I was 7.....

[oudavid1]

and i dont remember of course, but what was the hype before the 2000 season. Was it like now (some pick us, most dont) or did everyone count us out. Or were we the favorite(or at least one of them)?

I need some help here boys

i just want a comparison to the 2010 hype and the year that we did it

[Cheerin' 4 OU]

Seriously, *nobody* picked us to win it all that year. Nobody. In fact, if you said anything like "Man, our Josh Heupel is going to lead us to a national title this year!", you would've gotten laughed out of the room.

The bandwagon started rolling after the OU/Texas game, and the feeling of magic was everywhere.

[GKeeper316]

we weren't even anyone's dark horse.

[reevie]

OU was 7-5 the year before with disappointing losses at Norte Dame and to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl. I think most folks were happy to be back in a Bowl game. People were optimistic that we'd see continuous improvement and would have been happy with an 8-3 season, losses to Nebraska, K State and Texas.

[BHB 91]

That season was nothing short of amazing. It would be hard for any school to pull off a year like we did. Red October including the complete beatdown of texas, playing in College Station where they knew a record would be set for the loudest game, keeping it going when Josh's elbow was jello at the end. There are many more memories of that year that were just as special.

[sooner518]

we came in ranked like #20 in the polls and I think most Sooner fans would have been excited to finish 9-3 and sniffing the top 10 had you asked them in the preseason.

[Aries]

I don't remember thinking that much about a NC shot until we steamrolled Texas. We had KState and Nebraska the next two weeks, and I remember thinking if we could win those two, it would prove this team was for real, and we would probably have a great shot. In fact, right after the Nebraska game, I predicted on another message board that OU would win the championship, and Josh Heupel would win the Heisman. If the Heisman were awarded AFTER the championship, I would have been right on both counts. :)

[starclassic tama]

there was certainly excitement around the team. a lot of people felt like the 1999 team was better than 7-5, and the 2000 version was ranked 19 going into the season. but nobody realistically expected a national championship

[cheezyq]

Seriously, *nobody* picked us to win it all that year. Nobody. In fact, if you said anything like "Man, our Josh Heupel is going to lead us to a national title this year!", you would've gotten laughed out of the room.

The bandwagon started rolling after the OU/Texas game, and the feeling of magic was everywhere.

This. The only "buzz" about OU was that Stoops had gotten us back to being > 1 in the W/L ratio. I think we were in the low teens/high 20s in ranking. After causing UT to cream their pants we jumped up in the polls, but everyone was still very cautious about OU because of the following games against KSU and NU. After beating NU, everyone knew OU was for real. But still, a lot of people doubted we could get past both A&M and whoever the north champion was (a 2nd time). In reality, I don't think there were many people outside of the OU faithful that really believed we belonged at #1 either. It was virtually assumed by the media that Miami or FSU would destroy us.

Personally, I was skeptical until the NU win. All I was hoping for was improvement, to get back into the top 15 again. That year was more than I could ever have hoped for. Until then, my most recent OU memorable moment was the 1988 OB loss to helmet hair. Oh, and I could finally tell all these KSU buttlicks that crawled out of their slimy hiding places to stuff it.

[tommieharris91]

and i dont remember of course, but what was the hype before the 2000 season. Was it like now (some pick us, most dont) or did everyone count us out. Or were we the favorite(or at least one of them)?

I need some help here boys

i just want a comparison to the 2010 hype and the year that we did it

We started #20 that season.

[ndpruitt03]

Almost nobody picked us in every big game that year, and we kept winning them. I remember watching gameday and they all picked texas, texas a&m, nebraska, kansas state both times. They never got around to how special that team was.

[HBick]

oudavid1 if you were 7, you better be a freshman in the dorms this year

[NormanPride]

I remember the student paper picked us to win one of the three games in October's murderer's row. When we beat Nebraska, everyone knew that we'd win it all. I can't explain it, but that year was special.

