Thursday poll: Worst loss of Stoops era?

[badger]

I know, very depressing topic, right? But we learn a lot about ourselves during losses, from who our starters should be, to remembering to get our backups in game shape before we're forced to, to taking bowl preparation and every opponent seriously, even if there's no title on the line.

Nominees!

1- OSU 2001
After losing to Nebraska, it looked like we wouldn't be bound for the title game. However, Nebraska's own losing changed that, and with a win at this home turf rivalry game of sorts, we'd be going to the Big 12 title game and a win there would give us a Rose Bowl berth.

2- KSU 2003
We were #1 all year, and people were talking about us like we already had a title berth sewn up even if we lost this game, because we were the only undefeated team left anyway. Surely dominant Oklahoma would dominate again.

3- LSU 2004
Yes, this game technically was in 2004. After a loss to KSU, we were a little but down, especially when the talking heads were talking about how USC deserved the title game more than we did, even though we were #1 all year up till that point. But whatever, title on the line, let' wear out their offense by running the ball. Or not.

4- USC 2005
While its debatable whether this game exists or not, those that remember it wish they didn't. A dominant, undefeated season with a RRS shutout topped with a Big 12 title win over Nebrasky. Everything seemed to be coming up Oklahoma.

5- TCU 2005
The word in the local media was that Oklahoma was "reloaded," not "rebuilding." Replacing a Heisman winning quarterback and teammates bound for the NFL? Pbbth, simple, right? Especially since we're at home.

6- Texas 2005
I don't care how many we've lost so far this season, we own Texas! We've beaten them five straight and we can beat them again!

7- Either Fiesta Bowl
Screw the Statue of Liberty, the BCS for leaving us out of the 2007 title game and the talking heads talking about Stoops' BCS record. Screw them all.

8- The Tebowl
Regardless of whether Texas thought they belonged in the Tebowl or not, we had a Heisman, a Big 12 title over Mizzou and a berth 2008 BCS Championship game. We had a shot to end all this Stoops BCS slump talk. We had the offense to score 60+ against anyone. Please, PLEASE let this be title #8.

Vote for four days anonymously and don't try to change your vote. I promise to never revisit this topic in any future poll.

[Breadburner]

Sorry Boise should be number 1.... We will always have to hear it or see it......

[OUVarsityXV]

I would give my first-born son to have won all of those games. We would have 10 National Championships and 8 Big XII Championships! Stoops could have four NC's right now!!

[Soonerfan88]

Wow, this is a difficult choice and I'm going to have to think before I vote. If KSU hadn't happened, I don't think LSU would have either. Losing to either orange team is always bad. Talking heads just won't shut up about that Boise game. I wouldn't have a problem losing to USC if it weren't for the way it happened. And the 2008 NCG still pisses me off because OU lost that game because of stupid mistakes/decisions.

[Mississippi Sooner]

While the Boise loss was bad, the game that never happened is still the only OU game that I stopped watching before it was over. And that includes some of those horrid games back in the mid-90s.

I think this poll is likely to be a slam dunk.

[BoomerJ]

Gotta go with #4 here as my #1. If there is a game that many on this board refer to as "The game that shall not be mentioned", I'll have to call it the worst.

[JLEW1818]

In no order

1- OSU 2001
they sucked so bad. Our offense was horrible tho

2- KSU 2003
Did not see that coming at all. We scored first

3- LSU 2004
woulda shoulda coulda

4- USC 2005
went wild when we scored first..... why try and pick up the punt?

5- TCU 2005
was at lake texoma for a family reunion. My family went on to the lake, i stayed in a hotel to watch us lose.

6- Texas 2005
was driving back from Tyler this day, and heard us getting stomped on the radio. Went to the Astros playoff game that night to redeem myself.

7- Either Fiesta Bowl
Boise was a fun game, just ended bad.. if we win, who cares?
WV, only time i use an excuse, we had too many players out.

8- The Tebowl
catch the ball WR's

[badger]

I still hate the Fiesta Bowl even after we won it. :mad:

[JLEW1818]

2002 tx aggie needs to be on the list....?

[Sooner Among The Pack]

I cast a vote for the 2003 Big XII Title Game. I thought everything was going according to plan after Kejuan ripped off the big run. Then, oy. The mere thought of Darren Sproles makes me cringe. To me, that's where we first lost that mojo in big games, and as the list shows after that, we've left a lot on the table. :(

[Mississippi Sooner]

2002 tx aggie needs to be on the list....?

