OUInsider - Owen Field

Roygbell is right. The 1988 hoops team was the best ever OU sports team not to win it all. That loss changed my view on sports and life. I will never take any loss in any sport as bad as I took that one.

As far as football, I'd say 1978 was the one that sticks out as we flat gave away the Nebraska game in Lincoln and beat them relatively easily in the Orange Bowl. We would have played Penn State or some also ran on the OB if we'd beaten Nebraska as Alabama (who beat Penn State in a 1 v 2 Sugar Bowl matchup that year for the title) would have been contractually tied to the Sugar. So we'd've been heavy faves in the OB to beat whoever for the nat'l title.

Tough to argue with that one... 88 Basketball was an incredible team and a lot of fun to watch.

My daughter and I laugh to this day because I wanted to name her Mookie.

If I had wanted to ask the question of " which OU basketball team was the best to never win the championship" I would have asked in on the Waymen Tisdale Board.

There were a few great wrestling teams and golf teams that came up short too why did you not throw those in there?

the 2002 mens' bb team was an ankle sprain away from winning a final four I think..

This was my first thought when I read the thread title.

In football, my first thought was 1978 but Jimbo is probably right with 1973.

Edit: Tyre, the Insider board is for all sports. If you wanted a football only answer, you should have put it on Owen Field or specified in your title.

Tyre,
who cares....
it was a good topic and brought a lot of good discussion and memories...so no worries!

73..........78 the yr Billy fumbled and then we beat those same Huskers and are not given credit for it; 78 that was our fault beat a far inferior Ark team and we win, instead we fart that one away. 2008, KW brain farts that one away......71 game of century; really the clips on the punt return were horrendous no calls.....

1978 - Billy's fumble was a fluke, but it cost us a NC.
1988 - Yeah, Miami had home field advantage but Holieway and Mitchel were both injured. Charles Thompson, a freshman, started that game. Holieway starts, we win (or we don't drop the INT).
2008 - Florida got their running back back, we didn't. That didn't give us as many options inside the five, where we had two potential TD's stopped. If we score 28-24 OU and eighth NC.

Jimbo you are on the money! I remember the USC team as being touted as the greatest team in History, loaded with stars, Pat Hayden, Lynn swan, etc. OU missed 4 or 5 field goals, many lost fumbles. OU should have had 3 in a row. I remember an arrogant John Mckay stating OU tied USC instead of the other way around. Ironically his first pick with Tampa bay was a Sooner.

I agree that the 73 & 78 teams were two of the best. I disagree the that the 03 team was lucky to be in it at the end. If White doesn't toss a pick 6 to start the second half we would've been ok. Our defense played their hearts out that game. White couldn't grip the ball to throw it due to his torn thumb and his hurt toe didn't help his ability to set up and throw the ball. If White is healthy we win that game!

OUManiac

Well since I'm from a younger generation I'm gonna have to go with 03,08 and 04 in that order. 03 was the hardest for me we were the superior team and unlike 04 and 08 the defense was GREAT and just as good or better than the offense. White was hurt and it showed, but the real culprit in that game was play calling in the 4th OU was running the ball with ease carving up an exhausted LSU defense and we get down inside 3 yards and call 4 passes. It was 21-14 and had we just handed it off we would have tied it and IMO eventually won as LSU defense had nothing left. Other key plays that changed the game was the blatant holding on the goaline where Mcgruder busted through and was pulled down from behind that allowed LSU to score that wasn't called. The other play that still eats at me was the fumble that Strait forced after the TE caught the ball and had turned up the field with it to be lit up by Strait, think it was Everage or Poole that recovered it and then the stupid officials called it an incomplete pass when it was completely obvious it was a catch and fumble. 08 hurts as well we were once again the superior team only to be done in by bad play calling! Inside the 5 yard line and you have the best TE in the country who they couldn't cover at all and not one time do you throw it to him.

It may have been a great team but Notre Dame went 12-0 beating #1 Alabama in the Orange Bowl to seal it. I agree that team was better than Notre Dame for sure. When I think of this thread I think in terms that we had the best team but failed to win it. 1978 meets that criteria but the 1988 team was not better than Miami. The 2003 team was not better than LSU. Sooner fans still moan about that game but LSU sent all their defense to the pros and several have/had great careers. That LSU team was underrated by Sooner fans.

They lost twice, and should have won both. OU only had 154 yards of total offense but LSU only had about 300, of which almost a third was on their first play from scrimage. LSU had three trips inside the redzone with one TD. OU had three trips and scored 2 TD's. LSU's only score the 2nd half was an INT for a TD.

All that said, the topic was best teams to NOT win a championship. OU was dominant in 2003 until the K St game. Talk of being the best college team ever. This team should have won a championship and if they had played the 2 they lost ten times they win 9.

They fell apart the last 2 games. I still think they are very high on the list of teams to NOT win one the big one.

I guess we disagree. For one, the mere fact they lost 2 games in a row disqualifies them from being one of the greatest "Teams". I hardly consider a team that was throttled 35-7 by a team that ended the season outside the Top 10 as great.

Secondly, people do not appreciate the fact that LSU had a more talented team measured by the NFL draft and subsequent performance in the NFL. LSU was 2 deep with NFL caliber players at WR, DL and CB in that game. If you don't believe me, take a look at that LSU roster. They had sick talent.

Of course, I give media talk of the "best college team ever" no credence whatsover.