[King Crimson]

that year was special. on Christmas Day i sat at the intersection in my dad's car at Main and Berry (by Norman High) and said to my dad: "we are going to beat Florida State". Dad: "I think so, too".

it was awesome.

[King Crimson]

as far as coming off 1999.....we blew leads in all the losses: ND, UT, Tech come to mind....but i think everybody knew Josh H. was special and we had to get better on D.

[delhalew]

You could definately feel it. It was the only time I've ever felt that.
I was a lonely Sooner in Atlanta. Even so far away from Norman I could feel it. I rarely bet on sports and NEVER bet OUr games...with the exeption of the last half of that season. I made a killing in SEC/ACC country.
You have to consider the decade we were coming off of. We were prolly lucky to be ranked.

[No1Better]

Best season ever -

We really wowed the world when we destroyed tu. People started to open their eyes that we were for real. That led to Red October, which included the only time a team beat the number 2(KState) and number 1(Nebraska) ranked teams in consecutive weeks.

No one gave us chance to stop Weinke and Free Shoes U in the championship game, but that led to one of the most dominant defensive performances ever and the 7th National Championship for OU.

[ndpruitt03]

I remember early that year when people were killing the team with how they were playing against Kansas. I think we trailed the game at half time or just barely led the game. But we played a bit better in the 2nd half and won something like 31-20, I remember being so down after that game because of how bad we played. I don't think anyone really expected the October that ended up being as special as it ended up being.

[kelloggOUballa]

I was 14 at the time....I remember clearly the night of the Heisman ceremony. When Josh didn't win, I was devastated. I remember my Mom telling me that night, "We're gonna kick their a**". And that we did. I watched the game with my Mom and uncle that night, the only two other Sooners in a mostly-Longhorn family. When we won, I couldn't help but break into tears. My entire life, I didn't know what it was like for OU to win, and in two years Coach Stoops changed it all, restored the tradition. Just a very, very special night, a special season. The next one will be sweet, but nothing will ever replace that one for me.

[MeMyself&Me]

I remember early that year when people were killing the team with how they were playing against Kansas. I think we trailed the game at half time or just barely led the game. But we played a bit better in the 2nd half and won something like 31-20, I remember being so down after that game because of how bad we played. I don't think anyone really expected the October that ended up being as special as it ended up being.

Yup, I was at that Kansas game and took a couple friends from England to that one. Texas was the very next game and I told them that Texas was going to kill em if they played like that.

Thank god they didn't play like that.

That Texas beat down may have opened some eyes but I think most people saw it as an odd anomaly. It took the next two games against KSU and NU to make people believe... even then there were skeptics. If there was another team at the time that had an arguable reason to be ranked #1 at the end of October, I bet that team would have been #1 instead of OU.

Wasn't OU 13 point underdogs against FSU in the Orange Bowl? I can't remember for sure but that number sticks out in my mind. No one thought OU's defense could hang with FSU's offense. The defensive shutout was beyond belief.

As far as continuing skeptics... I saw quite a few publications after the fact that thought if Miami had played OU instead of Florida State, that Miami would have one. People still couldn't believe...

[Jboozer]

I get tears just thinking about that season, it was beyond amazing. It wasn't just that it came out of nowhere, it was the way we did it. By the end of the season, it just seemed like we were so far and away the best team. AWESOME

[badger]

when you were 7? Well, when I was 17, I drank some very good beer. I drank some very good beer I purchased with a fake ID. My name was Brian McGee. I stayed up listening to Queen. When I was 17.

[Jacie]

Too bad you don't have any memories of that season. That run of sa*et, the nebbish and the mildcats will forever be known as Red October in Sooner lore. There were shades of something else you were born a decade too late to see called Sooner Magic against NU. They went up 2 touchdowns to zip in the first quarter before OU started coming back. By the time KSU rolled into town the momentum was sky high. Stoop's team beat the numbers 10, 1, and 2 teams in consecutive weeks. Then to go into the BCS championship game and dominate Bowden and the Seminoles defensively, after watching OUr offense star all season was like a big fat cherry on top of the sundae. For someone who has witnessed four of the seven NC's, the 2000 was the best of em all.