Agree, although the revenge game the next year was too sweet.

[SoonerDood]

OSU in 01. They were terrible that year, we were bound for another NC game. But they played hard in their Super Bowl and pulled off the colossal upset.

[JLEW1818]

Agree, although the revenge game the next year was too sweet.

true that

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Sorry Boise should be number 1.... We will always have to hear it or see it......

Losing to an undefeated team isn't really that bad when you sit back and think about it... It definitely sucked though. Not sure which one to vote for.

[silverwheels]

All of them.

[badger]

Bonus question: Rank the losses in the order you hate them most.

1. The Fiesta Bowl.
2. USC 2005
3. Tebowl
4. LSU 2004
5. KSU 2003
6. OSU 2001
7. TCU 2005
8. Texas 2005

[BoulderSooner79]

1) 2003 season LSU - It was the title game and we were the best team. M. Stoops should have stuck around until it was over - did it really help him at AZ for those few weeks?

2) 2008 season Gators - It was the title game and they were only slightly better. Oh why, couldn't DM be healthy?

The rest are just losses and we had no prayer in the 2004 title game, so the margin doesn't matter. We dole out plenty of whippin's, so you have to man up when you get one.

[jk the sooner fan]

cant remember the year - but that loss to Colorado up in Boulder just flat out sucked

I think of the choices, I'd pick Boise St easily over any of the other ones

[JLEW1818]

2007 Colorado

dammit Boulder, everytime i read your name i think of that game

2006 Oregon
2007 Tech, yuck

[BoulderSooner79]

2007 Colorado

dammit Boulder, every time i read your name i think of that game

Sorry. That game still irks me because I lived there at the time and had to hear it from my buff fan friends. That one was a pure coaching faux paus and the only satisfaction i got from it was that KW raised his hand that it was his fault. And it was. They clearly took CU for granted and were planning for UT the following week.

[JLEW1818]

dang you Reggie Smith, couldn't catch

[Mississippi Sooner]

2007 was such a frustrating season. First we lose to Colorado in Boulder. Then, after beating the whorns and Mizzou, we play it way too close to Iowa State in Ames. A few weeks later came the abomination in Lubbock, and then it was all wrapped up with "how did that just happen?" Fiesta Bowl against WVU.

[BoulderSooner79]

dang you Reggie Smith, couldn't catch

I'm one of the few that doesn't blame RS. The bad snowball was already huge and rolling downhill and he was trying to make a play to save the game. Not a good decision and worse execution, but if they pin us down deep I still think they win. But the fact is, we should have been up by 3 TDs by then. As I recall, we ran some ridiculously low number of plays in the 2nd half. Less than 20? The D hung tough, bul eventually broke with no rest - and that's doubly true at 5300' altitude. Grrr.

[sooneron]

dang you Reggie Smith, couldn't catch

Catch? He shouldn't have even fielded it! He was in inside the 10.

My least favorite-

1) TGOWWDNS - horrible and embarrassing.
3) KSU 2003 - pretty much see above
4) LoSUr 04 sugar bowl- Kejuan could have been up there with S Rhodes...
5) 01 osu - their team was brutally bad
6) 02 osu - pretty embarrassing how much Bassey bit on the play action and Woolfolk was schooled by Woods.
7) 05 TCU - Cluster****
8) 02 Atm- This was sort of the starting point where we learned that the Stoops D philosophy couldn't handle in game adjustments. Reggie came in and torched us.
9) 09 gaytors - We had them, then we got weak on offense and didn't adjust.
10) 06 whoregon- that game almost made burst a blood vessel. Thank GOD, my blood had been thinned by massive amounts of booze.
10A) boyzee for reasons already stated by others- the replays... ugh

And that WVU game was ****ing horrible too.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

BYU anybody? No?

[oudavid1]

It has to be USC. We got embarrassed in front of everyone. They made us their bi**h.

[stoopified]

Losing to USC wasn't bad ,getting thumped was.To me a bad lossis losing to a bad team.The two teams OU has lost to in the Stoops era that were bad were osu in 2001 and Cu in 2007.Edge would go to osu because it was a homegame.

[JLEW1818]

Catch? He shouldn't have even fielded it! He was in inside the 10.

