Year in Review: Injuries unravel Sooners' run at a national title

When wide receiver Ryan Broyles and linebacker Travis Lewis decided to return for their senior seasons, it looked like the stars were aligned for OU’s eighth national championship.

The pieces started to fall into place. Walk-on sensation running back Dominique Whaley asserted himself as an unstoppable threat. OU won in stunning fashion against Florida State on the road. The Sooners blew out Texas with steadfast defense.

Then it started to unravel.

The Sooners stumbled at home against Texas Tech. Whaley’s ankle gave out against Kansas State. Broyles went down just before the toughest stretch of OU’s schedule.

The Sooners lost to Baylor for the first time ever and suffered their worst loss to Bedlam rival Oklahoma State in the series’ history.

In the span of about a month, OU went from potentially sealing up a title bid to booking the Insight Bowl.

The Sooners finished with 10 wins, but the tragedies outweighed the triumphs.

With defensive coordinators Mike Stoops back at OU and Brent Venables gone for Clemson, the Sooners will look a little different moving forward.

There’s always next year.

James Corley

James is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as Sports Reporter, Sports Editor, Night Editor, Sports Reporter, Inside the Huddle Editor, Managing Editor and Sports Reporter.