25 Years Ago Today

[Sooner04]

The 1985 Oklahoma Sooners BEGAN their season by taking on Lou Holtz and his Minnesota Golden Gophers inside the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Guided by a superb defense and the option stylings of a young Troy Aikman, the Sooners started their march to National Championship #6 by defeating UM 13-7.

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[Mississippi Sooner]

Incredible how much later the season started back then. I remember going to the second home game of the year against Iowa State (I watched the Miami game at home with my folks), and that was at the end of October.

[TopDawg]

Well, OU's season started later than most...as the announcers mention at the beginning of that clip.

Thanks for the video, 04. Great stuff.

[setem]

That was Minnesota's 5th game of the season and OU's first?

[Sabanball]

Will never forget watching that game. Spencer Tillman, seemingly on his way to a 200 yd game, suffered a season-ending injury as I recall early that night, and the team seemed to struggle the rest of the way when it looked early on like you guys would run all over them.

[Mississippi Sooner]

It was a strange year. I don't remember the reason for that. I know our last game didn't happen until early December against SMU. Unusual back in the 11 game season era.

[badger]

Teams that have ever called that dome home all suck ;)

[oumartin]

A post with no player bashing? incredible

[AlbqSooner]

The SMU game was a beatdown of epic proportions. Eric Dickerson, Craig James and the Pony express were exposed as pretenders that day. Shortly after they were exposed as cheaters of the death penalty order.

[OU Engineer]

Speaking of aikman, did anyone hear what he said during the cowboys game sunday?

Well if you didnt, they were talking about how UCLA only through 6 (or was it 9) times in their win over Texas. They asked Troy what he wouldve done, and he said:

"I wouldve transferred back to OU"

Thought that was pretty funny...

[TUSooner]

Speaking of aikman, did anyone hear what he said during the cowboys game sunday?

Well if you didnt, they were talking about how UCLA only through 6 (or was it 9) times in their win over Texas. They asked Troy what he wouldve done, and he said:

"I wouldve transferred back to OU"

Thought that was pretty funny...
Try that again. How UCLA what? :D

[setem]

Threw...

[ouwasp]

If I recall, the SMU game was supposed to be an early non-conf game, but ABC twisted arms to get it moved to Dec. It was thought to be maybe a possible "semi-final" sort of set-up, as SMU and OU were both thought to be contenders.

The game was just the week after the Ice Bowl, I'm thinking, but the weather was perfect.

By the way, ol' Jimmy Johnson did a Mack Brown type of appeal to the tv audience that day, as OU and Miami were jockeying as to who could/should play #1 Penn St.

[jkjsooner]

The SMU game was a beatdown of epic proportions. Eric Dickerson, Craig James and the Pony express were exposed as pretenders that day. Shortly after they were exposed as cheaters of the death penalty order.

Dickerson was long gone by '85.

[sooneron]

If I recall, the SMU game was supposed to be an early non-conf game, but ABC twisted arms to get it moved to Dec. It was thought to be maybe a possible "semi-final" sort of set-up, as SMU and OU were both thought to be contenders.

The game was just the week after the Ice Bowl, I'm thinking, but the weather was perfect.

By the way, ol' Jimmy Johnson did a Mack Brown type of appeal to the tv audience that day, as OU and Miami were jockeying as to who could/should play #1 Penn St.

Yep, that game was supposed to be played earlier in the season. There were never games after Turkey Weekend back then. Ok, maybe never, because I'm sure someone will pull out a couple that were rarities.

[Salt City Sooner]

Dickerson was long gone by '85.
James was history too. SMU's backs vs. OU were Jeff Atkins & Reggie Dupard. The QB was Don King (no, not THAT one :D )

[bluedogok]

Yep, James was on the losing end of the Superbowl that year with New England, the Bears handled them pretty easily.

I remember SMU blowing down the field on the first drive and making it look easy...then pretty much nothing after that. That 85 defense seemed to do that some but when they went into lock down mode, they were tough.

[toast]

OU used to water down the astro turf before each home game, Minn just had Lou Holtz sing the national anthem.

[tulsaoilerfan]

If I recall, the SMU game was supposed to be an early non-conf game, but ABC twisted arms to get it moved to Dec. It was thought to be maybe a possible "semi-final" sort of set-up, as SMU and OU were both thought to be contenders.

The game was just the week after the Ice Bowl, I'm thinking, but the weather was perfect.

By the way, ol' Jimmy Johnson did a Mack Brown type of appeal to the tv audience that day, as OU and Miami were jockeying as to who could/should play #1 Penn St.

U r correct; Ou was supposed to open with SMU and i believe it was 2 weeks before the Minny game, but the money got it moved to December

[Leroy Lizard]

The SMU game was a beatdown of epic proportions. Eric Dickerson, Craig James and the Pony express were exposed as pretenders that day. Shortly after they were exposed as cheaters of the death penalty order.

Was that the year they had Don King at QB? IIRC, they ran all over us on the first drive and couldn't buy a first down after that.

[Leroy Lizard]

Our players in 1985 looked so... in shape. Not like the big tub of lards we have now. (Had to throw in a player bash.)

Troy Johnson was badly underrated as a Sooner. And I think we would have won the national title with Aikman. He looked surprisingly quick. (And a 4.6 forty is not bad, if he could really run it that fast. That's about Jamelle Holieway speed.)

[oumartin]

Our players in 1985 looked so... in shape. Not like the big tub of lards we have now. (Had to throw in a player bash.)

Troy Johnson was badly underrated as a Sooner. And I think we would have won the national title with Aikman. He looked surprisingly quick. (And a 4.6 forty is not bad, if he could really run it that fast. That's about Jamelle Holieway speed.)



well, aikman couldn't run that fast with a broken ankle

[sozo]

Lindsey Nelson?Are you stinking kidding me!I guess my memory is going,I thought ESPN did the game.

[Sooner04]

Will never forget watching that game. Spencer Tillman, seemingly on his way to a 200 yd game, suffered a season-ending injury as I recall early that night, and the team seemed to struggle the rest of the way when it looked early on like you guys would run all over them.
I believe you're referring to Earl "The Original Bullethead" Johnson. #5, if memory serves. A very fast fullback, and his injury led to the emergence of guys like Leon Perry and, especially, Lydell Carr.

Maybe Spencer got hurt too that night, but I'm almost positive Johnson was lost for the season in the Metrodome.

[Harry Beanbag]

OU held Texas to 70 total yards that year, including 17 yards rushing on 35 carries. :eek:

[Crucifax Autumn]

Let's go for 20 this year.

[Mississippi Sooner]

OU held Texas to 70 total yards that year, including 17 yards rushing on 35 carries. :eek:

Heh, I remember that like it was yesterday. I was bragging to some Poke fans later that night about how we'd crushed them, and they were like "man, it was 14 to 7." I said, "did you see the game? They were lucky to get 7."

[Sooner04]

They only got 7 because of that fluke fumble by Carr that popped straight up in the air at the goal line.

Didn't Texas LOSE 26 yards overall in the 4th quarter? All I remember from watching the old tape is that they kept trying to throw and we kept sending the house.

When Todd Dodge wakes up in a cold sweat you can bet he's been dreaming of Bosworth.

[Harry Beanbag]

4 first downs for the game, none in the 2nd half. Dodge was 4-15 for 53 yards and 3 INT's. And Tony Casillas was hurt on the third play of the game.

http://www.soonerstats.com/football/games/recap.cfm?GameID=849

[stoops the eternal pimp]

OU used to water down the astro turf before each home game, Minn just had Lou Holtz sing the national anthem.

not sure about that...Holtz was only 65 when that game was played