My least favorite-

1) TGOWWDNS - horrible and embarrassing.
3) KSU 2003 - pretty much see above
4) LoSUr 04 sugar bowl- Kejuan could have been up there with S Rhodes...
5) 01 osu - their team was brutally bad
6) 02 osu - pretty embarrassing how much Bassey bit on the play action and Woolfolk was schooled by Woods.
7) 05 TCU - Cluster****
8) 02 Atm- This was sort of the starting point where we learned that the Stoops D philosophy couldn't handle in game adjustments. Reggie came in and torched us.
9) 09 gaytors - We had them, then we got weak on offense and didn't adjust.
10) 06 whoregon- that game almost made burst a blood vessel. Thank GOD, my blood had been thinned by massive amounts of booze.
10A) boyzee for reasons already stated by others- the replays... ugh

And that WVU game was ****ing horrible too.

not as bad as Nathan Vasher in the 2001 RRS :D

[badger]

Sorry. That game still irks me because I lived there at the time and had to hear it from my buff fan friends. That one was a pure coaching faux paus and the only satisfaction i got from it was that KW raised his hand that it was his fault. And it was. They clearly took CU for granted and were planning for UT the following week.

Volunteer to sing "Glory Glory Colorado" with him as a goodwill gesture. Then, instead of singing the real words, sub them in for a reality check:

YOU'RE NOT GONNA WIN YOUR BOWL GAME!
YOU'LL NEVER GO TO A'NOTHER BOWL GAME!
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NO BOWL GAMES!
CUZ COACH HAWK REALLY SUCKS!

Sing along everyone :D
RsN1NAwLf_w

EDIT: Had to change the original words cuz it turns out CU actually did go bowling 2007, even though they lost. However, most years the "You're not going to a bowl game" chorus usually works for them

[MeMyself&Me]

Wow, this is a difficult choice and I'm going to have to think before I vote. If KSU hadn't happened, I don't think LSU would have either. Losing to either orange team is always bad. Talking heads just won't shut up about that Boise game. I wouldn't have a problem losing to USC if it weren't for the way it happened. And the 2008 NCG still pisses me off because OU lost that game because of stupid mistakes/decisions.

Was just about to say the same thing on all points...

[LVSOONER15]

Losing to UF in 08 still sits sour in my mind. Having all those chances to score ughh!!

[deweydw]

USC 2005 Orange Bowl. They hung a half a hundred on us.

[SoonerNomad]

I agree with BoulderSooner79. The two championship losses when we were either the better or close to being the better team hurt.

Not being able to get the Gators off the field on multiple third downs and not using any imagination (or not having enough strength) inside the one yard line on seven or eight plays with the best offense I have ever seen.

Jason White being hurt against LSU and OU not throwing effectively and missing that damn wheel route to Kejuan that would have tied the game.

Those losses are the mosts frustrating because they were for titles and because they were winnable.

[BoulderSooner79]

Volunteer to sing "Glory Glory Colorado" with him as a goodwill gesture. Then, instead of singing the real words, sub them in for a reality check:

YOU'RE NOT GONNA WIN YOUR BOWL GAME!
YOU'LL NEVER GO TO A'NOTHER BOWL GAME!
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NO BOWL GAMES!
CUZ COACH HAWK REALLY SUCKS!

Sing along everyone :D
RsN1NAwLf_w

EDIT: Had to change the original words cuz it turns out CU actually did go bowling 2007, even though they lost. However, most years the "You're not going to a bowl game" chorus usually works for them

I don't see those guys much anymore as I now live close to the Stanford stadium and we've got scoreboard on these guys :D. But good suggestion.

PS I guess I should be PaloAltoSooner79 :O

[badger]

Man you guys vote fast. Is offseason really that bad?

[Mississippi Sooner]

:mack: You should have put the 2008 RRS loss because that one kept the Sooners out of the Big XII Championship game! :mack:

[JLEW1818]

:mack: You should have put the 2008 RRS loss because that one kept the Sooners out of the Big XII Championship game! :mack:

LOL :D

[Pricetag]

I voted for the 2001 OSU loss because of the ridiculous nature of it, but now I wish I could change my vote.

I'd have to say it's a tie between the 2003 Big 12 CCG and the 2005 Orange Bowl, because in both losses, OU got punched in the mouth, and folded like a cheap tent in response.

