Glendale, Ariz. ? The Oklahoma Sooners don’t have to hear about their BCS losing streak anymore. They busted it up in a big way.
Landry Jones threw for a school bowl-record 429 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 9 Oklahoma ended a five-game BCS bowl losing streak with a 48-20 victory over Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday night.
Oklahoma (12-2) carried plenty of BCS baggage after losing three straight title games and two Fiesta Bowls. The Sooners avoided the setback six-pack behind Jones and Ryan Broyles, who had team records of 13 catches and 170 yards to go with the sealing touchdown.
“Coming out here and winning a bowl game, especially a BCS bowl with our past and losing so many of them, to win one for the program, for coach (Bob) Stoops and all those guys, it’s just a great feeling right now,” Jones said. “It motivated us. We came into the same situation a couple of times and came out with some losses, and to win a game after those, it’s just a great feeling.”
Connecticut (8-5) at least kept close for a while in its first BCS bowl.
The hopeful Huskies steadied themselves after an initial barrage from Oklahoma and avoided a complete New Year’s Day desert disaster with hard-nosed running by Jordan Todman and a handful of big plays.
Todman, who declared for the NFL draft after the game, had 121 yards on 32 carries and Robbie Frey returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, helping UConn provide at least a glimmer of hope that it’s not just a basketball school anymore.
Oklahoma had been down this road before.
The Sooners played in the 2007 and 2008 Fiesta Bowls, so they know the town, the stadium, the routine.
They also know disappointment.
In both games, Oklahoma came into the desert favorites and left embarrassed; first to trick-playing, BCS-busting Boise State, then in lopsided fashion to West Virginia.