The 1955 Oklahoma Sooners football team was an American football team that represented the University of Oklahoma in the Big Seven Conference (Big 7) during the 1955 college football season. Led by ninth-year head coach Bud Wilkinson, the Sooners compiled an 11–0 record, outscored opponents by a total of 385 to 60, won the Big 7 and national championships, and defeated No. 3 Maryland, 20–6, in the 1956 Orange Bowl. In the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma trailed by six at halftime, and then outscored Maryland, 20–0, in the second half. Oklahoma's 1955 season was the school's tenth consecutive conference championship and part of a record-setting 47-game winning streak that lasted from October 10, 1953, through November 9, 1957.
The Sooners played their home games at Owen Field in Norman, Oklahoma.
Schedule
Rankings
National championship In the final AP Poll released on November 28, 1955, Oklahoma was ranked No. 1 with 3,581 points, more than 300 points ahead of No. 2 Michigan State. The Sooners also finished with the No. 1 ranking in the final UPI coaches poll. The team was also recognized as the 1955 national champion in rankings and analyses issued by Berryman (QPRS), Billingsley Report, College Football Researchers Association, DeVold System, Dunkel System, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Helms Athletic Foundation, International News Service, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings, and Williamson System.
Honors and statistical leaders Guard Bo Bolinger was a consensus first-team pick on the 1955 All-America college football team.
Halfback Tommy McDonald led the team with 102 points scored, 715 rushing yards, and 284 passing yards. McDonald received first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press.
Three of the coaches and two of the players on the 1955 Sooners were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: coach Wilkinson (inducted 1969); assistant coach Gomer Jones (inducted 1978); Tommy McDonald (inducted 1985); assistant coach Pete Elliott (inducted 1994); and center Jerry Tubbs (inducted 1996).
Personnel Players
Hugh Ballard, end John Bell, end Bo Bolinger, guard Henry Bonney, guard Chuck Bowman, center Bill Brown, fullback J. Broyles, center Bob Burris, back Roland Butler, guard Steve Champlin, tackle Gene Cockrell, tackle Bobby Darnell, center Billy Davis, guard Ernie Day Dale DePue, quarterback Robert Derrick, halfback Wilbur Derrick, end Carl Dodd, quarterback John Ederer Tom Emerson, tackle Jerry Fronterhouse, center Duane Goff, end Ed Gray, end Wayne Greenlee, fullback Kenneth Hallum, tackle Bill Harris, end Jimmy Harris, quarterback Jim Heard, fullback Fred Hood, end Doyle Jennings, tackle Mickey Johnson Charles Joseph, halfback Bill Krisher, guard Benton Ladd, tackle Delbert Long, halfback David Loop, end Robert Loughridge, tackle Bob Martin, end Tommy McDonald, halfback Gerald McPhail, halfback Frank Merkt, halfback Joe Mobra, end Cecil Morris, guard Dennit Morris, linebacker Don Nelson, fullback Ken Northcutt, guard Jay O'Neal, quarterback Joseph Oujesky, guard Edward Parry, tackle Tommy Pearson, end Billy Pricer, back Billy Rhodes, halfback Byron Searcy, tackle Dale Sherrod, halfback Dan Smith, halfback Don Stiller, end/guard Bill Sturm, quarterback Rodger Taylor, halfback Clendon Thomas, halfback Bob Timberlake, end Jerry Tubbs, center Barry West, guard Woody Wolverton, center Calvin Woodworth, tackle
Coaches Head coach: Bud Wilkinson Assistant coaches: Pete Elliott, Gomer Jones, Sam Lyle
NFL draft The following Sooners were selected in the 1955 NFL draft following the season.
444Cecil MorrisGuardGreen Bay Packers668Bob BurrisBackGreen Bay Packers13149Bo BolingerGuardChicago Cardinals20241Joe MobraEndCleveland Browns
References