[Salt City Sooner]

The 4 teams OSU defeated in 2001:

Louisiana Tech in Stillwater
Northwestern STATE (La.) in Stillwater
Baylor in Waco
Oklahoma in Norman

Ahem.....in my best Sesame Street voice:

One of these things doesn't belong here, come on, can ya tell which one......

[badger]

One of these things doesn't belong here, come on, can ya tell which one......

Because you had a bad day, you're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around

[SoonerDood]

write-ins:
BYU 09
Nebraska 09
Tech 09

[SoonerofAlabama]

write-ins:
BYU 09
Nebraska 09
Tech 09

Miami 09
Texas 09, They were the better team but we had our chance in the end.

[SoonerNomad]

write-ins:
BYU 09
Nebraska 09
Tech 09




Miami 09
Texas 09, They were the better team but we had our chance in the end.


BRADFORD in '09

[badger]

:D We could have included all of Stoops' losses on this poll. It's not like there's many of them.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

FSU '11 anybody? No??? :D








(takes cover)

[fwsooner22]

Losing to an undefeated team isn't really that bad when you sit back and think about it... It definitely sucked though. Not sure which one to vote for.


My son's 8 year old team was unbeaten that year too. They didn't beat anybody good that season either til the championship game. Please....Boise ?

[NMSooner'80]

I voted for Silo Tech Shocker, 2001. That, to me, is still the worst loss by any OU team in Norman, in my lifetime - because they stunk otherwise and because it was their big highlight. I rate it "worse" than the Ohio Northern basketball game of December '80 because OU wasn't very good that year.

But for the brutal gift that keeps on giving, it'd be Potato Aggy. I was there, and it was heinous. The sad thing, in a way, is that Boise State was damn good and was better than the absurd "David / epic underdog" label they now seem to embrace. I think they should have been favored.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

My son's 8 year old team was unbeaten that year too. They didn't beat anybody good that season either til the championship game. Please....Boise ?

Yeah Boise... If we lost to your son's team then that would definitely be a different story. ;) Come on now, I hate Boise as much as anybody but they've won like 12 games every year since then. I'm just sayin' it's not the worst loss of the Stoops era as you can clearly see by the results...

[SoonerDood]

Texas 09, They were the better team but we had our chance in the end.

that's why I didn't list it as a bad loss.

[tfoolry]

Mike Stoops

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Mike Stoops

Niiice! +1

[the-rover]

OB vs. USC

Simply embarrassing

[MamaMia]

TGOWWDNS

[Mad Dog Madsen]

TGOWWDNS

Well, we've been speaking about it... So try again. :D

[SoonerofAlabama]

Well, we've been speaking about it... So try again. :D

TGOWWSWTMA

The Game Of Which We Speak Way Too Much About

[JLEW1818]

:eek:

[MamaMia]

Well, we've been speaking about it... So try again. :D

I'm still at the stadium bar.

[MamaMia]

...and my car, all blazing in OU flags, stickers, magnets and a mama4ou license plate is all alone in the OB huge parking lot with its tail pipe tucked between its tires.

[OUNASH]

In my opinion the USC loss was the worst in Oklahoma history. Your in the Natl. Champ. game and you get spanked like a step-child. OU quit that night.

[MamaMia]

In my opinion the USC loss was the worst in Oklahoma history. Your in the Natl. Champ. game and you get spanked like a step-child. OU quit that night.The Trojan fans were cheering for us in the end. :O

[BoulderSooner79]

My son's 8 year old team was unbeaten that year too. They didn't beat anybody good that season either til the championship game. Please....Boise ?

Come on, Boise was a solid team that year and has proven to be a solid program since then*. We would have gotten tons of respect had we beaten Boise last season instead of Uconn and for good reason.






*solid enough to be in hot water with the NCAA now!

[MamaMia]

It was a road trip for us. I wanted to jump off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

[Wishboned]

4- USC 2005
While its debatable whether this game exists or not, those that remember it wish they didn't. A dominant, undefeated season with a RRS shutout topped with a Big 12 title win over Nebrasky. Everything seemed to be coming up Oklahoma.


Actually the Big 12 title win was over Colorado. 42-3.



And if I had to pick it would either be LSU or Florida. Both games we could have won.

