The 1956 Oklahoma Sooners football team was an American football team that represented the University of Oklahoma during the 1956 college football season. In their tenth season under head coach Bud Wilkinson, the Sooners compiled a 10–0 record and repeated as consensus national champions. The Sooners were led on offense by quarterback Jim Harris and played their home games at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.
After another undefeated season, Oklahoma was first in both final polls in early December.[1] Their winning streak was up to forty games,[2] but they did not play in a bowl game due to the Big Seven's no-repeat rule;[1] runner-up Colorado was invited to and won the Orange Bowl.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 29 | North Carolina* | No. 1 | | | W 36–0 | 57,559 | [3] |
October 6 | Kansas State | No. 1 | - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
- Norman, OK
| | W 66–0 | 39,981 | |
October 13 | vs. Texas* | No. 1 | | NBC | W 45–0 | 75,504 | |
October 20 | at Kansas | No. 1 | | | W 34–12 | 30,129 | |
October 27 | at Notre Dame* | No. 2 | | NBC | W 40–0 | 60,128 | |
November 3 | at No. 18 Colorado | No. 1 | | NBC | W 27–19 | 46,563 | |
November 10 | at Iowa State | No. 1 | | | W 44–0 | 11,409 | |
November 17 | Missouri | No. 1 | - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
- Norman, OK (rivalry)
| | W 67–14 | 57,647 | |
November 24 | Nebraska | No. 1 | - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
- Norman, OK (rivalry)
| | W 54–6 | 50,039 | |
December 1 | at Oklahoma A&M* | No. 1 | | | W 53–0 | 36,500 | |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[4]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes | Week |
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Final |
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AP | 1 (111) | 1 (91) | 1 (60) | 1 (76) | 1 (67) | 2 (44) | 1 (143) | 1 (116) | 2 (92) | 1 (111) | 1 (81) | 1 (104) |
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Game summaries
Texas
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Texas |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
• Oklahoma |
6 |
13 | 13 | 13 |
45 |
- Date: October 13
- Location: Cotton Bowl
- Game attendance: 75,504
- Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C)
- Television network: NBC
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Scoring summary |
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| Q1 | 11:57 | OKLA | Thomas 2 yard run (kick failed) | OKLA 6–0 |
| Q2 | 14:27 | OKLA | McDonald 4 yard run (kick failed) | OKLA 12–0 |
| Q2 | :27 | OKLA | McDonald 27 yard pass from Harris (Harris kick) | OKLA 19–0 |
| Q3 | 8:41 | OKLA | Thomas 8 yard run (kick failed) | OKLA 25–0 |
| Q3 | 1:32 | OKLA | McDonald 44 yard run (Pricer kick) | OKLA 32–0 |
| Q4 | 12:55 | OKLA | Thomas 1 yard run (Pricer kick) | OKLA 39–0 |
| Q4 | :45 | OKLA | Day 25 yard interception return (kick failed) | OKLA 45–0 |
|
[5]
Roster
- QB Jimmy Harris, Sr.
- HB Tommy McDonald, Sr.
- C Jerry Tubbs, Sr.
Awards
[6]
NFL draft
The following players were drafted into the National Football League following the season.[7]
[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Miller, Norman (December 4, 1956). "Oklahoma voted grid champion in final AP and UP polls". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). United Press. p. 23.
- ↑ "Oklahoma wins 40th in a row". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 2, 1956. p. 1, sports.
- ↑ "Sooners rip Tar Heels, 36–0". The Ponca City News. September 30, 1956. Retrieved January 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "1956 OU Football Season Schedule - SoonerStats - Historical scores, records, and stats for Oklahoma Sooners football, basketball, baseball, and softball".
- ↑ [1]. Retrieved 2015-Jul-25.
- ↑ SoonerSports.com. Retrieved 2015-Jul-25.
- ↑ "1957 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |
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1936–1949 | |
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1950s | |
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1960s |
- 1960: Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
- 1961: Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
- 1962: USC
- 1963: Texas
- 1964: Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
- 1965: Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
- 1966: Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
- 1967: USC
- 1968: Ohio State
- 1969: Texas
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1970s | |
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1980–1991 | |
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MVIAA | |
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Big Six | |
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Big Seven | |
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Big Eight | |
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National championships in bold |