2015 Oklahoma Sooners football team


The 2015 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 121st season of Sooner football. The team was led by two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award winner, Bob Stoops, in his 17th season as head coach. They played their home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They were a charter member of the Big 12 Conference.
Conference play began on October 3, 2015 with a 44–24 win against West Virginia in Norman, Oklahoma and ended with a 58–23 win against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma on November 28, 2015. Oklahoma finished conference play with an 8–1 record winning their ninth Big 12 Championship, their first since 2012.
Oklahoma was selected as the 4th seed to play in the 2015 College Football playoff against 1st seed Clemson on December 31, 2015 in the Orange Bowl which they lost 17–37. Oklahoma finished the season with an 11–2 record.

Previous season

The 2014 Oklahoma Sooners football team finished the regular season 8–4, with the four losses in conference play towards Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and TCU. Oklahoma became bowl eligible after defeating Iowa State on November 1, 2014. The Sooners were invited to play in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl against the Clemson Tigers. Oklahoma fell short against the Tigers in Orlando with a loss of 6–40.

Preseason

Recruits

Award watch lists

Oklahoma announced its 2015 football schedule on November 19, 2014. The 2015 schedule consisted of six home games, five away games and one neutral game in the regular season. The Sooners hosted Big 12 foes Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia and traveled to Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. Oklahoma played Texas in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl for the 110th time on October 10 for the Red River Showdown.
The Sooners hosted two non-conference games against Akron and Tulsa and traveled to its other non-conference foe Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Oklahoma met for the first time against the Akron Zips at home to open the season. The Sooners then traveled to Tennessee after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers last season and then hosted in-state rival Tulsa after traveling to Tulsa last year.

Roster

Game summaries

Akron

Tennessee

Overall recordLast meetingResult
2–12014W 34–10

Tulsa

Overall recordLast meetingResult
19–7–12014W 52–7

West Virginia

Overall recordLast meetingResult
5–22014W 45–33

Texas

Overall recordLast meetingResult
44–60–52014W 31–26

Kansas State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
72–19–42014L 30–31

Texas Tech

Overall recordLast meetingResult
16–62014W 42–30

Kansas

Overall recordLast meetingResult
72–27–62014W 44–7

Iowa State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
72–5–22014W 59–14

Baylor

Overall recordLast meetingResult
21–32014L 14–48

TCU

Overall recordLast meetingResult
9–52014L 33–37

Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)

Overall recordLast meetingResult
84–18–72014L 35–38

Clemson (Orange Bowl)

Overall recordLast meetingResult
2–22014L 6–40

Weekly Awards

Awards

The 2016 NFL Draft was held at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago on April 28–30, 2016. The following Oklahoma players were either selected or signed as free agents following the draft.
PlayerPositionRoundOverall PickNFL Team
Sterling ShepardWR2nd40New York Giants
Charles TapperDE4th101Dallas Cowboys
Zack SanchezCB5th141Carolina Panthers
Devante BondOLB6th183Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dominique AlexanderLBUndraftedCleveland Browns
Ty DarlingtonCUndraftedTennessee Titans
Nila KasitatiOGUndraftedWashington Redskins
Durron NealWRUndraftedDenver Broncos
Frank ShannonLBUndraftedDenver Broncos
Eric StrikerLBUndraftedBuffalo Bills

Rankings