[AlboSooner]

USC. A ton a guys from that team are still in the NFL

[tcrb]

It still keeps me awake some nights, and I cannot talk about it.

[BoulderSooner79]

I'm always perplexed that the 'SC games seems to haunt everybody, as it doesn't affect me that way. But I readily admit I'm in the minority. To me, they were the better team, so just making the score closer wouldn't lessen the loss - it just meant I was only entertained for 1 qtr before the fun was over. We pummel other teams all the time, so I figure we'll get a taste of that medicine sometime. I'm much more bummed about games we should have won (LSU) or could have won (UF), than the final score in a game where we were outmatched.

[Salt City Sooner]

My son's 8 year old team was unbeaten that year too. They didn't beat anybody good that season either til the championship game. Please....Boise ?
BSU also beat the dog out of a 10 win Oregon State team that year (by 4 TD's), & I think it's worth noting that among those 10 wins by OSU was a win over USC who went on to win the Rose Bowl. Just because BSU's schedule wasn't great doesn't mean their team wasn't. I thought we'd win, but I wasn't surprised that we lost either. That was one of, if not THE most over-achieving team of the Stoops era. If not for a gargantuan collapse by the 'horns vs. KSU & A&M (in Austin, no less), in their last 2 games OU isn't even in Phoenix that night.

[goingoneight]

Any answer that isn't OSU 2001 is wrong IMO. Defending National Champions should handle an unranked, non-bowl team at home. At least the Colorado game was one of those reality checks games and playing in Boulder is obviously tougher than playing in Norman.

[AlboSooner]

I'm always perplexed that the 'SC games seems to haunt everybody, as it doesn't affect me that way. But I readily admit I'm in the minority. To me, they were the better team, so just making the score closer wouldn't lessen the loss - it just meant I was only entertained for 1 qtr before the fun was over. We pummel other teams all the time, so I figure we'll get a taste of that medicine sometime. I'm much more bummed about games we should have won (LSU) or could have won (UF), than the final score in a game where we were outmatched.

I think USC players admitted to the fact that OU had the better athletes and was physically better than SC. SC however had a great game plan, and played with confidence. We had no answer for their TE going in the middle. They exploited our weakest link that year: LB core.

[jkjsooner]

cant remember the year - but that loss to Colorado up in Boulder just flat out sucked

I think of the choices, I'd pick Boise St easily over any of the other ones

That was my wedding day. The game sucked but it was still the best day of my life (after the day my son was born).

[MamaMia]

I think USC players admitted to the fact that OU had the better athletes and was physically better than SC. SC however had a great game plan, and played with confidence. We had no answer for their TE going in the middle. They exploited our weakest link that year: LB core. The Sooners had lots more fun on the beach, afterall... "They earned it." Then here were the carbs. :P

[soonerboy_odanorth]

no contest: TGOWWDNS

[Since71ASooner4Life]

OU quit that night.

that was the worst feeling I've had in 40 years following this team

[BoulderSooner79]

I think USC players admitted to the fact that OU had the better athletes and was physically better than SC. SC however had a great game plan, and played with confidence. We had no answer for their TE going in the middle. They exploited our weakest link that year: LB core.

Given how many of those USC players made it to the NFL, I don't believe that for a second - I don't care what they "admitted". That team was better than the team that lost to horns the next season because they had one of the top defenses in the country. The '05 team was only above average on D.

[badger]

Actually the Big 12 title win was over Colorado. 42-3.



And if I had to pick it would either be LSU or Florida. Both games we could have won.

They all blend together. Stoops uses Big 12 trophies to put nick nacks and M&Ms in at this point. :D

I had no idea you all loved talking about OU's losses so much. Is offseason really that bad? Do you all need a hug? :D

*hug*

[sooneron]

I think USC players admitted to the fact that OU had the better athletes and was physically better than SC. SC however had a great game plan, and played with confidence. We had no answer for their TE going in the middle. They exploited our weakest link that year: LB core.

I agree and I disagree. That sc team was loaded, we screwed up and curled up in the fetal position. Everyone points to Bradley's eff up, but JW threw a costly int in one of the next series that was REALLY stupid. I think talent-wise, the teams were pretty close- a touchdown close- their guys caught everything thrown their way - it was like a circus. Our guys were trying to figure out what cleats to use.... Pathetic ... coupled with Chow laughing at our same old D gameplan ****. I actually had to go out and by some **** for myself to help change my mood the next day.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

that was the worst feeling I've had in 40 years following this team

Rewind yourself to the '78 Orange Bowl v. Arkansas. Eerily similar punch to the gut and utter disgust...