[oudavid1]

oudavid1 if you were 7, you better be a freshman in the dorms this year

UCO First, than i join my brother down there next year as a Junior (im a year ahead academically than everyone else my age) and join SigEp as a double legacy. I dont want to live in the Dorms (i grew up living with 6 people and i like having my own room for the first time in 17 years, im 18 now) That and i can pull chicks :D so i dont wanna come back to the room and argue with my roommate to take a 15 minute walk.

But plans are already in motion to get a house with my best bud who is also going to UCO with me first and its right east of the tracks off classen.

[XingTheRubicon]

Gameday did a special before the season started in August of 2000 and had a 10 minute segment on Kansas State. They went over KSU's chances to win the North and get to the BCS title game. They discussed at least 5 key matchups. They didn't mention Oklahoma once.

[AlbqSooner]

I was only - - - ahhhh hell, I was already old in 2000. living in Florida at the time and with each win I became a little less afraid to believe. After the RRS I told a friend of mine that this team might be for real. By the time Red October was done, I thought the only thing between us and the BCSCG was having to beat K State a second time.

Against the Semi-holes, the opening line was 14. I bet the money line at +450
After winning some money in the early games including New Years day I put more money on the money line at +350. I also had the chance to bet as much as I wanted at 12-14 points with people who worked or lived close to me. I ended up making almost $3,500 on that one game. The money was sweet, but collecting from the most ARROGANT bunch of cork stickers was the real honey.

[Tigeman]

2000... what a year. I still remember Boren letting us out of classes after we stomped Texas! The profs were PISSED!!!!! LOL. Then we beat #1 Nebbish, and wow.... I still remember the goose bumps I got during that game. I had actually skipped the game to go dove hunting. I came in early to watch the game. Oranges had slowly began appearing on campus before that game, but after.... they were EVERYWHERE!!!!!



UCO First, than i join my brother down there next year as a Junior (im a year ahead academically than everyone else my age) and join SigEp as a double legacy.

Unfortunately for you, you missed Ep's top days.... which was right around 98-2001. We won intramurals, Pres. Trophy, EVERYTHING during that time... set signing records etc.! Then what a few of us call Black sunday happened. The house elected the wrong guy president. He ran of ALOT of Juniors and Seniors off who became Inactives. Not to long after, OU went dry and shortly after Nationals, won out over a house that was one of the last holdouts and we went Balanced Man (way after I was gone). Away went your traditional fraternity experience... at least on campus. Unfortunately this burned ALOT of bridges with many of the alumni.

You may be interested to know, you'll have Trent Smith, Nate Hybl, and a few others as your bros.

[delhalew]

when you were 7? Well, when I was 17, I drank some very good beer. I drank some very good beer I purchased with a fake ID. My name was Brian McGee. I stayed up listening to Queen. When I was 17.

Sinatra. Good one badge!

[Pricetag]

Yup, I was at that Kansas game and took a couple friends from England to that one. Texas was the very next game and I told them that Texas was going to kill em if they played like that.
Heh, I hung out at the BoomerSooner.net board back then, and a poster named Motherbird made a post titled "TEXAS WILL LIGHT US UP" after the Kansas game.

We had so dazzled the nation with our offense in 1999 that no one had any idea how fierce that defense was going to be.

[soonerborn30]

I remember watching in utter disbelief as we dismantled *. I couldn't believe we beat KSU. By the NU game, I was all in. I came to the game with oranges hidden everywhere. My dad, an old school fan that was a student during the 74 and 75 run, saw the oranges, smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen him crack, and just said "please don't get arrested tonight". I told him I couldn't make any promises. I will never forget the chaos that ensued that night after the game. Some convertible full of random girls saw me walking Jenkins with a torn-up orange and a traffic cone (my megaphone for the cheerleading I'd later do at the Mont. On top of a table.). One of them hopped out, laid a big fat kiss on me, and got back in the car. Greatness.

