OU's football season in 1981 started with high expectations not unlike 2011: pre-season #2 ranking, high expectations after a season in which OU landed in the top 5 after winning an Orange Bowl, and a big game on the road against a top 5 team early on the schedule, number 1, in fact, the USC Trojans. OU, quarterbacked that day or at least for some of it by Kelly Phelps, lost in the waning moments on a TD pass. A severe disappointing feeling in the gut to go down to defeat in the late afternoon sunshine in LA (and OU would get shutout by USC the next year at home 12-0, but I won't go there). I have awful memories of Marcus Allen's end sweeps that day. We'd help make a Hesiman winner of him that year. The year 1981.

I figured the next week OU would get it's feet back under them with an assault against hapless Iowa State. I mean, we owned them. And the result? A tie at home to sucky Iowa State, 7-7. Iowa State, who would go on to finish 5-5-1. I'll never forgot how windy it was that day, while I tried to kick back uncomfortably in my dad's old green Chevy pickup listening to the radio during the 4th quarter, lips chapped, after playing a soccer game I didn't give much about because the Sooners were on the radio. We tied freaking Iowa State. But we're Oklahoma.

It would get worse.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4786394

OU was hoping to recruit the former Florida QB with a troubled past, but he's heading to Auburn. Newton racked up quite the stats and a national title at Blinn College (a junior college in Texas).

After yesterday's play by Landry Jones against Stanford, Sooner fans can probably look forward to see Landry next year hook up with Ryan Broyles for 90+ catches. The Sooners still have Blake Bell, QB recruit, arriving in the fall.