[87sooner]

the LSU game...
a game we could have won...
a game we should have won...
would have been national championship #8....
stoops' best team...that basically ended up winning NOTHING
would have shut everyone up that said we didn't deserve to be there..
damn you chuck long..

[Ruf/Nek7]

I was one of the 4 peeps that went with tcu in 05. The only reason why is because that was my first OU home football game I had ever been to.

[jkjsooner]

I'm always perplexed that the 'SC games seems to haunt everybody, as it doesn't affect me that way. But I readily admit I'm in the minority. To me, they were the better team, so just making the score closer wouldn't lessen the loss - it just meant I was only entertained for 1 qtr before the fun was over. We pummel other teams all the time, so I figure we'll get a taste of that medicine sometime. I'm much more bummed about games we should have won (LSU) or could have won (UF), than the final score in a game where we were outmatched.

What I don't understand is why we were so much more explosive on offense in 2003 than in 2004. We brought back a Heisman QB and the entire offensive line and added the best running back to come out of high school since the days of Herschel Walker / Marcus Dupree yet we were not nearly as explosive. It almost seemed like we didn't know how to integrate Peterson into the offensive scheme.

[badger]

Many theories, many ideas, but there are two plausible ones: the turf and the letdown.

In full disclosure, I was in the marching band that year and had a front row seat (not front-front, but you know what I mean) to the awfulness. But before then, we were slipping left and right on that turf, because it was painted. I mean, PAINTED, not just the yardlines and endzones, but the green in between too. The wrong type of shoes really would have hurt our players that day.

And the letdown --- it was said that after the title game failure the year before, players were stressed upon the idea of failure not being an option again, that they absolutely had to win that year and had to prepare each and every moment that year up until that game to ensure no failure. The word "FINISH" on those rubber red braclets was probably screamed in their years a lot that season. Once the game arrived, there was no longer a moment to prepare for, to be reminded of, to be screamed at about. It was there. And what a letdown to have everything you've worked so hard for and been impressed upon for so long be confined to a few hours of game. Is this really it? This is what months upon months has been all about? Zzzz.

[BoulderSooner79]

What I don't understand is why we were so much more explosive on offense in 2003 than in 2004. We brought back a Heisman QB and the entire offensive line and added the best running back to come out of high school since the days of Herschel Walker / Marcus Dupree yet we were not nearly as explosive. It almost seemed like we didn't know how to integrate Peterson into the offensive scheme.

We were pretty darn good on offense in '04, but I think there is something to your last sentence. However, I think the biggest difference was on defense and that bled over to the offense since the other guy would have the ball more. We were as good as anyone on defense in '03, including LSU. So if our offense got clicking and the defense forced a 3 and out, it would snowball pretty quickly.

[The Maestro]

There is no shame in losing national championship games. They hurt, but LSU got to play at home and we fought hard after a WTF loss to KSU that sent the best team ever into a tough spot mentally. Kejuan Jones was our best running back that year...and he ain't top four in the Stoops era.

Florida was good. Sure, we blew it with the two drives in the first half, but that game was without Demarco and that was a killer for us...especially on those two drives.

USC had stars all over the field. So did we but Jason White had some deer in the headlights working in that game after we fell far behind. Some of those plays USC made were incredible...they put all the pieces together that night.

Boise pulled a few of the greatest plays a college football game has ever seen to win that game. I was in the end zone where they scored the game tying TD, the TD in OT and the two point conversion. I have never left a game so unphased by the loss. I just said, "Helluva game." to every Boise fan I saw. That wasn't bad OU play...that was incredible stones from Peterson and execution from his team.

Oregon sucked but I still don't consider it a loss. Sure, we don't get to count it as a win, but the anger and frustration is all mounted at officials so doesn't feel like what I would call a bad loss.

The two obvious choices for me are OSU in 2001 and Colorado in 2007. Bad teams. Both had losing records. OSU was a surprise, but we were banged up and not playing championship caliber football before that game. I hated the game and it hurt like hell, but once it was over I had the notion that we weren't national title worthy anyway. Miami would have wiped up the Rose Bowl with us if we found our way into the game.

