh (1st season)
Offensive schemeAir raid
Defensive coordinatorMike Stoops (11th season)
Base defense3–4
CaptainOrlando Brown Jr.
Baker Mayfield
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Steven Parker
Home stadiumGaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 Big 12 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 3 Oklahoma y$^   8 1     12 2  
No. 9 TCU y   7 2     11 3  
No. 14 Oklahoma State   6 3     10 3  
Texas   5 4     7 6  
West Virginia   5 4     7 6  
Kansas State   5 4     8 5  
Iowa State   5 4     8 5  
Texas Tech   3 6     6 7  
Baylor   1 8     1 11  
Kansas   0 9     1 11  
Championship: Oklahoma 41, TCU 17
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2017 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 123rd season of Sooner football. The team was led by Lincoln Riley, who was in his first year as head coach, after the retirement of Bob Stoops in June 2017.[1] They played their home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They are a charter member of the Big 12 Conference.

Conference play began with a 49–41 win against Baylor in Waco, Texas and ended with a 59–31 win against West Virginia in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma finished conference play with the best record in the conference with an 8–1 record. They went on to play TCU in the 2017 Big 12 Championship Game which they won 41–17 to win their twelfth Big 12 Championship and their third consecutive.

Oklahoma was selected as the 2nd seed to play in the 2017 College Football Playoff and lost to the 3rd seed Georgia in the Rose Bowl.

Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield earned several national honors, including winning the school's sixth Heisman Trophy, distinguishing him as the best player in college football during the 2017 season. Mayfield threw for 4,627 yards and 43 passing touchdowns on the year, second in FBS in both categories.[2] He broke his own NCAA FBS record for passing efficiency rating with a rating of 198.9.[3]

Coaching staff

[edit]

On June 7, 2017 Bob Stoops announced his retirement after 17 seasons as head coach.[4] Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley was promoted to head coach. On June 14, Riley hired former ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill to coach defensive tackles.[5] With the offensive coordinator positions vacant Riley promoted Cale Gundy and Bill Bedenbaugh as co-coordinators, but Riley will continue to call plays for the season.[6]

Name Position Alma mater Joined staff
Lincoln Riley Head Coach / quarterbacks Texas Tech (2006) 2015/2017
Mike Stoops Defensive Coordinator / Outside Linebackers Iowa (1986) 1999/2012
Cale Gundy Co-offensive coordinator/ Inside Wide Receivers Coach / recruiting coordinator Oklahoma (1994) 1999
Bill Bedenbaugh Co-offensive coordinator / Offensive Line coach Iowa Wesleyan (1995) 2013
Jay Boulware Special Team Coordinator / running backs coach Texas (1996) 2013
Kerry Cooks Assistant defensive coordinator / defensive backs coach Iowa (1993) 2015
Ruffin McNeill Assistant Head Coach / Defensive tackles East Carolina (1980) 2017
Tim Kish Inside Linebackers coach Otterbein (1976) 2012
Dennis Simmons Outside Wide Receivers coach BYU (1997) 2015
Calvin Thibodeaux Defensive Ends coach Oklahoma (2006) 2016
Jerry Schmidt Director of Sports Enhancement Nebraska (1986) 1999
Matt McMillen Assistant A.D. Football Operations Kansas State (1985) 1999
Jamarkus McFarland Graduate assistant Oklahoma (2013) 2016

