The first meeting between these team came down to the final play. In that game Oklahoma had driven down to the Florida 27 yard line and was well within field goal range to possibly force a overtime. Thompson went back to pass on play action and due to the Gator pressure was sacked and also fumbled away any chance OU had of getting it to overtime.
This time around the game once again would come down to the final seconds before a winner would jubilantly celebrate on the Orange Bowl field.
Florida would start this game out in fashion as they would take the opening drive from its own 25 to the Sooner 19 yard line in just 8 plays. Oklahoma was just trying to find a way to stop the drive and force a field goal when lady luck struck on the Sooners side. Danny Wuerffel (26-39-321) would be picked by FS Ricky Dixon to end the threat.
Starting from its own 31, Jamielle Holieway and company would masterfully move down the field with the wishbone and a occasional rare pass. 11 plays and 5:19 seconds later HB Anthony Stafford (9-49) would go in from 5 yards out to give the Sooners a 7-0 lead. Both teams would exchange a punts but Florida would start its first scoring drive very late in this quarter.
It wouldn't take them long to finalize it in the 2nd quarter though as with 14:52 left RB Eugene McCaslin would take it in from 4 outs to tie the game at 7 apiece. OU would come right back and RD Lasher would kick a 29 yard field goal to put OU back on top at 10-7. That lead would last less than 3 minutes as Florida went 80 yards in 6 plays and tore through a darn good OU defense as Wuerfful would find RB Elijah Williams wide open for a 27 yard strike. OU would go into the locker room down 14-13 at the half as Lasher added a 30 yard field goal late in the half.
OU would take its first lead since the opening quarter to start the 3rd as they marched 60 yards in 9 plays as Holieway (24-93 rushing and 6-12-123 passing) went in from 2 yards out. Knowing they needed to go for 2, they rushed out and Holieway could not handle the snap and the conversion was no good. Late in the 3rd, the Gators were driving for the go ahead score at the Sooners 21 yard line. Backup QB Shottenhiemer would find Green for a 11 yard gain but as he was hit he lost the ball and OU recovered ending yet another Gator scoring opportunity.
Trailing now 19-14 to begin the 4th, Florida would put together a impressive 96 yard drive in 16 plays to retake the lead. Reidel Anthony (7-139) would take in a 8 yard pass from Wuerffel and with the extra point UF led again 21-19. Oklahoma would be forced to punt as the Gator defense gave very little ground. UF would start its next drive at the Gators own 12 with only 6:13 left.
Facing a 3rd and two from its own 34, OU was playing run but UF OC Marc Wiess made one heck of a call. On play action completely fooling the OU defense, Wuerffel would find Anthony in the flat and he would race 60 yards down to the OU 6 yard line. At this point the OU coaches figured it was pretty much over. A holding call though would push the Gators back and eventually were force to attempt the field goal. Bart Edmiston was called upon to force OU to score a touchdown to win. The 31 yard attempt sailed right and OU dodged a bullet.
With only 3:01 left OU would now have to go about 50 yards just to get into field goal range. With the wishbone even that may not be enough time. With just :59 seconds left OU was within field goal range sitting at the Gators 17. Lasher again would come out and this time the kick would either break the Sooners or Lasher was going to be a hero. Lasher would not miss and with only now :55 to go and a 22-21- lead all they had to do was make the tackles.
Green though had other ideas as he took that kickoff and ran it back to the OU 40. Sooner fans began to rustle around. Surely UF would get into Field Goal range as they still had 45 ticks to play. Weurffel on 2nd down PA would find Green for a 11 yard gain but he had forgotten something as OU players pounced on the ball.
OU then the Sooners just ran the clock down and OU wins either way.
--submitted by Bill Vogt--