The moments that define the Big 12's national championships

[JLEW1818]

July 31, 2009 12:00 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Is there an exact moment that can be pinpointed as the turning point of a national championship season?

My colleagues Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach have done a great job of looking at a special moment that helped turn the season for every national championship team since 1984.

The Big 12 was well represented. No moment was bigger than Oklahoma linebacker Torrance Marshall's key interception at Texas A&M that rescued that game for the Sooners en route to their 2000 national championship.

The Sooners were the country's only unbeaten team when they traveled to Texas A&M with an 8-0 record. After Oklahoma fell behind 31-21, tailback Quentin Griffin scored on a 2-yard run to make it 31-28 with 7 minutes, 43 seconds to play. Twenty-five seconds later, Sooners linebacker Torrance Marshall stepped in front of Mark Farris' pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown and a 35-31 victory. Marshall's first career interception helped the Sooners win in College Station for the first time since 1903.

I still remember covering that game. I don't think I've ever heard Kyle Field as quiet, with the exception of the small collection of Oklahoma fans who were tucked into a corner of that mammoth facility on that day.

Other key Big 12 moments that were included were Matt Davison's kicked pass reception that helped save Nebraska's season at Missouri in 1997 and Vince Young's late TD pass to Limas Sweed that propelled Texas' key comeback victory at Ohio State in 2005.

Big 12 schools are also represented for their championships claimed before the conference was formed in 1996. Troy Aikman's broken leg that forced Oklahoma back into the wishbone helped turn the Sooners' season in 1985, Colorado's fifth-down victory at Missouri in 1990, Nebraska's Orange Bowl redemption en route to the 1994 title and Tommie Frazier's remarkable 75-yard TD run against Florida the following season are highlighted.

It's great series that has a lot of neat multimedia tricks. Check it out for some good memories about Big 12 championship teams.

And are there any other plays or moments that might help define those Big 12 championship seasons?


http://myespn.go.com/blogs/big12/0-11-143/The-moments-that-define-the-Big-12-s-national-championships.html

[JLEW1818]

Any of yall at the 2000 aggie game? details

[OUDoc]

Marshall's first career interception helped the Sooners win in College Station for the first time since 1903.
Seriously?

[BoulderSooner79]

I don't think we played aTm much before the big12 was formed.

[OUDoc]

We had only played there 5 previous times.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Any of yall at the 2000 aggie game? details

I was there...they were trying to break a noise record that day...I don't remember the exact decibels, but it was probably the loudest game I've been too...

What most people dont remember was how close OU came to losing that game despite what Marshall did....

[SteelClip49]

OU's defense in Stoolwater....12-7 game was a nailbiter.

[Sooner04]

What most people dont remember was how close OU came to losing that game despite what Marshall did....
Ontei getting berated on the sidelines for making the play despite being out of position.

[OklahomaTuba]

The best part for me of the 2000 OU/tam game was the faggety corp cadet threating me to get off the field after the game with his sword.

He got in my face and I hit it with my tuba bell.

[swardboy]

I would have to include lil Joe's 70+ yard scamper in Columbia in 1975, and subsequent two point conversion to go up 29-28 I believe. We had just been ambushed by Kansas the week before.

[Statalyzer]

Kind of funny to be reminded of a time when A&M had a football team.

[badger]

Ok, how bout this... what was the off-field moment that defined the 2000 Nat'l Championship?

[BoulderSooner79]

Ok, how bout this... what was the off-field moment that defined the 2000 Nat'l Championship?

Snoop Minnis ?

[Sooner04]

I would have to include lil Joe's 70+ yard scamper in Columbia in 1975, and subsequent two point conversion to go up 29-28 I believe. We had just been ambushed by Kansas the week before.
28-27. And I'm still not sure he made it in on the two-pointer.

We beat Ohio State 29-28.

[AlbqSooner]

28-27. And I'm still not sure he made it in on the two-pointer.

