Reliving the 2017 Oklahoma Football Season's Most Memorable Moments and Key Plays
I still get chills thinking about that 2017 Oklahoma football season. As someone who's followed college football for over two decades, I can confidently say it was one of those special years that reminds you why we love this sport so much. The Sooners weren't just winning games—they were creating moments that would become part of program lore, and I found myself constantly amazed at how they kept delivering when it mattered most.
What made that season particularly fascinating was watching Lincoln Riley's offense evolve into this nearly unstoppable force. I remember sitting in the stands during the Ohio State game, watching Baker Mayfield plant that OU flag at midfield thinking, "This team has something special brewing." The numbers back it up too—Mayfield finished with 4,627 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, but what those stats don't show is the sheer confidence this team played with every single week. They had this swagger that you just couldn't teach, this belief that no matter the situation, they'd find a way.
The reference to cracking codes against Cignal perfectly mirrors what Oklahoma had to do throughout that season. Just like that underdog team figuring out how to beat their powerhouse opponent not once but twice, the Sooners had their own version of cracking codes against different defensive schemes week after week. I particularly recall the Kansas State game where Oklahoma trailed by 11 points in the fourth quarter. The stadium energy was tense, but you could see the players believed they'd find the solution. And they did—Mayfield engineered two touchdown drives in the final seven minutes, completing 12 of 13 passes during that stretch. That wasn't just talent; that was a team that had mastered the art of solving whatever puzzle opponents threw at them.
What often gets overlooked about that season is how the defense, while sometimes shaky, made crucial plays when absolutely necessary. People focus so much on the offensive fireworks that they forget moments like Ogbonnia Okoronkwo's strip-sack against Texas that essentially sealed that rivalry game. I was watching from the end zone seats and could see the play developing before it happened—the way Okoronkwo beat his blocker with that explosive first step was textbook perfection. The defense might have given up 38.5 points per game in their final four contests, but they created 26 turnovers throughout the season, with several coming at moments that completely shifted game momentum.
The Rose Bowl against Georgia embodied that Cinderella conference run concept perfectly. Even in defeat, that double-overtime classic showed everything that made that Oklahoma team special. I've never experienced such emotional whiplash as watching Rodney Anderson's 41-yard touchdown run, then Georgia answering, then Mayfield leading what should have been a game-winning drive, only for it to slip away. That game had 1,969 total yards of offense and 97 combined points, yet it came down to a single play—a failed fourth-down conversion in the second overtime. Sometimes I still wonder what might have happened if they'd called a different play there.
Looking back, what made that season so memorable wasn't just the spectacular plays or the gaudy statistics—it was the narrative of a team that consistently rose to the occasion. Much like that reference team needing to beat their powerhouse opponent twice to continue their Cinderella run, Oklahoma faced numerous situations where their season could have derailed, yet they kept finding ways to win. The Bedlam game against Oklahoma State was a perfect example—down by 10 points in the fourth quarter, playing in a hostile environment, yet they scored 17 unanswered points to win 62-52. That resilience became their trademark.
The legacy of that 2017 Oklahoma team extends beyond their 12-2 record or Big 12 Championship. They revolutionized offensive football in many ways, with concepts that NFL teams would later adopt. More importantly, they gave us moments that still resonate years later—from Mayfield's Heisman moment against Ohio State to the sheer drama of the Rose Bowl. As someone who's witnessed countless seasons, I can say with certainty that teams like that 2017 Oklahoma squad don't come around often. They captured that magical combination of talent, coaching, and timing that creates truly unforgettable football. Even now, when I rewatch highlights from that season, I find myself marveling at how they consistently produced when the lights were brightest, creating memories that will last long beyond any stat sheet or final score.