The championship game was the most nervous I've ever been before or since. All the magazines, all the talking heads, all the experts had us losing before we even took the field. I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes and finished a case of Schmidts...during pregame. I killed another case and another pack of smokes during the game, and as the closing seconds ticked away, the house erupted in a screaming, cheering, crying mosh pit of happiness. Easily the second best night of my life. We immediately hauled *** to the Mont, put all the tables in the middle of the restaurant together, and ordered bottles of champagne for the entire place.

So yeah. You missed out, dude. :D

[cheezyq]

My favorite play of the season? Torrance Marshall's INT vs A&M was great. But what clinched it for me that we would go on to win them all was actually in the NU game. We were down 14-0 until Q scored in the 2nd quarter. We got the ball back and were driving. Heupel lobs one up the left side to Andre Woolfolk, who was hot all game long. The DB is all over him, but he gets his hands on the ball, but falls on his back. As he's falling, his foot kicks the ball straight up in the air and while he's lying down on the ground Woolfolk reaches out to snag the reception.

From that point on...I knew. Sooner magic was back.

[oudavid1]

My favorite play of the season? Torrance Marshall's INT vs A&M was great. But what clinched it for me that we would go on to win them all was actually in the NU game. We were down 14-0 until Q scored in the 2nd quarter. We got the ball back and were driving. Heupel lobs one up the left side to Andre Woolfolk, who was hot all game long. The DB is all over him, but he gets his hands on the ball, but falls on his back. As he's falling, his foot kicks the ball straight up in the air and while he's lying down on the ground Woolfolk reaches out to snag the reception.

From that point on...I knew. Sooner magic was back.


my all time favorite Sooner moment in my life time (1992-)
came soon after, Heupul drops, pass rush right up the middle, fades back and fires deep over the middle as Curtis Fagan runs under it to tie the game up at 14.

[GKeeper316]

there was certainly excitement around the team. a lot of people felt like the 1999 team was better than 7-5, and the 2000 version was ranked 19 going into the season. but nobody realistically expected a national championship

ya we had james allen in 99... that dude coulda been special

[GKeeper316]

My favorite play of the season? Torrance Marshall's INT vs A&M was great. But what clinched it for me that we would go on to win them all was actually in the NU game. We were down 14-0 until Q scored in the 2nd quarter. We got the ball back and were driving. Heupel lobs one up the left side to Andre Woolfolk, who was hot all game long. The DB is all over him, but he gets his hands on the ball, but falls on his back. As he's falling, his foot kicks the ball straight up in the air and while he's lying down on the ground Woolfolk reaches out to snag the reception.

From that point on...I knew. Sooner magic was back.

that's my second favorite play of the stoops era, right behind superman.

[Crucifax Autumn]

I remember watching in utter disbelief as we dismantled *. I couldn't believe we beat KSU. By the NU game, I was all in. I came to the game with oranges hidden everywhere. My dad, an old school fan that was a student during the 74 and 75 run, saw the oranges, smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen him crack, and just said "please don't get arrested tonight". I told him I couldn't make any promises. I will never forget the chaos that ensued that night after the game. Some convertible full of random girls saw me walking Jenkins with a torn-up orange and a traffic cone (my megaphone for the cheerleading I'd later do at the Mont. On top of a table.). One of them hopped out, laid a big fat kiss on me, and got back in the car. Greatness.

The championship game was the most nervous I've ever been before or since. All the magazines, all the talking heads, all the experts had us losing before we even took the field. I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes and finished a case of Schmidts...during pregame. I killed another case and another pack of smokes during the game, and as the closing seconds ticked away, the house erupted in a screaming, cheering, crying mosh pit of happiness. Easily the second best night of my life. We immediately hauled *** to the Mont, put all the tables in the middle of the restaurant together, and ordered bottles of champagne for the entire place.

So yeah. You missed out, dude. :D

This is very close to how I lived it. I think it was 2 packs, half an ounce, and a case for me though. I hereby swear that if we get to the BCS championship game I will do the same to win us another.