We beat Ohio State 29-28.

It's real easy to tell if he made it in or not. If the guy in the striped shirt raises both arms - extended - above his head, the runner made it in.;)

[Sooner24]

Any of yall at the 2000 aggie game? details

I was at all 13 games that year.

One thing I remember as much as anything about that game was after making our last redzone stand and stopping A&M Mike Stoops blew up on Ontei Jones when he got to the sideline. Never did hear what that was all about. Looks like Ontei is making good after college.


http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ontei-jones/b/649/519

[Sooner24]

Ontei getting berated on the sidelines for making the play despite being out of position.

I guess I should read the whole thread next time. :O

[Sooner24]

I would have to include lil Joe's 70+ yard scamper in Columbia in 1975, and subsequent two point conversion to go up 29-28 I believe. We had just been ambushed by Kansas the week before.

One of the biggest plays in the 75 season was Colorado's missed extra point that would have cost us the NC.

1975 was full of games that could have gone either way. We very easily could have lost to Missouri and Texas. Then throw in the Colorado game, that should have been a tie, and the Kansas lose and Harry Houdini was wondering how we did it.

[Lott's Bandana]

I would have to include lil Joe's 70+ yard scamper in Columbia in 1975, and subsequent two point conversion to go up 29-28 I believe. We had just been ambushed by Kansas the week before.

Joe was super-human in that game. It was a highlight film coming through my radio speakers.

[Sooner24]

Joe was super-human in that game. It was a highlight film coming through my radio speakers.

I remember being in my car in the parking lot of the Ken Cliff bowling alley in Ardmore listening to Mike Treps broadcast the last few minutes of the game. Missouri got the ball and drove down the field getting in field goal range. On what amounted to the last play of the game the kick was no good. Mike Treps yells "IT'S GOOD" and my heart sank. Then he yells "I MEAN IT'S NO GOOD!". Then he yells "I MEAN IT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT'S NO GOOD!"

[picasso]

Kind of funny to be reminded of a time when A&M had a football team.

yes, lucky for Texas they fired Franny.

[picasso]

28-27. And I'm still not sure he made it in on the two-pointer.



He made it.

[JLEW1818]

so i think its fair to say, "If your a true Sooner, how can you hate Brent Musburger?"

i mean ****, he's the voice of just about every important moment this decade. get over it people, he's the best

[SoonerInFortSmith]

It's real easy to tell if he made it in or not. If the guy in the striped shirt raises both arms - extended - above his head, the runner made it in.;)

That's just not true ala T Tech.

[OUstud]

so i think its fair to say, "If your a true Sooner, how can you hate Brent Musburger?"

i mean ****, he's the voice of just about every important moment this decade. get over it people, he's the best

This. "Intercepted! Marshall picks it off, the big linebacker...still going! Touchdown touchdown! Oklahoma regains the lead!"

[JLEW1818]

This. "Intercepted! Marshall picks it off, the big linebacker...still going! Touchdown touchdown! Oklahoma regains the lead!"


just reading it gives me goosebumps

[Sooner04]

This. "Intercepted! Marshall picks it off, the big linebacker...still going! Touchdown touchdown! Oklahoma regains the lead!"
I was in College Station that day in the OU section. Marshall's TD return sent the 1,500 or so fans down there into orbit. Pure madness down there.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I was in College Station that day in the OU section. Marshall's TD return sent the 1,500 or so fans down there into orbit. Pure madness down there.

It was crazy...The silence of the home crowd and the roar of the few Sooner fans there was amazing

[Collier11]

I about jumped through my wall literally, it was one of the few times in my OU football fan career that I had no control over my emotions at all

[Sooner04]

The visiting seats at Kyle Field are so, so bad. Anyhow, we're already going bonkers because of the interception and we lose T-Love when he makes it to the sideline. No matter! We've got the ball around their own 20.

