Top Ten plays in the Stoops era, that worked against OU

This is inspired by Collier's "Top 15 plays" thread - I started thinking about all the plays that went the other way. Sorry to stir up any bad emotions with this, but hey, it's the off-season, so no biggie, right?


#10. 2005 - Texas Tech's "touchdown" at the goal-line on the last play of the game. Very questionable, given the way it was called, and especially coming right on the heels of two other very dubious calls in Tech's favor, on that very drive. May have been higher on the list, other than the fact that OU really didn't have much to play for at the time.

#9. 2007 - Reggie Smith muffs a punt, deep in OU's territory, late in the game against Colorado. There were several plays during the course of that game, where if any one of them had gone in OU's favor, then we win that game. This one was the one that stands out the most, though, as the most back-breaking.

#8. 2007 - Allen Patrick fumbles the handoff on the first offensive play from scrimmage, leading to a Texas Tech touchdown, and Sam Bradford being knocked out of the game. This officially de-railed OU's national championship hopes, which had just been kindled when Oregon lost to Arizona two nights before, and would have de-railed OU's Big 12 hopes, had it not been for Texas' mega-choke down the stretch.

#7. 2003 - Justin Vincent takes the handoff on the first play from scrimmage, and runs about 60 yards before being tackled deep in OU's territory, in the 2003 National Championship game against LSU. The drive didn't even end up in a touchdown, but it set the tone for the entire game. I had a terrible feeling that the game was already lost immediately after this happened, given the one-sidedness of the crowd, and the energy that the play created.

#6. 2004 - Mark Bradley fumbles a punt which he had no business going anywhere near, inside the 10 yard line, with the score still tied 7-7, against USC in the 2004 National Championship game. Possibly the biggest momentum-shifting moment in the Stoops era, if not in OU's all-time football history.

#5. 2008 - Florida makes a goal-line stand in the first half of the 2008 National Championship game, stopping OU from the one yard line, not once, but twice. My guess is that if OU had punched it in there, we would have won the game.

#4. 2006 - Oregon "recovers" an onside kick with about a minute to play, and drives down for the "winning" touchdown. So many things about this play are infuriating, which we are all familiar with, but the one that bugs me the most, is how the ref signals "OREGON BALL" when they never even saw the football to begin with (it was in Allen Patrick's hand the whole time, straight up in the air). This would have been number one on my list, except that it didn't really cost OU a national or conference championship in the end.

#3. 2007 - Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State. Since there were three plays that happened almost back-to-back-to-back, I include them all as one. Definitely the most exciting game and finish I've ever seen in person.

#2. 2001 - Eric Crouch catches a double-reverse pass and takes it 65 yards or so, to seal the deal for Nebraska. A lot was at stake here, #2 vs. #1 in the BCS, Crouch has that signature moment to propel himself to the Heisman, etc. I was also at this game, and have never seen a more hysterical home crowd as this was happening, with the possible exception of #7 on this list.

#1. 2001 - Rashaun Woods catches a last-minute touchdown in the corner of Owen Field's south end zone. This play haunts me even to this day: I can still remember the exact feeling of disgust and nausea that I had when the ref raised his hands signaling touchdown. I had already bought my Big 12 Champioship Game tickets, and was excitedly looking forward to purchasing Rose Bowl tickets and booking my trip to Pasadena to see us take on Miami, and try to repeat as champs. All that stood in the way was an easy home win vs. the lowly construction-orange clad Cowboys. Of course, it wasn't meant to be.

 

thanks, i'm gonna be sick now

not that it matters, but i don't think Bradley really even touched that ball

i watched 9/10 of those in person. shoot me now.

 

0:38, not only did he touch it, he picked it up, and tried to run with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqHBocXkKbg

 

hmm.. i must be misremembering something else.

i'm not feeling any better at this point

 

This link blows.

 

[youtube]BqHBocXkKbg[/youtube]

 

Excuse me while I take care of a little business now:

 

I'll dispute the importance of some of those plays. (My perception, of course).

10) I never saw a camera that convinced me Tech didn't score (or confirmed they did), so I'll go with the ref. So yes important, but the play that stuck out to me was the 4th down "conversion" pass on that drive. I thought the spot was off by a full yard and it should have been our ball and game over.

9) Yes the play was big, but only because it was the end of a terrible game. I can't blame RS for trying to make something happen in a situation where a giant snowball was already rolling down hill. The only good that came from that game was that Bob called out his assistants for a poor game plan and KW owned up to being main culprit. And he was.

#7) I don't remember that run. I do remember a long Vincent run where they did score. A play or 2 before, LSU fumbled into the left side of our D-line and we recovered. But our right end jumped offside away from the play, so it didn't count. Then the Vincent run - aargh. There was also a pick we had over-turned by a fantom defensive holding call in the 2nd half that was huge.

#6) This is the one I'll disagree with you the most. I watched the line play in that game and we got dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Throw in the fact we didn't match up with their receivers and the outcome was inevitable. If Bradley doesn't fumble, they score 48 instead off 55 maybe.

 

bigger play against LSU is White's INT for a TD. LSU doesn't score an offensive point in the 2nd half. we give them the margin of victory on one play early in the second half, deep in our own end.

 

I just threw up


I would put Patricks fumble higher cus if SB doesnt get hurt we likely play for a natl title that year also

 

and we beat Ohio State ......

 

I actually agree with you that there was no indisputable evidence that Tech was stopped short of the goal line, but given the fact that it was one of those plays that we will always remember going against us, I included it.

I put this at #6 because of 1)the magnitude of the game, 2)It was probably the single biggest moment of the game, and 3)the way that you could just tell, especially if you were there like I was, the way that ALL of the emotional energy from the OU fans and the players just disappeared, almost like flipping a lightswitch. It's no wonder the trenches were dominated after that.

 

Gordon The Oregonian cheating the **** out of us in Eugene in broad daylight

 

i dont think im a strong enough man to go through each of those again

 

OK, i don't know what the hell you're talking about. i know for a fact, that this game never was played, scheduled, televised, promoted, or anything resembling being seen on a football field.

 

I haven't seen that since it occurred in the end zone where I was sitting at that game. More than 4 years later, the response was the same:

1) Jaw drops

2) Yell "WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?"

3) Cringe

 

[opposite day] this thread is awesome and fills me with such excitement for football season. not like that stupid Top 15 plays of the Stoops era thread. How lame was that?!?! [/opposite day]

 

Wow. Talk about a buzz kill.

 

This post makes me want to cringe. Its crazy how 2 plays in 2007 separated us from possibly having 8 national championships and two goal line collapses in 2008 separated us from 9. I'm sick to my stomach now..

 

Awesome. That was my intention here.