Which leads me to Colorado. Drunkest I can remember getting after an OU game. When that field goal went through I knew we ruined a great season. Sure, we ended up losing to Tech later as well, but that was all concussion-based. We blew a 24-7 lead to a ****ty team. We made mistake after mistake and tried to play not to lose. The coaching sucked. The players sucked. The life was sucked out of all of us and we were all hoping the damn clock would hurry up and run out. But it didn't. And when that A-hole lined up to kick the field goal, we all knew it was going to go right f'ing through. I was never more pissed, mad, confused and baffled by a Stoops loss. That was a great team that had a mental breakdown for a half and it was a killer.

[BoulderSooner79]

Excellent logic, Maestro! I think you changed my vote. When I said LSU, I was thinking which loss hurt me the most since it was a title game and I believe to this day it was Stoop's overall best squad. But as you say, no shame in losing a title game, so it's not a bad loss by definition.

The only consolation to the '07 season is that we were so short-handed by bowl time, we would not have been close to our best in a title game. Maybe Granger would have focused and not gone coat shopping w/o his wallet, but we still were without DeMarco, Malcolm Kelly, Reggie Smith and Holmes. There may have been a couple of others.

[budbarrybob]

...the game that never happened is still the only OU game that I stopped watching before it was over...

Right there says it all. I stopped watching at the half and went and demolished my kitchen - seriously.

[Dwight]

USC didn't beat OU in 2005, right? :cool:

[goingoneight]

Excellent logic, Maestro! I think you changed my vote. When I said LSU, I was thinking which loss hurt me the most since it was a title game and I believe to this day it was Stoop's overall best squad. But as you say, no shame in losing a title game, so it's not a bad loss by definition.

The only consolation to the '07 season is that we were so short-handed by bowl time, we would not have been close to our best in a title game. Maybe Granger would have focused and not gone coat shopping w/o his wallet, but we still were without DeMarco, Malcolm Kelly, Reggie Smith and Holmes. There may have been a couple of others.

Auston English and Ryan Reynolds were playing with the flu pretty bad, too. It was Darrien Williams's first significant action after an ACL surgery too, I believe. Quentin Chaney probably had the best game of the season for a wide receiver in that game, but let's face it... he did what he did because he snuck up on WVU. He hadn't done ANYTHING to that point in time before. With Kelly out wide, you're probably looking at double coverage. WVU had their best cover DB on Iglesias.

[Sooner70]

There's been several painful losses, but at least they were usualy sorta close. The 2005 NC game with USC wasn't even close. I'd sure like to know what really happened. I refuse to believe the talent differential was as much as the score. Maybe wishful thinking on my part. I think Something went bad wrong in that game.....bad preparation, bad strategy, bad coaching, bad play or combination of all. Anyway, I recall OU's team being touted as perhaps the greatest CFB team of the modern era, then got carved up by SC. It was like they didn't show up except for the first series. Like I say, I don't think we know the real story. Something went bad wrong. Does anybody have any authoritative insights?

[soonergirlNeugene]

USC takes the cup in this perverse contest as it was the only game in the Stoops era where I watched my Sooners give up on the field. And it happened fairly early in the game. One of the lasting memories I will have from that game was all the red FINISH wristbands littering the ramps on the way out of the stadium. It wasn't just one or two here and there, we are talking piles and piles of them creating almost a red carpet of bitterness all the way out. You could just taste the disgust with which each one was tossed to the ground.

[PLaw]

I went to both Fiesta bowls (promise I will never, ever go back). In each case, OU had several players out that would have made a difference. The first one was sort of depressingly ironic to me with Boise winning with trick plays which had been the hallmark of Switzer's Sooner Magic.

Without question, the TGOWWDNS is the worst, most embarrassing loss and ranks right up there with some of the Blake era losses to the shuckers. The claims by opposing players that the Sooners quit and were begging for mercy still bothers me. Not saying that it happened, but just the fact that it is out there is troublesome. We had had a great season, but when we got punched in the mouth, we didn't hit back.

Bummer

[soonerloyal]

What's the definition of "worst"? Heartbreaking? Biggest breakdown onfield?

The big loss to USC in the NC game encompasses many "worst" definitions for me. It was the most painful for me as a fan. Bar none, none even close. I threw up after that game, and no, I hadn't been drinking.

