Oklahoma Sooners

OU's Orange Bowl history lesson: Suspensions don't mean a thing

Published Dec. 30, 2015 2:27 p.m. ET

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When news broke Tuesday that the Clemson Tigers had suspended three players, including productive wide receiver Deon Cain, for Thursday's Orange Bowl national semifinal, Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops likely quickly swapped his visor for his teaching cap.

He had a little Orange Bowl history lesson to tell his players.

First, the current news: Cain and two sparingly-used Tigers players, tight end Jay Jay McCullough and kicker Ammon Lakip, were sent home from Miami for failed drug tests, according to reports. As far as Oklahoma is concerned, Cain is a player who can do damage -- he's tied for third on the team in receptions (34) and tied for second in touchdown catches (five) -- and he will be missed by Clemson.

Now for the lesson: Don't underestimate the opponent no matter the circumstance, or the 2015 Sooners with championship aspirations just might leave South Florida like the OU team did that played in the 1978 Orange Bowl.

Oklahoma entered that game knowing that Texas had been upset earlier in the day by Notre Dame at the Cotton Bowl, meaning a national championship was all but theirs with a win over upstart Arkansas in the Orange Bowl. And it seemed the cards were really stacked in Sooners' favor after Razorbacks coach Lou Holtz suspended four offensive starters, including leading rusher Ben Cowins.

So, of course, what happens?

Oklahoma's star running backs Billy Sims and Kenny King each fumbled, while Cowins' replacement, Roland Sales, pounded the heavy favorite Sooners for 205 yards, and the Hogs led 24-0 by halftime. 

Surely the 1978 Orange Bowl is one history lesson Stoops has taught to his 2015 team.

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