CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1971 Oklahoma

11–⁠1 (6–⁠1 Big Eight), coached by Chuck Fairbanks, finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Oklahoma in 1971, game by game: won vs. SMU 30–0; won at Pittsburgh 55–29; won vs. No. 17 USC 33–20; won vs. No. 3 Texas 48–27; won vs. No. 6 Colorado 45–17; won at Kansas State 75–28; won vs. Iowa State 43–12; won at Missouri 20–3; won vs. Kansas 56–10; lost vs. No. 1 Nebraska 31–35; won at Oklahoma State 58–14; won vs. No. 5 Auburn 40–22+47−4Won 30–0 vs. SMU+30SMUWon 55–29 at Pittsburgh+26PittsburghWon 33–20 vs. No. 17 USC+13No. 17 USCWon 48–27 vs. No. 3 Texas+21No. 3 TexasWon 45–17 vs. No. 6 Colorado+28No. 6 ColoradoWon 75–28 at Kansas State+47Kansas StateWon 43–12 vs. Iowa State+31Iowa StateWon 20–3 at Missouri+17MissouriWon 56–10 vs. Kansas+46KansasLost 31–35 vs. No. 1 Nebraska-4No. 1 NebraskaWon 58–14 at Oklahoma State+44Oklahoma StateWon 40–22 vs. No. 5 Auburn+18No. 5 Auburn
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 18vsSMUW 30–⁠071%
Sep 25atPittsburghW 55–⁠2959%
Oct 2vs17USCW 33–⁠2058%
Oct 9vs3TexasW 48–⁠2738%
Oct 16vs6ColoradoW 45–⁠1757%
Oct 23atKansas StateW 75–⁠2874%
Oct 30vsIowa StateW 43–⁠1276%
Nov 6atMissouriW 20–⁠384%
Nov 13vsKansasW 56–⁠1090%
Nov 25vs1NebraskaL 31–⁠3549%
Dec 4atOklahoma StateW 58–⁠1478%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs5AuburnSugar BowlW 40–⁠2256%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Auburn 40–⁠22 in the Sugar Bowl; No. 2 in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Big Eight.

In program history: The tied 24th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 125 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 10
  2. Wk 2: 10
  3. Wk 3: 11
  4. Wk 4: 8
  5. Wk 5: 8
  6. Wk 6: 2
  7. Wk 7: 2
  8. Wk 8: 2
  9. Wk 9: 2
  10. Wk 10: 2
  11. Wk 11: 2
  12. Wk 12: 2
  13. Wk 13: 3
  14. Wk 14: 3
  15. Final: 2

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1971.

Heisman voteGreg Pruitt, third

Led the nationGreg Pruitt: yards per carry (9.0)

2 consensus All-AmericansTom Brahaney, C; Greg Pruitt, RB

Record
11–⁠1
Conference
6–⁠1 2nd in Big Eight
AP final
No. 2 peak No. 2
Points
534–⁠217
Coach
Chuck Fairbanks
Elo
1782 +208 this season
SP+ rating
34.8 No. 3 of 120; defense No. 46
SRS
34.7 No. 2 of 128 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Barry Switzer
Defensive coordinator
Larry Lacewell
Captains
Steve Aycock, Glenn King and Jack Mildren
Offense
Wishbone
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1972

The 1972 draft
Rd 2Jack Mildren DBBaltimore Colts

All-Big Eight

8 first team, 3 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1971 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1971 Big Eight standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Nebraska7–⁠013–⁠01
Oklahoma6–⁠111–⁠12
Colorado5–⁠210–⁠23
Iowa State4–⁠38–⁠4
Kansas State2–⁠55–⁠6
Oklahoma State2–⁠54–⁠6–⁠1
Kansas2–⁠54–⁠7
Missouri0–⁠71–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.