Trivia: Schooner or later

     Keeping with our theme of the Oklahoma Sooners, we would be remiss in not bringing up the 1985 Orange Bowl between Oklahoma and the Washington Huskies.

     In the third quarter of the game, with the score tied at 14, the Sooners made a 22-yard field goal that was negated by an illegal formation penalty. Not knowing the field goal was taken off the board, on to the field rolled the "Sooner Schooner,"  a covered wagon pulled by two ponies that would usually do a short run on the field when the Sooners scored. Field conditions were poor, and the Schooner managed to do what all covered wagons did when moving westward in the 1800s. It got stuck in the mud, right in front of the Washington bench.

     Oklahoma's field goal, already pushed back from 22 to 27 yards because of the formation penalty, was pushed back another 15 yards because of the Schooner. The 42-yard field goal was blocked, and Washington went on to win the game 28-17 to deny the Sooners a legitimate shot at the national title, which went to BYU.

     What was the reason the officials gave for giving the Schooner 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct?

     A) Delay of game for getting stuck B) Taunting the Washington bench C) Being on the field without permission.

      Talk about it in the comment section below and look for the answer in the On The Web section of the print edition of the Buffalo News on Sat., Oct. 4.

    ---Jim Wojtanik