Ahead of Oklahoma-Alabama Playoff Game, What are the Top 5 Games in Owen Field History?

The Palace on the Prairie hasn't hosted a playoff game before, but the stadium has played host to plenty of big-time games.

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops celebrates an interception with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (93) during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman in 2008. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

NORMAN — Owen Field has been the site of plenty of big-time games over the years.

But the College Football Playoff matchup between No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 will be perhaps the biggest.

The winner will advance to the quarterfinals while the loser’s season will be over.

That hasn’t generally been the case in other big-time home games at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Here’s a look at the five biggest games in Owen Field history, before the upcoming playoff game:

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Nov. 25, 1971: No. 1 Nebraska 35, No. 2 Oklahoma 31

The “Game of the Century” is an obvious topper to the list, even if the Sooners came out on the wrong end.

OU took a 17-14 lead just before halftime, Nebraska jumped ahead in the third quarter and then the Sooners regained the lead as Jack Mildren led a late drive.

But with 1:38 left, Jeff Kinney dove into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown — his fourth score of the game — to give the Huskers the lead for good and then Nebraska held the Sooners on the ensuing drive to put the game away.

More than 50 years later, the 1971 OU-Nebraska matchup still holds a high place, not only in both Sooners’ and Huskers’ history, but among the all-time great games in college football history.

Oct. 28, 2000: No. 3 Oklahoma 31, No. 1 Nebraska 14

After walking through the wilderness in the John Blake era and then building some momentum in Bob Stoops’ first season in 1999, the Sooner faithful were ready for sustained success once more.

The No. 10 Sooners beat No. 11 Texas in Dallas to start what became known as “Red October,” then rose to No. 8 and knocked off No. 2 Kansas State in Manhattan a week later.

After a bye week, now third-ranked OU took on top-ranked Nebraska at home.

The Sooners fell behind 14-0 less than seven minutes into the game before reeling off 31 consecutive points to knock off the Cornhuskers and elevate themselves to No. 1, another major step toward what became a national championship season.

Nov. 22, 2008: No. 5 OU 65, No. 2 Texas Tech 21

Just three weeks earlier, Texas Tech knocked off then-No. 1 Texas to jump to No. 2 in the rankings.

Oklahoma came into the game 9-1, and Stoops poked at Sooners’ fans a bit leading up to the matchup.

“We haven’t been a real loud stadium,” Stoops said, noting that plenty of teams weren’t forced to use silent counts in Norman.

OU fans took that personally, bringing noise from the jump on a chilly late November night.

The Sooners responded, scoring 35 points in the second quarter alone to take a 42-7 lead at halftime.

After DeMarco Murray’s 1-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the second quarter, House of Pain’s “Jump Around” played in the stadium and the place went nuts.

Fans and players alike bounced up and down while Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and his team looked on stunned.

The rest of the game took on more of a party atmosphere as the Sooners had the game well in hand.

Nov. 23, 1985: No. 5 Oklahoma 27, No. 2 Nebraska 7

The Sooners had recovered from a mid-October loss to Miami to win four consecutive games and climb back into the national championship picture.

Nebraska fell to Florida State in the season opener before ripping off nine consecutive wins — including a home victory over No. 5 Oklahoma State — to do the same.

Tight end Keith Jackson started the game with a now-iconic 88-yard touchdown run on a reverse and Jamelle Holieway added a 43-yard touchdown run later in the quarter to help the Sooners create some space early.

The OU defense, though, was the star of the day, holding the potent Cornhuskers to just 224 yards of total offense.

The Sooners went on to win what proved to be their final national title under legendary head coach Barry Switzer.

Sept. 26, 1953: No. 1 Notre Dame 28, No. 6 Oklahoma 21

A year earlier, the Fighting Irish beat the Sooners 27-21 in South Bend in the first meeting between the two programs.

The Sooners took an early lead before a blocked punt helped Notre Dame tie the game 14-14 at halftime.

Ralph Guglielmi’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Joe Heap gave the Irish a lead in the third quarter then Notre Dame took advantage of an OU turnover to score another.

But with the Irish leading 28-14, Merrill Green returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, then intercepted a pass to get the Sooners back into it.

The Irish, though, forced a turnover of their own to put the game away and ended OU’s 25-game home winning streak.

The Sooners tied Pitt a week later, then beat Texas 19-14 to begin what became the longest winning streak in college football history — 47 games.

The record hasn’t been seriously challenged and is considered one of the most untouchable records in college football.