This play was the cherry on top of a record-breaking day for Switzer’s Sooners.

Happy Friday, friends and fans! We’re moving right along in our Countdown to Kickoff. With 99 days to go until the Oklahoma Sooners open the 2021 season, I wanted to use this time to reminisce on one of the longest plays in program history that directly led to a record-breaking day. I’m talking about Jerome Ledbetter’s 99-yard kick return against the Colorado Buffaloes in 1980.

On Oct. 4, 1980, Barry Switzer and his No. 12 OU team was coming off a frustrating home loss to the Stanford Cardinal. Unfortunately for the Buffs, they were the next team on the schedule, meaning they’d have to endure the inevitable onslaught coming to Folsom Field.

With three and a half minutes remaining in the contest, the Sooners had built a 75-42 lead over Colorado. The game was clearly in hand at that point, but when a freshman Jerome Ledbetter fielded a kickoff, he saw nothing but daylight and opportunity.

While it isn’t the longest kick return ever for a Sooner (four players have gone the full 100), there are a couple aspects surrounding this play that make it one of the truly remarkable moments in OU lore. For starters, this was the very first kick return attempt in Ledbetter’s career — and he housed it for 99 yards. Also, this particular touchdown officially gave Oklahoma 82 points on the day, making this the most points scored in a single game in program history.

Jerome Ledbetter is the younger cousin of fellow Sooner tailback Weldon Ledbetter, and he came to Norman out of Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1980. Following a solid freshman campaign, he redshirted the following year, then suffered a season-ending injury in the early stages of the ‘82 season. He was finally able to contribute in ‘83 and ‘84, and for his career, the converted fullback rushed for 384 yards and five touchdowns on 97 carries while adding two more scores as a returner.

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NORMAN — The No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma softball team took game one of the NCAA Norman Super Regional over 16-seed Washington, 4-2, Friday afternoon.

Freshman Nicole May stood tall in the circle in the first postseason start of her career.

On Friday afternoon, the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma Sooners (49-2) gutted out a 4-2 win over the 16-seeded Washington Huskies (45-13) in the Norman Super Regional. With the victory, OU now moves one step closer toward punching its ticket to OKC and the 2021 Women’s College World Series.

Oklahoma’s Nicole May received her 11th start in the circle on Friday, and in 7.0 innings, the freshman struck out five Huskies and surrendered seven hits on 91 total pitches while facing 27 batters. It’s not a massive sample size, but thus far this postseason, May appears to be the Sooners’ top performing pitcher. If she continues to show this kind of growth and development going forward, this team would truly be as complete as they come.

For Washington, Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and National Player of the Year finalist senior Gabbie Plain proved why she’s considered one of the best, but even she was unable to totally contain the Sooners at the plate. On the day she gave up five hits and four walks to just two strikeouts on 89 pitches.

In the bottom of the first, freshman Tiare Jennings got things started with a lead-off double to right, then Plain hit three batters to walk a run in, giving Oklahoma an early 1-0 advantage going into the second frame.

In the top of the second, junior Sami Reynolds tied the ball game up with a solo home run to center. May was able to shake off the bomb and retire the next batters, leaving the teams all knotted up at one run apiece.

In the bottom of the third, National Player of the Year finalist Jocelyn Alo crushed the first pitch she saw for a solo shot of her own, effectively pushing her Sooners back out in front by a run. That would be all for Oklahoma as the Huskies closed out the side.

In the bottom of the fifth, Alo would once again lead off the frame, and she got things started with another walk to first. Next, freshman Jayda Coleman moved pinch runner Rylie Boone to second on a fielder’s choice ground-out. Then, sophomore Kinzie Hansen busted a would-be RBI single up the middle, but the Washington outfielder misplayed the roller, allowing her to race all the way home and extend OU’s lead to 4-1.

UW tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh, but after recording a single homer to left, May and the Sooner defense slammed the door shut and took game one on a game-winning double play.

Up next, Oklahoma takes on Washington for round two of the Norman Super Regional on Saturday, May 29. If the Sooners win, they’ll officially punch their ticket to the WCWS. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on ABC. The Huskies, now facing elimination, must win this next contest if they want to force a game three on Sunday.

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You know the 2021 Oklahoma football season isn’t that far off when they start announcing kickoff times and the TV networks that will cover the games. On Thursday, the Big 12’s TV partners announced game times and coverage designations across their various platforms for the first several games of upcoming college football season. And, to […]

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