Roster

[edit]
2017 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 1 Kyler Murray  So
WR 2 Jeff Badet  Sr
WR 3 Mykel Jones So
QB 3 Connor McGinnis  So
RB 4 Trey Sermon Fr
WR 5 Marquise Brown So
QB 6 Baker Mayfield  Sr
WR 9 CeeDee Lamb Fr
QB 9 Tanner Schafer  Fr
QB 10 Austin Kendall So
WR 11 Charleston Rambo Fr
WR 13 A.D. Miller Jr
QB 14 Reece Clark  So
WR 15 Jeffery Mead Sr
WR 17 Jordan Smallwood  Sr
RB 20 Najee Bissoon  Sr
RB 21 Marcelias Sutton Jr
RB 23 Abdul Adams So
RB 24 Rodney Anderson  So
RB 26 Kennedy Brooks Fr
FB 27 Jeremiah Hall Fr
WR 28 Reggie Turner  Jr
FB 29 Joe Castiglione Jr.  So
RB 31 Grant Ward Fr
FB 36 Dimitri Flowers Sr
FB 44 Jaxson Uhles  Sr
FB 45 Carson Meier  Jr
OL 54 Marquis Hayes Fr
OL 55 Logan Roberson  Fr
OL 56 Creed Humphrey Fr
OL 58 Erick Wren  Sr
OL 59 Adrian Ealy Fr
OL 62 Tyrese Robinson Fr
OL 63 Alex Dalton  Jr
OL 67 Ashton Julious  Sr
OL 68 Jonathan Alvarez Sr
OL 71 Bobby Evans  So
OL 72 Ben Powers Jr
OL 73 Quinn Mittermeier  Jr
OL 74 Cody Ford  So
OL 75 Dru Samia Jr
OL 77 Erik Swenson  Fr
OL 78 Orlando Brown Jr.  Jr
OL 79 Dwayne Orso-Bacchus  Jr
TE 80 Grant Calcaterra Fr
TE 81 Mark Andrews  Jr
WR 83 Nick Basquine  Jr
WR 84 Lee Morris  So
WR 85 Sam Iheke  So
WR 86 Carlos Hishaw  So
WR 87 Myles Tease  Jr
WR 88 Chase Nevel Jr
WR 89 Malik Bradshaw  So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 1 Jordan Parker So
DB 6 Tre Brown Fr
LB 6 Levi Draper Fr
DB 7 Jordan Thomas Sr
DB 8 Kahlil Haughton Jr
LB 9 Kenneth Murray Fr
DB 10 Steven Parker Sr
DB 11 Parnell Motley So
DB 12 Will Johnson  Sr
DB 13 Tre Norwood Fr
LB 14 Emmanuel Beal Sr
DL 16 K'Jakyre Daley Fr
LB 18 Curtis Bolton  Jr
LB 19 Caleb Kelly So
DB 20 Robert Barnes Fr
LB 22 Ricky DeBerry  So
DB 25 Justin Broiles Fr
DB 28 Chanse Sylvie So
DB 29 Prentice McKinney Jr
LB 31 Ogbonnia Okoronkwo  Sr
DB 32 Caleb Nettles Fr
DB 33 Ryan Jones Fr
LB 36 Josh Schenck  Fr
LB 38 Bryan Mead  Fr
DB 39 Tylon Lynch  Jr
LB 40 Jon-Michael Terry  Fr
DL 42 Mark Jackson Jr. So
DL 50 Arthur McGinnis  So
LB 52 Beau Trousdale Fr
DL 55 Kenneth Mann  So
DL 57 Du'Vonta Lampkin  So
DL 72 Amani Bledsoe So
DL 87 D.J. Ward  Sr
DL 90 Neville Gallimore  So
DL 91 Dillon Faamatau  So
DL 92 Matt Romar  Sr
DL 93 Tyreece Lott Fr
DL 94 Troy James Fr
DL 95 Isaiah Thomas Fr
DL 97 Marquise Overton  So
DL 98 Zacchaeus McKinney Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 30 Calum Sutherland Fr
K/P 37 Kyle Pfau  Jr
K 38 Cameron Mortazavi  Jr
LS 42 Wesley Horky Sr
K/P 43 Austin Seibert Jr
P 46 Reeves Mundschau Fr
K 47 Reece Morrison  Fr
K 48 Nick Horiates Fr
LS 51 Kasey Kelleher Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Cale GundyCo-offensive coordinator/inside receivers/recruiting coordinator
  • Bill BedenbaughCo-offensive coordinator/offensive line
  • Ruffin McNeilAssistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator
  • Mike StoopsCo-defensive coordinator
  • Kerry CooksAssistant defensive coordinator/defensive backs
  • Jay BoulwareSpecial Teams coordinator/running backs
  • Dennis Simmons – Outside Wide Receivers
  • Calvin Thibodeaux – Defensive ends
  • Tim KishInside linebackers
  • Scott Sinclair – Director, Sports Management
  • Jamarkus McFarlandGraduate assistant