[TwoBits4]

This is the cover of the 2000 Sporting News preseason mag. At that time, I emailed TSN and complained about them putting Simms on the cover, when he had not yet to start a game for UT. While Josh Heupel had torn up the conference the year before. I told them we had to look at Simms on the cover at every news stand in Oklahoma. Some chick emailed me back with a bunch of crap reasons they put Simms on the cover.

Sorry if this is not sized, don't have time to mess with it right now. Later I will try to scan their preview pages and also some stuff from 2000 Phil Steele.

http://members.cox.net/twobits/Sportnews2000.jpg

[BillyBall]

I didn't believe it until we went to College Station and Marshall got the pick 6 after I was convinced we were going to lose. After that, it just had this weird, unexplainable "feel" that we were going to find a way to win games.

Sooner Magic was finally back and it was so ****ing cool.

[TwoBits4]

The Sporting News had OU at #17 preseason, they say ...


Oklahoma is back -- sooner than expected. Give credit to coach Bob Stoops. X-ing and O-ing on defense is his bailiwick, but his spread attack is what has the Sooners booming. QB Josh Heupel is back to hook up with WR Antwone Savage, but Heupel won't have to coordinator Mike Leach whispering in his ear. Leach left to take the head coaching spot at Texas Tech. Mark Mangino is now pushing the buttons. He wants the Sooners to rely less on finesse. That's RB Quenton Griffin's cue. He has promise, but the line is being reworked. The defense, which won't gamble as much, can count on the linebacking duo of Rocky Calmus and Torrance Marshall, but there's much work to be done in the secondary ( which is replacing three starters ) and along the line ( which is searching for a pass rusher ) . The Sooners will get a boost from a soft non-league schedule. And while OU doesn't leave the state until October 7, it plays three of its last four on the road.

Phil Steele had them at #23, he says ...


OU actually ranks #15 in my talent ratings BUT have to face both Texas and Texas A&M away from home and draw BOTH Nebraska and Kansas St from the North. After a 4 game home stand to start the season, they have 5 of the last 7 on the road.


http://members.cox.net/twobits/PS2000.jpg

[cheezyq]

my all time favorite Sooner moment in my life time (1992-)
came soon after, Heupul drops, pass rush right up the middle, fades back and fires deep over the middle as Curtis Fagan runs under it to tie the game up at 14.

Loved that play, happened JUST after the play I mentioned. Between the Sooner magic and the complete STUFFING of the NU offense from that point on, to Josh Norman bowling over defenders to get us into scoring position in the 2nd half...that was just a fun game, especially after enduring a decade's worth of beatings to the Cornies. Complete domination from the 2nd quarter on.

[King Crimson]

jampacked with information.

nice job Phil, does OU really face UT "away from home?".

and Sporting NEws weighs in with a "quin-ton" Griffin....wtf?

[Jacie]

I didn't believe it until we went to College Station and Marshall got the pick 6 after I was convinced we were going to lose. After that, it just had this weird, unexplainable "feel" that we were going to find a way to win games.

Sooner Magic was finally back and it was so ****ing cool.

We've all seen the YouTube clip of Torrance Marshall making the INT and returning it for a TD that gave OU the lead against A&M, we forget about many other near miraculous plays in that same game, any one of which had they gone the other way would have reversed the outcome. I was reminded of this last week when during the day my cable/telephone/internet went down. Being cutoff from the usual forms of entertainment I dug out a VHS with the 2000 OU @ A&M game to review that very play. Where I started watching . . .

. . . it was the 4th quarter, the clock at the 10:30 mark, the score OU 21 - A&M 31. The Sooners, down 10 points and having to watch the clock, have a 3rd & 10 from the A&M 46 yardline. Huepel in the shotgun as usual, takes the snap, rolls left and just before the pass rush can get to him, floats a pass toward the sideline. Antwone Savage leaps high to snag the ball but his momentum carries him out of bounds. The aggie crowd erupts but wait, the sideline judge rules it complete!

