Oklahoma Football Game Day: Unbridled Hate And Pageantry
Next in a series from Road to CFB of first-hand game day experiences at stadiums across the country:
A game day at Oklahoma should be near the top of every sports fan's bucket list. It's a terrific brew of pageantry, tradition, excitement, and excellence. What adds to the hallowed feel of history at the Palace on the Prairie?
A rivalry renewed!
You'll be hard pressed to find anywhere that matches the tradition and pageantry of Oklahoma Sooners football. Add in an old Big 12 rivalry we haven't seen since 2010, and you've got an excellent game day.
Back up to pre-1996 and the days of the Big Eight Conference to find the peak of this bitter rivalry. For 71 consecutive seasons, Oklahoma and Nebraska squared off on the field, with the Sooners holding a slight historical advantage. Perhaps you're familiar with the Game of the Century (1971) – a game which the top-ranked Huskers beat the second-ranked Sooners 35-31 in Norman. Besides rostering 17/22 first-team all conference players between the two teams, this game holds a lot of significance.
The Game of the Century is long in the past, but the fire between these two teams isn't. Before teams headed back to their locker rooms, they met at midfield to exchange pleasantries.
Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB
I sat in a section filled with Nebraska fans. As a neutral fan wearing navy (I wasn't about to get caught in the crossfire of this one), I was able to appreciate the unbridled excitement of the Huskers around me. With such a tight game, they had a reason to be excited.
It was a hot day on the Prairie, around 90º at kickoff. Without much of a breeze and 86,500 folks packed into Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the feels-like temperature was likely pushing 100º.
Nebraska 16, #3 Oklahoma 23
Spencer Rattler and Oklahoma didn't run the Cornhuskers out of town like most expected. This marked the beginning of the grumblings Sooner fans had about the QB and it was the first time I heard the boos rain down on Rattler. One week later, the crowd chanted "We want Caleb!" in a bust game against West Virginia which Oklahoma scored just one touchdown, referring to freshman phenom Caleb Williams.
The very next game, Rattler would be benched. From Heisman preseason favorite to riding the pine, it was one of the more historic collapses from a player.
Despite it being a close game, the action meandered. The usual high-flying Oklahoma offense was mute and Nebraska had plenty of their own offensive problems. Chunk plays and scoring was limited, resulting in a 7-3 halftime score.
The second half really ramped things up and Nebraska made things interesting by scoring with under six minutes left.
Defensive back D.J. Graham hauled in one of the best interceptions you'll ever see. Flying through the air, one-handed... it will make all of the highlight reels for all time:
The stadium didn't really know what they had just seen. Listen in the broadcast for when they show the replay and it soaks in what Graham had just done. The place melted down.
Oklahoma Football Is A Living Museum
Not many places have as many known traditions as Oklahoma. Love it or hate it, Boomer Sooner is a classic chant and fight song (but good Lord help me if they play it one more time). The Sooner Schooner is iconic. Everything they do in Norman just works.
As a fan of the history and tradition of the game, it's invigorating to be in Norman on a Saturday.
One thing that is rather surprising for a program this size and with this dedicated of a fanbase: tailgating is seriously toned down here. In contrast to comparable programs, Oklahoma isn't much of a tailgating school.
What it lacks in tailgating, though, it makes up for in pregame attractions and events.
Come early for the team walk and give yourself time to walk campus as well as to view the Heisman statues (including the newest one of Baker Mayfield) and Champions plaza. Coming the night before? I'd recommend the Barry Switzer Center attached to the south end zone of the stadium.
A tip worth noting is the free parking offered south of the stadium at the Lloyd Noble Center (basketball). There's shuttles available, but the walk is just over a mile if you don't mind a workout. With the hefty price tag often attached to OU tickets, this is a nice reprieve on the wallet.
Game Day Grades
Stadium: A. More recent renovations to the south end zone complex vaults Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to the elite ranks in the country. The press box could use updating but, chances are, you won't be up there.
Tradition: A+. The Sooner Schooner. Boomer Sooner. History. Pride. Pageantry. Oklahoma's got it all.
Atmosphere: B. It could be due to stadium layout, but noise just doesn't hold like it does in other stadiums. There's no shortage of passion, but the fanbase tends to lean a bit older.
Tailgating: D. I'm genuinely confused if I'm just not in the right place? I've walked all directions around campus for multiple games at multiple kickoff times and, for a school this size, there's just not that much tailgating.
Fans: A. It's not a secret that Oklahoma fans are some of the most dedicated. And I'm talking across decades, wealth, geography, doesn't matter. Oklahoma fans LOVE their Sooners.
Extracurriculars: B. Norman is a fine college town. Plenty of places to eat, drink, and be merry. The living history around campus and the stadium is top-tier. Oklahoma City isn't exactly a resort city and getting here can be tricky if you aren't within driving distance.
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