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 10/31/18

Schedule

[edit]

Oklahoma announced their 2017 football schedule on December 13, 2016. The 2017 schedule consisted of 6 home games, 5 away games and 1 neutral-site game in the regular season. The Sooners hosted two non-conference games against UTEP and Tulane and traveled to Ohio State. Oklahoma hosted Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU, West Virginia and traveled to Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State in regular conference play. Oklahoma played the Texas Longhorns in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl stadium on October 14 for the Red River Showdown, the 112th game of the series.[7]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 22:30 p.m.UTEP*No. 7FOXW 56–786,076
September 96:30 p.m.at No. 2 Ohio State*No. 5ABCW 31–16109,088
September 165:00 p.m.Tulane*No. 2
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
FSN PPVW 56–1486,290
September 235:30 p.m.at BaylorNo. 3FS1W 49–4143,573
October 711:00 a.m.Iowa StateNo. 3
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
FOXL 31–3886,019
October 142:30 p.m.vs. TexasNo. 12ESPNW 29–2493,552
October 213:00 p.m.at Kansas StateNo. 9FOXW 42–3552,122
October 287:00 p.m.Texas TechdaggerNo. 10
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ABC/ESPN2W 49–2786,309
November 43:00 p.m.at No. 11 Oklahoma StateNo. 5FS1W 62–5256,790
November 117:00 p.m.No. 6 TCUNo. 5
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
FOXW 38–2088,308
November 182:30 p.m.at KansasNo. 4ESPNW 41–322,854
November 252:45 p.m.West VirginiaNo. 4
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
ESPNW 59–3186,117
December 211:30 a.m.vs. No. 11 TCUNo. 3FOXW 41–1764,104
January 1, 20184:00 p.m.vs. No. 3 Georgia*No. 2ESPNL 48–54 2OT92,844

Game summaries

[edit]

UTEP

[edit]
UTEP at No. 7 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
UTEP 7 0 007
No. 7 Oklahoma 14 21 14756

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

  • Date: September 2, 2017
  • Game time: 2:36 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 86 °F (30 °C) • Wind:S6MPH • Weather: Mostly Sunny
  • Game attendance: 86,076
  • Referee: Reggie Smith
  • TV announcers (FOX): Joe Davis (Play-By-Play), Brady Quinn (Color) & Bruce Feldman (Sideline)
  • [8]

To start the 2017 season, No. 7 Oklahoma hosted UTEP at home. It was Lincoln Riley's first game as head coach of the Sooners. Quarterback Baker Mayfield shined in a 56–7 rout of the Miners. Each team scored touchdowns on their first drives of the game, but Oklahoma shut out UTEP the rest of the way. Mayfield completed 19 of 20 passes, including 16 straight completions to start the game. He threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Wide receiver Mark Andrews had a career high 134 receiving yards and seven receptions, all in the first half.[9]

at Ohio State

[edit]
No. 5 Oklahoma at No. 2 Ohio State – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 5 Oklahoma 0 3 141431
No. 2 Ohio State 0 3 10316

at Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH

  • Date: September 9, 2017
  • Game time: 6:47 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 69 °F (21 °C) • Wind:NNE 8MPH • Weather:Partly Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 109,088
  • Referee: Mike Defee
  • TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler (Play-by-Play), Kirk Herbstreit (Color) & Maria Taylor (Sideline)
  • [10]

For the second game of the season, the No. 5 Sooners traveled to Columbus, Ohio for a highly anticipated matchup against No. 2 Ohio State, a game which many pundits speculated would have College Football Playoff implications.[11] The previous season, Ohio State beat Oklahoma in Norman by a score of 45–24. Oklahoma was a 7.5-point underdog in the 2017 match-up according to Las Vegas sports books.[11]

Both teams were held scoreless through the first quarter, and exchanged field goals for a 3–3 tie going into halftime. Each team scored touchdowns on their first drives of the second half, with Ohio State's J. K. Dobbins capping a 44-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run, and Oklahoma answered with a 67-yard drive of their own which ended with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Dimitri Flowers. Oklahoma scored two more unanswered touchdowns in the second half to take a 31–13 lead before a late Ohio State field goal made the final score 31–16. Baker Mayfield finished the game with 27 pass completions on 35 attempts, with 386 yards and three touchdowns.[12] After the game, Mayfield sprinted around the Ohio State field with an Oklahoma flag before planting the flag at midfield.[13]

