The Oklahoma Sooners have been the dominant program in every conference they have participated in, from the Southwest Conference to the Big 12 Conference. The team has captured 43 conference titles, including 14 in a row between 1946–59, and 7 claimed national championships: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000. In addition national titles were awarded to Oklahoma for 1915, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1967, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1986 and 2003. by other publications/sources that are not recognized by the NCAA, for a total of 17 national titles in football.
Oklahoma's initial national championship, the first of three under legendary head coach Bud Wilkinson, set the football program on a course that regularly meets with high-level success. Wilkinson coached the team to its national championship in 1950 despite the fact that they lost The Sugar Bowl to Kentucky. The 1950 college football season finished with the unbeaten and untied Oklahoma Sooners being the overwhelming choice for national champion. On New Year’s Day, the 9-0-0 Sooners were upset by the 10-1-0 Kentucky Wildcats in the Sugar Bowl. The loss was the Sooners' first loss since a season opener loss to Santa Clara University in 1948, 31 games earlier. However, the final poll had been issued on November 27, and the bowl games had no effect on Oklahoma’s status as the #1 team.