But then, as one, everyone around us notices that little helmet bobbing up the sidelines and the whole OU bench going bananas. Then we see the official's arms go up and all hell breaks loose. Old women are crowd surfing. Newborn babies are being heaved toward the field along with the oranges smuggled in past the corps.

It was Thunderdome, and the first person to quit going ape gets stuck with the check.

[Mac94]

What most people dont remember was how close OU came to losing that game despite what Marshall did....

We drove the ball to the four yardline .... once we got it first and goal we went away from Toombs. Drive ended at 4th and gaol at the 4. The Sooners offense dominated headlines going into that game. After, it was the Sooner defense that carried Oklahoma to the title game, dominating Tech, O. State, and Florida St. and doing enough against Kansas St.

[badger]

The visitor seats may suck now, but a few more years of Shermanator after Fran Face and you may start getting prime seating at the tackle box :)

[Collier11]

We drove the ball to the four yardline .... once we got it first and goal we went away from Toombs. Drive ended at 4th and gaol at the 4. The Sooners offense dominated headlines going into that game. After, it was the Sooner defense that carried Oklahoma to the title game, dominating Tech, O. State, and Florida St. and doing enough against Kansas St.

you guys have went away from your fat boy fullback a few times against us and it ended up costing you

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I remember that big bastard carrying Rocky Calmus like Lofton carried Chase

[TheUnnamedSooner]

The best part for me of the 2000 OU/tam game was the faggety corp cadet threating me to get off the field after the game with his sword.

He got in my face and I hit it with my tuba bell.

I ran out on the field that day as well. There were several cadets that swarmed me and was threatening me to get off the field as well. I backed down.

You see, I'm not sure how many of them it would have taken to kick my a*s, but I knew how many they were going to use. :D

Later a couple of them took my OU flag. We had to chase the fags down, long story short, we got the flag back.

[soonerinabilene]

We drove the ball to the four yardline .... once we got it first and goal we went away from Toombs. Drive ended at 4th and gaol at the 4.

There is just something about Stoops that makes an A&M coach lose all ability for rational thought. Seems like every year your coach gets a brain fart and something very stupid happens, costing ya'll a close game. Except for in 2003.

[badger]

A&M Corps like to take things that aren't theirs. Legend has it that our band had a new mellophone stolen by a corps member. Our director told their director who then found out who the guilty corps dude was. Guilty guy had to drive all the way up to Norman and hand the stolen instrument to our director in person. I think that happened in 02. This isn't a stereotype, it's nearly happened to me everytime I've gone down there. If they want gameday souvenirs, can't they find an A&M fan to steal from?

[Salt City Sooner]

We drove the ball to the four yardline .... once we got it first and goal we went away from Toombs. Drive ended at 4th and gaol at the 4. The Sooners offense dominated headlines going into that game. After, it was the Sooner defense that carried Oklahoma to the title game, dominating Tech, O. State, and Florida St. and doing enough against Kansas St.
I know quite a few Ags disagree, but I'll always say that going to Ferguson was the right call. Save for the one run, OU stuffed Toombs all day. It was Ferguson we had no answer for. God bless Michael Thompson for all he went through @ OU w/ coming back from that horrific wreck & all the trials that came with that, but RF (on one good leg I might add) ate him for lunch that day.

[Sooner04]

We're walking back to the car after the game and encounter some inebriated Aggies. The conversation went a little something like this.

Aggies: You bastards got lucky.
04: Yep.
Aggies: You shoulda lost.
04: Yep.
Aggies: What do you do when you get 1st and Goal at the four?
04: Oh, I don't know......maybe try......
Aggies: TOOMBS! YOU GIVE THE BALL TO ****ING TOOMBS! ****ING SLOCUMB!

It was at this point our ships passed and we continued to our car. The Aggies continued on their way bemoaning the lack of Toombs once they made it inside the five.