Tulane

[edit]
Tulane at No. 2 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Tulane 14 0 0014
No. 2 Oklahoma 14 14 72156

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

  • Date: September 16, 2017
  • Game time: 5:05 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 90 °F (32 °C) • Wind:S12MPH • Weather: Mostly Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 86,290
  • Referee: Dan Romeo
  • TV announcers (FSOK PPV): Brendan Burke (Play-by-play), Dave Anderson (color) & Christian Steckel (sideline)
  • [14]

Following the victory over Ohio State, No. 2 Oklahoma hosted Tulane in the first ever match-up between the two schools. The two teams were tied in the second quarter 14–14 before Oklahoma's Parnell Motley returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown, after which the Sooners' coasted to a 56–14 victory. Quarterback Baker Mayfield passed for 331 yards and four touchdowns, while wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had 131 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the game.[15]

at Baylor

[edit]
No. 3 Oklahoma at Baylor – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 3 Oklahoma 21 7 71449
Baylor 7 10 141041

at McLane StadiumWaco, TX

Oklahoma opened its Big 12 Conference schedule with a road game against Baylor. The Sooners were nearly upset by the Bears, who were winless with a record of 0–3 going into the game. The Bears scored a touchdown with 1:41 remaining in the game to bring the score to 49–41. Baylor recovered the onside kick and needed to score a touchdown to tie the game in the closing minutes. Bears quarterback Zach Smith fumbled the ball on the third play of the drive after being sacked by Oklahoma's Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, which was recovered by the Sooners, allowing them to run out the clock and win the game. Oklahoma's Abdul Adams had a 99-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, and had 164 rushing yards total in the game. Baker Mayfield threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns.[18]

Iowa State

[edit]
Iowa State at No. 3 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Iowa State 3 10 111438
No. 3 Oklahoma 14 10 0731

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

  • Date: October 7, 2017
  • Game time: 11:05 a.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 68 °F (20 °C) • Wind:NW 10 MPH • Weather:Sunny
  • Game attendance: 86,019
  • Referee: Reggie Smith
  • TV announcers (FOX): Brian Custer, Ben Leber, Jennifer Hale[19]
  • [20]

After a bye week, Oklahoma played their second Big 12 Conference game, a home game against Iowa State. The Sooners were upset by the 31-point underdog Cyclones, 31–38. The game snapped Oklahoma's nation-leading 14 game win-streak, and 18-game win streak over Iowa State dating back to 1990. Iowa State backup quarterback Kyle Kempt, who had just two career pass attempts before this game, led the Cyclones to victory with 343 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Oklahoma took an early 17–3 lead early in the second quarter before taking a 24–13 lead into halftime. In the second half, Iowa State opened with two scoring drives while Oklahoma lost a fumble and missed a 44-yard field goal, bringing the score to 31–24 Iowa State with 12:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Baker Mayfield led a 75-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Dimitri Flowers to tie the game 31–31. Iowa State then had their own 75-yard drive, ending in what would be the decisive 25-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Kempt to Allen Lazard with 2:19 remaining. Oklahoma failed to convert on fourth down with 1:27 remaining, and Iowa State ran out the clock to complete the victory.[21]

vs. Texas

[edit]
Red River Rivalry: No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners (4–1) vs. Texas Longhorns (3–2)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 12 Oklahoma 10 10 3629
Texas 0 10 7724

at Cotton BowlDallas, Texas

  • Date: October 14
  • Game time: 2:36 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Sunny • 90 °F (32 °C) • Wind SW 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn) to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
  • Game attendance: 93,552
  • Referee: Cooper Castleberry
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe[22]
  • [23]
Game information