Replay shows it to be a good, no a great call. Just before his right foot comes down he drags his left big toe in bounds and it is OU 1st & 10 from the A&M 29 yardline.

A couple of runs and a pass to Fagan net another first down to the 17. After a short run and an incomplete pass (a Fagan drop) OU faces 3rd & 7 from the A&M 11 yardline. The Sooners could kick and be down by 7 but obviously want the touchdown.

Huepel takes the snap and drops back. Everyone is covered so he steps up then takes off, still palming the ball and threatening to throw but he has a few yards of room to run. He goes all out, aggie red shirts close in on him. He dives for the sideline and gets to the marker for a 1st & goal at the A&M 2 yardline. Officially a 9 yard run but he had to cover twice that distance to do it. A run by Q makes the score OU 28 - A&M 31.

So that was the lead up to the Marshall pick and score, which came on the first play of the ensuing A&M drive.

But the game was far from over.

There was still plenty of time for A&M to come back which they almost did.

On the A&M drive after OU went up 35 - 31, the aggie return man got the ball out the their 32 yardline. On second down, the pass is incomplete but a roughing the passer call gives A&M a 1st down. A run by Toombs, that big fullback who earlier in the game carried 3 Sooners into the endzone, resulted in a first down at the OU 45. Then Farris, the aggie quarterback completes a pass to the OU 10 yardline, first and goal A&M with over 4 and a half minutes left. Two running plays bring up a 3rd & goal from the 4. Farris throws behind the receiver on 3rd down. A 4th down pass to the endzone is broken up by Ontei Jones and the Sooners are celebrating.

But it still isn't over.

OU takes over at their own 4 yardline with almost 3 minutes left to play. Two runs leave OU facing a 3rd and 9 and the crowd noise is deafening as the aggies fans try to will their defense to stop the Sooners. Huepel drops back into the end zone, finds Savage on a wide receiver screen. Savage with a blocker in front of him and room to run takes off but is brought down from behind on a one-hand ankle grab. OU must punt from their own endzone.

Earlier in the game, A&M scored off a blocked punt. This time, the same guy who blocked that punt, Bethel Johnson, got a hand on the ball, partially blocking it. The ball rolled dead at the OU 43 yardline and A&M still had time. The Sooner defense held them this time and OU hung on for the win.

Anyway, the Marshall score on the INT is the signature play and earned him OU's Player of the Game designation. The A&M coach, R.C. Slocum would go on to beat OU two years later in his final season as aggie coach but to lose to the Sooners after playing them so close that day was a tough loss for him.

[Salt City Sooner]

ya we had james allen in 99... that dude coulda been special
James Allen's senior year was '96. I think you're thinking of Parker, & he left early, after the '98 season.

[No1Better]

Did I mention, I got married the evening of the win over Nebraska (Oct. 28, 2000)? My wife and I both graduated from OU - talk about a wedding reception!!

[TwoBits4]

jampacked with information.

nice job Phil, does OU really face UT "away from home?".

and Sporting NEws weighs in with a "quin-ton" Griffin....wtf?

Not to get this off track, but in a business where success is determined by being right a lessor percentage of the time than a baseball hitter, Phil Steele is the best there is. I bought Steele's first mag in 1995 ( still have it btw ) and I've only missed a couple years since. The work he does is very very good.

But even Phil did not see that 2000 OU run coming .

[soonerborn30]

And this year he thinks we'll win it all.

:eek:

[Pricetag]

But even Phil did not see that 2000 OU run coming .
Shoot, I remember reading in Sooners Illustrated that we didn't have a chance to get through Red October unscathed.

[TopDawg]

we came in ranked like #20 in the polls and I think most Sooner fans would have been excited to finish 9-3 and sniffing the top 10 had you asked them in the preseason.

Rhino and I had a sports-talk show on the WIRE that year and I think that's exactly what we both predicted.

The general thought was "We'll win one of the October games versus Texas, KSU and Nebraska (which would leave us with 2 losses) and then either drop a bad one or lose down in College Station."