[tigepilot]

This. "Intercepted! Marshall picks it off, the big linebacker...still going! Touchdown touchdown! Oklahoma regains the lead!"

I was going so crazy in my living room I didn't hear a what was said on the TV for about the next 5 minutes.


I ran out on the field that day as well. There were several cadets that swarmed me and was threatening me to get off the field as well. I backed down.

You see, I'm not sure how many of them it would have taken to kick my a*s, but I knew how many they were going to use. :D

Later a couple of them took my OU flag. We had to chase the fags down, long story short, we got the flag back.

Ron White?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

We're walking back to the car after the game and encounter some inebriated Aggies. The conversation went a little something like this.

Aggies: You bastards got lucky.
04: Yep.
Aggies: You shoulda lost.
04: Yep.
Aggies: What do you do when you get 1st and Goal at the four?
04: Oh, I don't know......maybe try......
Aggies: TOOMBS! YOU GIVE THE BALL TO ****ING TOOMBS! ****ING SLOCUMB!

It was at this point our ships passed and we continued to our car. The Aggies continued on their way bemoaning the lack of Toombs once they made it inside the five.


Had that same conversation over and over and they all pretty much ended with me saying "Winners find a way to do what they do best..Losers find a way to do what they do best"....I was cussed at a lot but our group consisting of my steroid abusing cousins kinda intimidated those around us

[Mac94]

Except for in 2003.

And 1999 ... 2001 .... 2007 ... 2008 .... ;)

[Mac94]

I know quite a few Ags disagree, but I'll always say that going to Ferguson was the right call. Save for the one run, OU stuffed Toombs all day.

OU stuffed everyone but Toombs that day ... he was out only rushing threat. He had 18 carries for 72 yards (4 ypc) and 2 TD's. Not earth shattering numbers but not bad ...

When we got it to first and goal at the 10 we rushed it twice ... once with Toombs and once with Weber .... gaining 6 yards to get up 3rd and goal at the 4. Thats when we passed twice and was stopped on downs.

Although your point on Ferguson is well taken ... he had 8 huge catches for 105 yards.

As for OU being lucky as another poster reported said .... no .... better team won. Oklahoma was just that good in 2000. Best team in the land hands down. Other teams may have had more talent (NFL draft numbers, recruiting stars, whatever) but there was no better TEAM in college football in 2000. Oklahoma had a ton of heart and won games with their offense at times and their defense at times. It was one of the most special Sooner teams ever.

[Salt City Sooner]

OU stuffed everyone but Toombs that day ... he was out only rushing threat. He had 18 carries for 72 yards (4 ypc) and 2 TD's. Not earth shattering numbers but not bad ...

When we got it to first and goal at the 10 we rushed it twice ... once with Toombs and once with Weber .... gaining 6 yards to get up 3rd and goal at the 4. Thats when we passed twice and was stopped on downs.

Although your point on Ferguson is well taken ... he had 8 huge catches for 105 yards.

As for OU being lucky as another poster reported said .... no .... better team won. Oklahoma was just that good in 2000. Best team in the land hands down. Other teams may have had more talent (NFL draft numbers, recruiting stars, whatever) but there was no better TEAM in college football in 2000. Oklahoma had a ton of heart and won games with their offense at times and their defense at times. It was one of the most special Sooner teams ever.
That's why I said "save for the one run" which was a 27 yd. TD, leaving his other 17 carries totaling 45 yards. That's pretty much stuffed to me, & that was with OU not necessarily keying on him. You think he didn't have the biggest bullseye on the planet on his back once A&M got inside the 5? For that reason alone I'm still a little surprised that those throws didn't work.

I'd say that 90% of the Ags I've run into when that subject came up have said something along the lines of "sure you agree with the call, it came out in your favor", but that's honestly my opinion. We just flat out had no answer for RF that day. Heck, it took an out of position Ontei Jones (who got ripped beyond belief by Mike Stoops on the sideline after that play) to save our bacon on the one time that we did.