OKLAHOMA beat Michigan 14-6 and claimed the National Championship.
The sellout crowd of 80,307 plus a national TV audience saw the Wolverines win the toss & elected to receive.
On the first play from scrimmage Jimbo Elrod stacked it up for no gain. It set the tone for the defensive effort by the SOONERS all night.
There's a photo on page 302 of the book,
THE WINNING EDGE, Of Jimbo Elrod leaving the field after the OU win, with his right hand index finger held high predicting the OKLAHOMA finish in the final poll.
His prediction proved correct!
ELROD EARNED CONSENSUS ALL AMERICA HONORS IN 1975 WHEN HE HAD 20 TACKLES FOR LOSS.
HIS 44 TACKLES FOR LOSS LED THE CAREER LIST AT OKLAHOMA FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, (Currently stands 6th I believe.)
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE 1974 SOONER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM,
"According to the OKLAHOMA Highway Patrol, Elrod was driving a 2015 Lexus eastbound on the Turner Turnpike at 3:43 AM on December 12, 2016 when the vehicle ran off the road about 4 miles west of Chandler.
The OHP says Elrod tried to get back on the highway but hit a guard rail, causing the Lexus to roll end over end and ejecting him through the sunroof.
Troopers say Elrod's 61 year old wife Diana was taken to an OKC hospital in serious condition.
The OHP said Elrod, 62, was not wearing a seat belt but his wife was.
The Tooper who investigated the crash said he detected the odor of alcohol."
Former OU Head Football Coach Barry Switzer released a statement on Elrod's death.
" Great wrestler and a great football player. Wrestling is what made Jimbo such a great football player.
It gave him great upper body strength and quickness. He could really run.
He was a tenacious player and a competitor.
He was really good and he was a member of a great group at OKLAHOMA>
Jimbo has always been an 18-year-old guy to me because that's what he was when I singed him.
He always had movie star looks and a lot of hair.
I was always jealous of his hair.
Everybody was.
I called a lot of his former coaches and teammates this morning.
We lost a great one.
It's devestating," Switzer said.
Jimbo wore #54 as a DE for OKLAHOMA.
He played 3 seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and one for the Houston Oilers in the NFL.
BORN: 25 MAY 1954 AND DIED:12 DECEMBER 2016
R.I.P.
