"But Stoops had led them to a decent 7-5 campaign in 1999, and with quarterback Josh Heupel slinging the ball around more than 35 times per game -- a huge average for both college football in 2000 and for a former option football capitol like OU -- the Sooners had a fun offensive identity. They were solid and interesting again, but how good were they, really?"
"Quentin Griffin scored six times in 23 carries, and Rocky Calmus' 41-yard pick six made it 35-0 Sooners with 11:30 left in the second quarter. A three-point underdog heading in, OU cruised, 63-14, and moved up to eighth in the polls, their best ranking in nine years. Two games later -- a 41-31 win at No. 2 Kansas State and a 31-14 home win over top-ranked Nebraska -- they were No. 1, where they'd stay for the rest of the season."
Bob Stoops became Oklahoma's head coach and quickly reversed an eight-season 44-45-3 decline that followed sanctions and poor hires. Stoops produced a 7-5 season in 1999 and installed a prolific passing attack led by quarterback Josh Heupel, who averaged more than 35 attempts per game. A dominant 63-14 Red River win over Texas, fueled by Quentin Griffin's six touchdowns and Rocky Calmus' pick-six, vaulted Oklahoma into the top 10. Consecutive signature wins over Kansas State and top-ranked Nebraska delivered a No. 1 ranking, a Big 12 championship, and a 13-2 Orange Bowl national title.
Read at www.espn.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]