1972 Sugar Bowl #3 Oklahoma vs #5 Auburn No Huddle

[@mwduck]

The FIRST 1972 Sugar Bowl. Oklahoma played Penn State there on 12/31/72.

[@urbanleftbehind]

I was not sure until they said Heisman winner Pat Sullivan

[@tigerwareagle1485]

September 28th 2024; “Sugar Sweet Revenge” Welcome to the SEC Sooners.

[@CoreyT127]

Back when the sugar bowl was actually played in the sugar bowl in baton rouge!

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

Back when Bowl games were just know for their names, not the corporate sponser's!!

[@wi54725]

You are off by a bit. The Sugar Bowl was played at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. My dorm (Irby) at Tulane was within spitting distance of the stadium. The Super Bowl was played on that field in January of 1975 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. This stadium was torn down in 1980.

[@davidheckman4188]

Wow! I did not have a clue, but of course, there was no sugardome

[@christianlibertarian5488]

I have often wondered why the Wishbone, and indeed all triple run options, faded away. If I recall, they changed the rules about holding sometime in the 1980's. Watch how little time Pat Sullivan has to throw; I have watched J.J. McCarthy stand there for 5 seconds until someone came open, but Sullivan never had more than 1 or 2 seconds.

[@bluebirdconundrum]

People forget that when the wishbone was introduced, it was an innovative offense. Oklahoma essentially perfected the wishbone and took it about as far as it could be taken as a primary approach. With passing being so much easier to do now, a team competing for titles in college can no longer afford to have a run-first, run-heavy offense. However, I think a team could install the wishbone as part of its offense, as it would be a wrinkle that would be very hard to defend if executed properly. The problem is that installing, teaching, and practicing the wishbone is very time-consuming, and as such I don't think any coach is willing to try to develop a fully hybridized offense that can spread the field and then immediately turn around and run tricky wishbone option plays. The flexbone is probably the closest thing to this idea that has actually been used, but even that is not quite the same thing.

[@midnightrider1100]

Game evolved beyond it. Players want to prepare NFL skills. 85 scholarship limit inhibits depth and you need a lot of depth in the backfield to rotate players and absorb injuries. Rules favor the passing game more now. Requires an elite defense which not all teams can get and rules favore the offense in the passing game now. Doesn't come from behind as well unless you have elite players like Oklahoma did. High schools don't develop heavy running games for recruiting and more. Passing quarterbacks are pretty much hands off now. Running QBs would be open season. Also, as you can see in this video, the wishbone is turnover prone and that would be more devastating in today's game with quick strick offenses and advantages.

[@christianlibertarian5488]

It is funny you said that about run-heavy teams, then Michigan wins with a run heavy team. But I think that is the exception that proves the rule.@@bluebirdconundrum

[@bluebirdconundrum]

@@christianlibertarian5488 Michigan is still different because that team had passing capabilities that teams like wishbone-era OU did not (and OU even had some pro talent at receiver positions occasionally). You can still favor the run over the pass these days, but even running teams still need to be able to competently line up in passing formations and pose a vertical threat. In the most recent national title game, Michigan's QB attempted 18 passes; back in the day, OU would run maybe five pass plays per game, most of which were play-action out of the wishbone formation. Midnightrider1100 makes good points above; the game indeed has evolved beyond what OU and other option teams used to do. However, part of that evolution has been down to making passing easier; it is, after all, more exciting for viewers.

[@stanlogan7504]

Straight toe kickers this was about to change

[@chrisuncleahmad666]

The teams that lost huge rivalry games. But OU got over their Nebraska hangover better than Auburn got over their Bama hangover

[@mwduck]

True. And OU won 9 of their next 10 meetings with Nebraska.

[@davidheckman4188]

Mildren threw better than any wishbone qb, xcept maybe aikman

[@dsfddsgh]

Aikman was never really a wishbone QB. He was a pocket passer. I think Switzer even revamped the offense for him until he got hurt against Miami and Jamelle Holieway took over and they went back the the wishbone.

[@impalaman9707]

The Wishbone formation looks like such a complicated mess

[@mwduck]

High risk - high reward.

[@garyglenn3654]

Miami solved it pretty well.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Penn State defended against it well in 86 Orange Bowl. Too bad Lions 🦁 had no offense

[@williamblack4097]

1971 Oklahoma and Nebraska probably the best teams ever.

[@joebobb7349]

They were certainly great teams, but the 1972 USC Trojans were widely regarded as being even better. That was the Trojan team with Anthony Davis and Sam Bam Cunningham.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

​@joebobb7349 1973 Ohio State was really good too. So was 73 Notre Dame And how about 74 Oklahoma Michigan and USC?

[@ronsparks2391]

@@joebobb7349 Certainly great, but Nebraska's 95-96 juggernaut beats em all....these 70's teams were so fun to watch as a kid growing up. We had nothing in Illinois back then, so we mostly got stuck embracing Notre Dame, whom i didn't like. lol

[@sooner9971]

BOOMER!!!

[@jabbers081769]

yo, steel buck 6 I found a great sim college/pro football game for yo, called 2nd and 10, has all the old teams in NCAA and NFL i recommend it! while I got you can I get the rematch sugar bowl same 2 teams but the following year, final score 14-0, ty

[@steelbuck6777]

Not sure I understand. I have the following year 73 Sugar Bowl posted, but it's Bama vs Notre Dame? Not sure when these teams had a rematch.

[@jabbers081769]

@@steelbuck6777 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Sugar_Bowl_(December)

[@jabbers081769]

i read it wrong but i want that game if you have it and 1975 fiesta arizona state vs nebraska

[@steelbuck6777]

@@jabbers081769 I sure wish I did have either of those. I especially love watching the old games.