Sooner victory cements boomer pride
Sooner victory cements boomer pride

By John Helsley

Published: October 7, 2007

DALLAS — The Pride of Oklahoma filled Saturday's Cotton Bowl air with a victory rendition of "Boomer Sooner.”

And Oklahoma fans swelled with Red River Rivalry pride missing from the past two autumns in Dallas.

OU 28, Texas 21.

"This is just great,” said Sooner fan Susan Dequevedo from Oklahoma City. "After two years, it feels good.”

OU had lost its last two games to the Longhorns, left then to make the difficult maneuver through the Texas State Fair crowd to catcalls from UT fans, an unofficial tradition of the classic series.

This time, fans in the stands counted down the final seconds, and many directed cell phone cameras toward the giant video board to capture the final score and scenes of the Sooners hoisting the Golden Hat Trophy awarded to the winner.

Then they headed out to celebrate, forgetting the sinking feelings that followed the previous week's loss at Colorado.

Both teams entered the 102nd edition of the Red River Rivalry off losses for the first time since 1999 and just the seventh time in history.

Each was upset a week ago, zapping the matchup of its national appeal and at least temporarily removing the No. 10-ranked Sooners and No. 19 Longhorns from national title talk.

But for those who don crimson and burnt orange, there's no dampening the big doings in Big D. Not a loss to Colorado or Kansas State. Not a lack of outside interest. Not even a drizzling rain that greeted the day, threatened throughout and finally turned into a downpour just moments after the game.

"Once you get here, that doesn't matter much,” Dequevedo said. "There's too much energy in this place. That's what makes it fun and that's what makes it great game.”

The aging stadium filled with 80,000, representing a 62nd consecutive sellout.

And those fortunate enough to hold tickets were into it, with plenty to cheer for both sides.

The lead went back and forth.

A 14-14 halftime tie swung toward OU, as running back DeMarco Murray bolted 69 yards for a touchdown that sent the Sooners in front 21-14 late in the third quarter.

Texas answered to tie it again in the fourth.

Then OU produced a march to victory: 12 plays, 94 yards, completed when quarterback Sam Bradford hit Malcolm Kelly with a 34-yard scoring pass.

"We just got rolling,” Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford said.

Texas coach Mack Brown: "That was a great drive. We answered about every time that they scored.

They answered.

"That's why it was such a great game.”

The Sooner defense secured the verdict, turning the Longhorns away over the final 10:42 and turning on their fans.

OU improved to 5-1 overall, squaring their record in Big 12 play at 1-1.

"I think this definitely brings a morale boost,” said Sooner fan Percy Bolen of Norman. "It seemed like there was some indecision about which way our season would go.

"I think we can carry this throughout the year.”

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