Following the loss to Iowa State, No. 12 Oklahoma traveled to Dallas, Texas to face Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry game. Oklahoma won the game 29–24. The Sooners jumped out to an early 20–0 lead by the mid-second quarter, but Texas scored on a 16-yard pass from Sam Ehlinger to Kyle Porter and then, off a Baker Mayfield interception, kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to bring the score to 20–10 entering the half. After an Oklahoma field goal and Texas touchdown brought the score to 23–17 Oklahoma, Texas took the lead with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter with an eight-yard touchdown run from quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Oklahoma responded with a three-play, 78-yard drive that ended in a 59-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Mark Andrews with 6:53 to go in the game. The Sooner defense held Texas scoreless the rest of the game to secure the 29–24 victory. Baker Mayfield was 17 for 27 in passing attempts, finishing with 302 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.[24]

at Kansas State

[edit]
No. 9 Oklahoma at Kansas State – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 9 Oklahoma 7 3 102242
Kansas State 14 7 01435

at Bill Snyder Family StadiumManhattan, KS

  • Date: October 21, 2017
  • Game time: 2:36 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 71 °F (22 °C) • Wind: SW 6-22 MPH • Weather: Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 52,122
  • Referee: Dan Romeo
  • TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft[25]
  • [26]

Following the victory over Texas, No. 9 Oklahoma traveled to Manhattan, Kansas to play conference foe Kansas State. Oklahoma won the game 42–35. After a touchdown pass from Kansas State's Alex Delton to Isaiah Zuber with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, the game was tied 35–35. Baker Mayfield led a drive down to the Kansas State 22-yard line with 24 seconds remaining, and then running back Rodney Anderson scored the game-winning 22-yard touchdown run with 7 seconds remaining. Anderson had 147 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Mayfield threw for 410 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.[27]

Texas Tech

[edit]
Texas Tech at No. 10 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Texas Tech 20 0 7027
No. 10 Oklahoma 14 14 21049

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

Following the win over Kansas State, Oklahoma played their homecoming game against Texas Tech. Oklahoma won the game 49–27. Both teams scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives, resulting in a 21–20 Oklahoma lead in the second quarter. The Sooners dominated the rest of the game, however, with the Red Raiders failing to score after their first drive in the second half. Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb set school freshman records with nine receptions for 147 yards. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 281 yards, four passing touchdowns and another touchdown on the ground.[30]

at Oklahoma State

[edit]
No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 11 Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 8 Oklahoma 14 24 101462
No. 11 Oklahoma State 10 28 01452

at Boone Pickens StadiumStillwater, OK

  • Date: November 4, 2017
  • Game time: 3:11 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 68 °F (20 °C) • Wind: WNW 2 MPH • Weather: Partly Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 56,790
  • Referee: Mike Defee
  • TV announcers (FS1): Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft[31]
  • [32]
Game information

Following the win over Texas Tech, the Sooners traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to play in-state rival Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series. Oklahoma won the game 62–52. In an offensive shootout, the teams combined for 1,446 yards of total offense. After a rare Baker Mayfield interception on the third play of the game, the two teams traded touchdown drives for much of the first half. The score was 38–38 at the half, and Mayfield had a one-half school-record 387 passing yards. Leading 55–52 late in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma running back Trey Sermon scored the decisive touchdown on a 53-yard run with 54 seconds remaining. Mayfield finished with a career-high and school-record 598 passing yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Wide receiver Marquise Brown caught nine passes for a school-record 265 receiving yards.[33]

TCU

[edit]
No. 8 TCU at No. 5 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 8 TCU 7 7 0620
No. 5 Oklahoma 17 21 0038

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

  • Date: November 11, 2017
  • Game time: 7:10 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 58 °F (14 °C) • Wind: SE 11 MPH • Weather: Overcast
  • Game attendance: 88,308
  • Referee: Reggie Smith
  • TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft[34]
  • [35]

Following the win over Oklahoma State, No. 5 Oklahoma returned to Norman for a top-10 match-up against TCU. Oklahoma won the game 38–20 in front of a record 88,308 fans at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Oklahoma jumped out to an early lead due to several touchdown-capped drives by Baker Mayfield. The Sooners led 38–14 at the half. Both teams' offenses struggled to score in the second half, as an early-fourth quarter TCU touchdown was the only score of the half. Sooner running back Rodney Anderson had 290 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in the game.[36]

at Kansas

[edit]
No. 3 Oklahoma at Kansas – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 3 Oklahoma 7 14 71341
Kansas 0 3 003

at David Booth Kansas Memorial StadiumLawrence, KS

  • Date: November 18, 2017
  • Game time: 2:35 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 52 °F (11 °C) • Wind: NNW 13 MPH • Weather: Partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 22,854
  • Referee: Scott Campbell
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill[37]
  • [38]