That one left scars.

[Salt City Sooner]

There's been several painful losses, but at least they were usualy sorta close. The 2005 NC game with USC wasn't even close. I'd sure like to know what really happened. I refuse to believe the talent differential was as much as the score. Maybe wishful thinking on my part. I think Something went bad wrong in that game.....bad preparation, bad strategy, bad coaching, bad play or combination of all. Anyway, I recall OU's team being touted as perhaps the greatest CFB team of the modern era, then got carved up by SC. It was like they didn't show up except for the first series. Like I say, I don't think we know the real story. Something went bad wrong. Does anybody have any authoritative insights?
If you heard that, then whoever said it was being a homer. USC was ranked #1 every single week that year & was favored to win that night.

[MamaMia]

We had family at both hotels. I spent tons of time at both and on the beach. The demeanor of the players on both teams was a dead give away. The Trojans got there a lot later than the Sooners did. By then we had run into all kinds of Sooner players having all kinds of fun. The Trojans only left their hotel to practice. They watched film of us and the banquet rooms at the Trojans hotel had signs next to them saying things like OFFENSIVE LINE Film Room, DEFENSIVE Film Room, while our team was watching some Brad Pitt movie about some fictional Trojans. The USC Trojans ate differently as well. I spied on them. They had no carbs. Huge platters of fruit, vegetables and protein ONLY. The Sooners ate spaghetti and pancakes. I was there. I saw it all. I was worried the whole trip. The Sooner players were all laughing and smiling the whole time. The Trojan players were VERY serious and never ever smiled. Not a one. Say what you will, but it gave me a real creepy feeling. :eek:

[Since71ASooner4Life]

Rewind yourself to the '78 Orange Bowl v. Arkansas. Eerily similar punch to the gut and utter disgust...

yup - I remember well that feeling of the swagger having been stomped out of your team

[mOUse]

cant remember the year - but that loss to Colorado up in Boulder just flat out sucked

I think of the choices, I'd pick Boise St easily over any of the other ones

Yip! Going with CU on this one...then BSU!

[MR2-Sooner86]

OSU was 3-7 coming into Norman.
Oklahoma State walked into Memorial Stadium in Norman Oklahoma and beat the defending National Champions. A team that was, again, 3-7 and had nobody go into the NFL Draft that year and overall only had four on that team go play in the NFL beat a team loaded with talent. That loss kept us from going and getting possible back-to-back championships.

"Well, we probably would've lost to Miami anyway because they were so good."

I don't give a damn I would've loved to have played them.

What I hate the most is they STILL milk that victory. It happened 10 years ago but somehow that still brings them into the discussion.

[BoulderSooner79]

OSU was 3-7
....
What I hate the most is they STILL milk that victory. It happened 10 years ago but somehow that still brings them into the discussion.

Ding ding ding, winnah! That's the problem with playing the pokes. If we lose to the horns, we knows it's an elite programs and we just grumble and say "wait 'til next year". If the pokes stumble onto a victory, they latch onto it forever. We have to beat them every single year after that until every poke fan at the stadium that day has past away. But if we must...

[BillyBall]

4- USC 2005
While its debatable whether this game exists or not, those that remember it wish they didn't. A dominant, undefeated season with a RRS shutout topped with a Big 12 title win over Nebrasky. Everything seemed to be coming up Oklahoma. ange your vote. I promise to never revisit this topic in any future poll.

Not to be too picky but we beat Colorado in the 2004 Big 12 Championship not Nebraska. We only played Nebraska for the title twice, 2006 and last year.

[BillyBall]

However 2004 was when Callahan called us all ****ing hillbillies. Which is nice.

[badger]

We have to beat them every single year after that until every poke fan at the stadium that day has past away. But if we must...

So, to paraphrase the usual Poke joke around here:

Q: What would happen if OKLAHOMA were to win the next 64 matchups with Oklahoma State?

A: Maybe nobody would remember or even mention 2001-02 finally. And OSU would have to win the next 64 matchups to be down to OU by 64 again. :stunned:

[badger]

Not to be too picky but we beat Colorado in the 2004 Big 12 Championship not Nebraska. We only played Nebraska for the title twice, 2006 and last year.

Ja, I know. Big 12 titles run together since we have so many :D

I don't edit old posts too often, but since you're at least the second person to bring this up :mad:



;)