One to Remember in OU-Texas Lore

1975 OU-Texas Game
This feature was released on the O-Zone at the beginning of the week. It is shared here for all SoonerSports.com visitors.

The Oklahoma-Texas rivalry writes its 100th chapter in 2005. As with any rivalry of this stature, OU-Texas features classic games that warm the memories of fans on both sides of the Red River.

The warm memories are reserved for the north side when discussing the following game writes OU football historian Mike Brooks. 30 years ago, Oklahoma tricked Texas to preserve victory in the Cotton Bowl.

The year was 1975 and the OU-Texas game, like this season and every season, was a pivotal game for both the Sooners and the Longhorns.

The defending national champion, Oklahoma was ranked No. 2 in the nation and owned a 24-game winning streak. The Sooners had gone 33 games without a defeat, the record marred only by a 7-7 tie at Southern Cal in the second game of the '73 season. OU also owned a four game winning streak in the series against the 'Horns.

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Texas was ranked No. 4 and, like the Sooners, brought a perfect 4-0 record into the 1975 game.

Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer and Texas coach Darrell Royal (an All-American at OU in 1949) were going head to head in fierce recruiting battles for the finest prep players in the Lone Star state.

"You don't want to go on the field for this game unless you're in a serious frame of mind," said Royal.

For once, Switzer agreed: "There are 51 weeks in the year -- and then there's this week."

The 1975 edition of the Red River Rivalry was destined to be a classic -- and a hot one. The temperature at the Cotton Bowl was over 90 degrees at kickoff.

On the opening kickoff, Texas center Billy Gordon was injured when he sustained a scratched eye.

The backup center, Jim Wyman, and Texas quarterback Marty Akins had trouble making connections. Akins twice bobbled the snap in the opening series. He recovered the first but Oklahoma's Dewey Selmon jumped on the second at the Texas 46.

Six plays later, the Sooners were on the board with a 45-yard field goal from Tony DeRienzo. Oklahoma led, 3-0.

The Sooners stopped Texas on the next drive and forced the Longhorns to punt. OU's Joe Washington fielded the punt at the Sooner 20. He moved right, turned the corner and ran untouched 80 yards for an apparent touchdown. However, two clipping penalties against the Sooners negated the effort.

Oklahoma began with the ball at its own nine yard line. The Sooners marched down the field on an impressive drive which featured a 45-yard dash by Elvis Peacock and a 21-yard end-around by Billy Brooks. The drive fell apart at the Texas two yard line when Washington fell while making a cut and fumbled the ball away.

Texas took over and started feeding the ball to its future Heisman winner, Earl Campbell.

Campbell ran twice right up of the middle for gains of nine and two yards. With a first down at its 13-yard line, Texas made its second major mistake of the first quarter.

Texas quarterback Marty Akins tried a pitchout to halfback Gralyn Wyatt but Sooner safety Scott Hill drove over a blocker and reached Wyatt just as the pitch did. The ball was batted into the end zone where OU defensive end Mike Phillips covered the ball for a Sooner touchdown. DiRienzo connected on the extra point and the Sooners led, 10-0, with 41 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Texas answered with a 90-yard drive in 10 plays. Akins hit receiver Alfred Jackson for a 38-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 10-7 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, the Longhorns were on the move when Earl Campbell sustained a hit by Dewey Selmon at the Texas 32. The ensuing fumble was recovered by Sooner Anthony Bryant and Oklahoma was in business.

OU needed only five plays to cover the distance.

First, Sooner quarterback Steve Davis connected on a 52-yarder to Billy Brooks to bring Oklahoma to the Texas 14.

Then, fullback Horace Ivory ran for four and Joe Washington for one before Washington scored from nine yards out. After the extra point, OU led, 17-7, with 6:22 remaining in the third quarter.

Later in the third quarter, Lee Roy Selmon recovered the Longhorns' fourth fumble of the game at the OU 45. But the Texas defense stiffened and the Sooners were forced to punt.

Oklahoma's punter, Tinker Owens, had several narrow escapes during the game and, under pressure from an all-out rush, kicked the ball straight up in the air. A pro scout in attendence timed the ball in the air for 4.2 seconds. It came down for a nine-yard loss at the Sooner 37. "I was just trying to get it away," admitted Owens after the game.

Texas scored five plays later on a 30-yard option with Akins making a last-second pitch to halfback Jimmy Walker. Russell Erxleben kicked the extra point and, with 13:10 remaining, Oklahoma clung to a 17-14 lead.

It went from bad to worse for the Sooners on the next drive when fullback Jim Culbreath fumbled as he was hit by Texas tackle Brad Shearer at the Oklahoma 35.

The defense held firm but Texas tied the game, 17-17, on a 43-yard field goal with 8:19 remaining in the game.

Oklahoma began its next drive with Joe Washington returning the ensuing kick to the Sooner 19. Ivory went up the middle for six and then Elvis Peacock was stopped for no gain.

A flagrant facemask penalty by Texas gave the Sooners a first-and-ten at their own 42-yard line. Washington gained five more yards before an end-around by Tinker Owens gained another 10.

Ivory tested the middle the next two carries for minimal gains. The Sooners faced a third-and-three situation but Davis converted the first down on a keeper to the Texas 33.

Sooner quarterback Steve Davis brought the Sooners to the line of scrimmage, surveyed the Texas defense and changed the play.

With a little over five minutes remaining in the game, Davis gave the ball to Ivory, who jetted off the left tackle, juked one Texas defender and streaked down the sideline untouched for a 33-yard score.

"I saw more people on the right side than on the left," said Davis about the play. "I wish I could tell you it was more complicated, but that's it."

Oklahoma led again, 24-17.

Texas got the ball back on the kick but the Sooner defense led by Lee Roy Selmon and Jimbo Elrod forced a punt. It rolled dead on the Sooner eight yard line.

On first down, Washington went off tackle but was blasted loose from the pigskin. Oklahoma offensive guard Terry Webb retrieved it to save the drive. Second down netted little and the Sooners faced a third and eight from their own ten.

Texas fans were feeling good about their chances. The Sooner were backed up on their own 10 and faced long odds of converting a first down. Just force a punt, recover at about the OU 40 and drive for the score.

Then came one of the greatest coaching calls in Sooner history.

Oklahoma lined up in its normal wishbone formation but the Sooners sent a direct snap to halfback Joe Washington who quick-kicked the ball. It was his first punt of his college career.

It was a boomer.

The ball bounded all the way to the Texas 14. The 76-yard punt still stands as the longest in OU-Texas history.

Ball game.

"Yes, it caught us off guard," said Royal after the game. "It rolled until it quit rolling."

Texas finished the season with a 10-2 record. The Sooners rolled to an 11-1 finish with a 14-6 win against Michigan in the Orange Bowl enough for the program's fifth national title.

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O-Zone feature thanks to OU football historian Mike Brooks.

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