Get to Know the Oklahoma Sooners

Welcome new SEC friends! 

You’ve arrived here because you are interested in learning about your opponent and new conference mate – the University of Oklahoma. Here you will find facts both well-known and little-known to prepare you for your trip to Norman.

Here are the essential facts to remember:

  • Oklahoma has won 7 national championships – 1950, 1955 & 1956 (Bud Wilkinson), 1974, 1975 & 1985 (Barry Switzer) and 2000 (Bob Stoops)

  • As of the end of the 2023 season, the Sooners rank 6th all-time in wins with 944 victories – the University of Michigan is 1st with 1004

  • Seven Sooners have won the Heisman Trophy – Billy Vessels (1952), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978), Jason White (2003), Sam Bradford (2008), Baker Mayfield (2017) & Kyler Murray (2018)

  • Oklahoma has produced 167 First-Team All-Americans

    • 46 since 2000

    • Most consensus All-Americans in NCAA history (35)

    • As of the end of the 2023 season, CeeDee Lamb was the most recent All-American in 2019

  • Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium holds an official capacity of 82,112 people

    • OU fans typically refer to the stadium as Owen Field – named after coach Bennie Owen, who led Oklahoma from 1905-1926 — or Memorial Stadium.

  • Oklahoma has been led by four head coaches who won over 100 games each — the most in NCAA football.

    • Bennie Owen – 122-54-16

    • Charles “Bud” Wilkinson – 145-29-4

    • Barry Switzer – 157-29-4

    • Bob Stoops – 191-48

  • Oklahoma has won 50 conference championships – the most of any program in college football

    • 14 Big 12 championships

    • 16 Big Eight championships

    • 12 Big Seven championships

    • 5 Big Six championships

    • 1 Missouri Valley Conference championship

    • 2 Southwest Conference championships

  • The Sooners have won 57 bowl games, good for 4th all-time 

    • 57 bowl wins is also 4th in the SEC all-time 

      • Alabama - 77

      • Georgia 62

      • Texas 59

Let’s get a little deeper:

  • You’ll often hear that OU is “the winningest program in the modern era.”

    • The “modern era” to Oklahoma fans – and many college football fans – began following World War II in 1946

    • Oklahoma remains first in wins since ‘46 with 680

    • Alabama is 2nd with 669, followed by Ohio State with 661

    • There have been 77 seasons of college football since the end of World War II — Oklahoma has only gone .500 or worse nine times.

  • Oklahoma has the most lopsided series record over a rival in major college football — 91-20-7 over Oklahoma State

  • The University of Oklahoma officially integrated its varsity football team in 1956 when Prentice Gautt arrived on campus

    • OU had just won their second national title and would win their third by the end of the '56 season

    • The 47-game winning streak was at 31

    • Gautt would go on to earn two All-Big Eight player awards, an Academic All-American, and an Orange Bowl MVP honor during his OU career

    • The Southwest Conference didn't integrate until 1966 at Baylor

    • The SEC did so in 1967 — Alabama, Georgia, and LSU waited until 1971 to recruit Black players

  • Sooner coaches have fared well against contemporary greats of their time

    • Bob Stoops went 9-6 against Mack Brown (Texas, 1999-2013)

    • Stoops also went 10-2 over Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State, 2005-2016)

    • Barry Switzer went 12-5 over Tom Osborne (Nebraska, 1973-1989)

    • Switzer also went 3-0-1 against Darrell Royal (Texas, 1973-1976)

  • Oklahoma has only played two classic SEC opponents more than four times — Alabama and Tennessee — and owns a 3-2-1 record and a 3-1 record over them, respectively

    • Including SEC programs added since 1992

      • 10-4-1 over Arkansas

      • 67-24-5 over Missouri

      • 19-12 over Texas A&M

    • All together, Oklahoma is 110-49-8 over the SEC all-time

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