Following the win over TCU, No. 3 Oklahoma traveled to Lawrence, Kansas to play Kansas. The Sooners won in a 41–3 rout. Baker Mayfield led the Sooners with 257 passing yards and three touchdowns.[39] There was major trash-talking during the game, as Mayfield generated controversy when he was caught on camera grabbing his crotch and cursing at the Kansas bench. Mayfield later released an apology for the incident.[40]

West Virginia

[edit]
West Virginia at No. 3 Oklahoma – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
West Virginia 3 7 14731
No. 3 Oklahoma 14 31 14059

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK

  • Date: November 25, 2017
  • Game time: 2:50 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 65 °F (18 °C) • Wind: NNE 15 MPH • Weather: Mostly sunny
  • Game attendance: 86,117
  • Referee: Brad Van Vark
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay[41]
  • [42]

In their final game of the regular season, No. 3 Oklahoma faced West Virginia at home. The Sooners won the game 59–31. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, as punishment for his taunting act during the previous game against Kansas, did not start the game, his last game of his career in Norman. Mayfield was subbed into the game in the first quarter and the Sooners scored touchdowns on all five drives Mayfield played in before the half. Running back Rodney Anderson ran for 118 yards and four touchdowns in the game.[43]

Big 12 Championship Game

[edit]
No. 10 TCU vs. No. 2 Oklahoma (Big 12 Championship Game) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 2 Oklahoma 17 7 17041
No. 10 TCU 0 17 0017

at AT&T StadiumArlington, TX

The Big 12 held its first football championship game since 2010 during the 2017 season. The championship game participants were to be the two conference members with the best conference records. Oklahoma earned its place in the game by finishing with a conference-best record of 8–1, and TCU finished in second with a conference record of 7–2. Thus, a rematch was set between the two teams, playing their second top-ten match-up in four weeks.

Oklahoma won the conference championship game and the Big 12 title by a score of 41–17. The Sooners jumped out to a quick 17–0 lead, in part thanks to an 18-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Caleb Kelly. After two touchdown drives led by TCU's Kenny Hill, the score was 24–17 at the half. Oklahoma's first offensive play of the second half was a 55-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Mykel Jones, and their next drive concluded on a 52-yard touchdown connection between Mayfield and Marquise Brown. The Sooner defense surrendered zero points in the second half. Mayfield finished with 243 yards and four touchdowns in the win.[46]

vs. Georgia (Rose Bowl)

[edit]
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Oklahoma (Rose Bowl–CFP Semifinal) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OT2OTTotal
No. 2 Oklahoma 14 17 0143048
No. 3 Georgia 7 10 14143654

at Rose BowlPasadena, CA

In the final College Football Playoff rankings of the 2017 season, Oklahoma was ranked second, which earned them a spot in the national semifinal game to be played at the 2018 Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Their opponent was the third-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, champions of the Southeastern Conference. It was the first ever match-up between the two schools. The Rose Bowl winner would go on to play in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Oklahoma lost in double overtime, 48–54, in a game many observers described as an "instant classic".[49][50] It was the highest-ever scoring Rose Bowl game, and the first CFP game to go to overtime. The Sooners were the first to score, with a 13-yard pass from Baker Mayfield to Marquise Brown. Georgia's Sony Michel scored two first-half touchdowns, first on a 13-yard pass from Jake Fromm, then on a 75-yard run in the second quarter. With 13 seconds left in the first half, the Sooners scored on a trick play in which freshman wide receiver CeeDee Lamb threw a two-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Baker Mayfield. Oklahoma had a 31–17 lead at the end of the half. Their lead was chipped away by the Bulldogs early in the second half by two touchdowns by Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. A 46-yard fumble return touchdown by Oklahoma's Steven Parker gave Oklahoma the lead again late, but a two-yard touchdown run by Georgia's Nick Chubb tied the game 45–45 with 55 seconds left in regulation. In the first overtime, Georgia and Oklahoma exchanged field goals. In double overtime, Oklahoma kicker Austin Seibert's 27-yard field goal was blocked, and on the ensuing Georgia possession, running back Sony Michel won the game on a 27-yard touchdown run.[51]

