Close calls: Stoops' Sooners narrowest home victories
Close calls: Stoops' Sooners narrowest home victories

By Berry Tramel

Published: November 23, 2007

OU is 53-2 at Owen Field under Bob Stoops, and both losses were to huge underdogs. Oklahoma State was a 27-point underdog when it won 16-13 in 2001; TCU was a 26 1/2 -point underdog when it won 17-10 in 2005.

In fact, during Stoops' nine seasons, the Sooners have played very few close games at Owen Field. Only four of the 53 wins were by single digits. The eight narrowest home victories in the Stoops era:

•2001 Kansas State 38-37: OU led 35-14 in the third quarter, but KSU rallied and scored 10 points in the final 2:02. The victory wasn't secure until Matt McCoy batted down a Hail Mary pass on the final play.

•2002 Alabama 37-27: OU trailed 27-23 until the final three minutes, when Renaldo Works' magic off shovel passes and Eric Bassey's fumble return saved the Sooners.

•2005 Tulsa 31-15: Adrian Peterson carried 32 times for 220 yards. OU quarterback Rhett Bomar did not attempt a pass in the second half.

•2005 Baylor 37-30: OU led 24-7 at halftime, but Baylor rallied and forced overtime on a 55-yard TD pass with 1:17 left. The team traded field goals in the first overtime, then OU's defense stopped Baylor after Juaquin Iglesias' touchdown catch in the second OT.

•2005 Texas A&M 36-30: OU led 28-7 after one quarter, but the Aggies crawled back and kicked two late field goals to get close.

•2006 Alabama-Birmingham 24-17: OU trailed 17-14 in the third quarter and didn't put away the game until running off the final few minutes of the game after a UAB punt.

•2006 Texas Tech 34-24: OU trailed 24-20 in the fourth quarter, but Chris Brown ran for two touchdowns, the latter with 2:21 left in the game.

•2007 Missouri 41-31: The Sooners trailed 24-23 in the fourth quarter but scored two touchdowns within 46 seconds, the latter on Curtis Lofton's 12-yard fumble return, to take command.

By Berry Tramel

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