Rankings

[edit]
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP752 (2)3 (1)3 (1)31291085332 (24)2 (18)3
Coaches863333129997552 (12)2 (10)3
CFPNot released554432Not released

Awards and honors

[edit]

2018 NFL Draft

[edit]

The 2018 NFL draft was held on April 26–28 in Arlington, Texas. Four Oklahoma players were selected as part of the draft, and five were signed to NFL teams as undrafted free agents.[63] Baker Mayfield became the fourth Oklahoma player to be selected with the first overall pick, and the first since Sam Bradford in 2010.

Player Position Round Overall Pick NFL Team
Baker Mayfield QB 1 1 Cleveland Browns
Orlando Brown Jr. OT 3 83 Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews TE 3 86 Baltimore Ravens
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo LB 5 160 Los Angeles Rams
Dimitri Flowers RB Undrafted New York Jets
Jordan Thomas CB Undrafted Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff Badet WR Undrafted Minnesota Vikings
Steven Parker DB Undrafted Los Angeles Rams
Emmanuel Beal LB Undrafted Seattle Seahawks

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bob Stoops retires after 18 seasons with Oklahoma, Lincoln Riley to take over". CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  2. ^ "2017 Leaders". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. p. 43.
  4. ^ "Sooners' Stoops steps down after 18 seasons". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "Lincoln Riley Hires Ruffin McNeill as Assistant HC/DT coach". Crimson And Cream Machine. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  6. ^ "Oklahoma promotes Cale Gundy, Bill Bedenbaugh to co-offensive coordinators". Diehards. June 23, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  7. ^ "2017 Oklahoma Sooners Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  8. ^ "UTEP vs Oklahoma (Sep 02, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Associated Press (September 2, 2017). "Mayfield completes 19 of 20 as No. 7 Oklahoma tops UTEP 56-7". ESPN.com.
  10. ^ "Oklahoma vs Ohio State (Sept 9, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. September 9, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Kercheval, Ben (September 9, 2017). "Oklahoma at Ohio State: Prediction, pick, odds, TV channel, live stream, watch online". CBSSports.com.
  12. ^ Associated Press (September 9, 2017). "Baker Mayfield throws for 3 Tds as Oklahoma Knocks off Ohio State". ESPN.com.
  13. ^ Moriarty, Morgan (September 16, 2017). "Planting Oklahoma's flag at Ohio State made Baker Mayfield the king of the college football internet". SBNation.com.
  14. ^ "Tulane vs Oklahoma (Sep 16, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. September 16, 2017.
  15. ^ Associated Press (September 16, 2017). "Sooners Ride the Wave". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  16. ^ Lucia, Joe (September 21, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 4 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  17. ^ "Oklahoma vs Baylor (Sep 23, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. September 23, 2017.
  18. ^ Associated Press (September 24, 2017). "No. 3 Oklahoma overcomes Baylor 49-41 for 14th straight win". ESPN.com.
  19. ^ Lucia, Joe (October 4, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 6 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  20. ^ "Iowa State vs Oklahoma (Oct 07, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. October 7, 2017.
  21. ^ ESPN.com news services (October 7, 2017). "Replacement QB Kyle Kempt rallies Iowa State past No. 3 Oklahoma". ESPN.com.
  22. ^ Lucia, Joe (October 11, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 7 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  23. ^ "Game Book: Oklahoma vs Texas (Oct 14, 2017)" (PDF). SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. October 14, 2017.
  24. ^ Associated Press (October 14, 2017). "No. 12 Oklahoma tops Texas 29-24 after blowing 20-point lead". ESPN.com.
  25. ^ Lucia, Joe (October 19, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 8 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  26. ^ "Oklahoma vs Kansas State (Oct 21, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. October 21, 2017.
  27. ^ Associated Press (October 21, 2017). "Mayfield, Anderson lead No. 9 Sooners past K-State, 42-35". ESPN.com.
  28. ^ Lucia, Joe (October 26, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 9 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  29. ^ "Texas Tech vs Oklahoma (Oct 28, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. October 28, 2017.
  30. ^ Associated Press (October 29, 2017). "Mayfield leads No. 10 Oklahoma to 49-27 win over Texas Tech". ESPN.com.
  31. ^ Lucia, Joe (November 2, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 10 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  32. ^ "Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State (Nov 04, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. November 4, 2017.
  33. ^ Associated Press (November 4, 2017). "Mayfield's 598 yards lead Oklahoma past Oklahoma St. 62-52". ESPN.com.
  34. ^ Lucia, Joe (November 9, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 11 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  35. ^ "TCU vs Oklahoma (Nov 11, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. November 11, 2017.
  36. ^ Associated Press (November 12, 2017). "Mayfield, Anderson lead No. 5 Oklahoma past No. 8 TCU". ESPN.com.
  37. ^ Lucia, Joe (November 16, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 12 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  38. ^ "Oklahoma vs Kansas (Nov 18, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. November 18, 2017.
  39. ^ Associated Press (November 18, 2017). "Mayfield snubbed as No. 3 Sooners roll 41-3 win over Kansas". ESPN.com.
  40. ^ Fornelli, Tom; Kercheval, Ben (November 19, 2017). "LOOK: Baker Mayfield issues apology for taunting Kansas with crotch grab, curses". CBSSports.com.
  41. ^ Lucia, Joe (November 22, 2017). "Your 2017 Week 13 college football announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  42. ^ "West Virginia vs Oklahoma (Nov 25)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. November 25, 2017.
  43. ^ Associated Press (November 25, 2017). "Mayfield leads No. 3 Oklahoma past West Virginia, 59-31". ESPN.com.
  44. ^ Lucia, Joe (November 30, 2017). "Your 2017 college football Championship Week announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  45. ^ "TCU vs Oklahoma (Dec 02, 2017)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. December 2, 2017.
  46. ^ "No. 2 Oklahoma stakes playoff spot, 41-17 over No. 10 TCU".
  47. ^ Lucia, Joe (December 16, 2017). "Your 2017 college football bowl game announcing schedule". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
  48. ^ "Georgia vs Oklahoma (Jan 01, 2018)". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. January 1, 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  49. ^ Connelly, Bill (January 1, 2018). "Georgia knocks off Oklahoma in double OT to clinch National Championship bid". SBNation.com.
  50. ^ "Twitter reacts to Oklahoma-Georgia double overtime Rose Bowl classic". FOX Sports Southwest. January 2, 2018.
  51. ^ Associated Press (January 2, 2018). "Dawgs run wild: Georgia beats Oklahoma 54-48 in Rose Bowl". ESPN.com.
  52. ^ Anderson, Karl (September 5, 2017). "Mayfield Named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  53. ^ Houck, Mike (September 11, 2017). "Mayfield Big 12 Offensive Player of the week again". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  54. ^ Stoia, George (September 18, 2017). "Oklahoma football: Marquise Brown named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week". OUDaily.com.
  55. ^ Houck, Mike (September 25, 2017). "Sermon tabbed Big 12 Newcomer of the Week". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  56. ^ Ruiz, Nathan (October 16, 2017). "Oklahoma's Obo Okoronkwo named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week". DieHards.com.
  57. ^ Houck, Mike (October 23, 2017). "Mayfield takes Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  58. ^ Houck, Mike (October 30, 2017). "OU's Anderson, Lamb earn weekly Big 12 honors". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  59. ^ "Sooners' trio captures weekly Big 12 honors". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics. November 6, 2017.
  60. ^ Carbone, Al (November 5, 2017). "Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Iowa's Josh Jackson Named Walter Camp FBS Players of the Week". Walter Camp Foundation.
  61. ^ Houck, Mike (November 13, 2017). "Anderson named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week". SoonerSports.com. University of Oklahoma Athletics.
  62. ^ "2017 All-Big 12 Football Awards Announced" (PDF). Big 12 Conference.
  63. ^ Breech, John (May 4, 2018). "2018 undrafted free agent tracker: Signings from all 32 NFL teams in one spot". CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2018.