Churchill graduate Glenn Blackwood started in two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, but to hear him tell it, playing in Texas' 13-6 victory over Oklahoma in 1977 ranks up there with those games in his mental scrapbook of football memories.

Blackwood recalled the Texas-OU game 32 years ago recently, when we talked by phone following the announcement that he will be among five people inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in February.

Blackwood, who lives in West Palm Beach, Fla., hasn't been to a Texas-OU game since playing in his last one as a senior in 1978. But his memories of the 1977 classic have endured the passage of time.

"That 1977 game against Oklahoma was special," Blackwood said. "We played a really good defensive game. It's one of my proudest games as far as how our team played. We weren't going to be denied that day."

Blackwood was a junior defensive back when the No. 2 Sooners and No. 5 Longhorns clashed at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 8, 1977. UT hadn't beaten OU since 1970 and was in its first season under Fred Akers, who had succeeded legendary Darrell Royal.

The Sooners beat the Horns for five consecutive years, from 1971-75, before struggling to forge a 6-6 tie in 1976 that left Royal physically ill. Years later, Royal said he never wanted to win a game more than that one.

Royal - ironically, an All-America quarterback at OU under Bud Wilkinson in the late 1940s - went 12-2 against his alma mater before his fortunes in the series changed dramatically.

The Sooners were favored in 1977, but UT had at least three things going for it heading into the Red River showdown: a healthy Earl Campbell, kicker/punter Russell Erxleben, and a dominant defense composed of such future pros as Blackwood, Steve McMichael, Johnny Johnson, Brad Shearer and Jay graduate Derrick Hatchett. Shearer, a senior tackle, earned All-America honors and won the Outland Trophy that season.

"I felt we had a chance to dominate the game defensively," Blackwood said. "Our thinking was, 'If they don't score, they don't win.'"

As their No. 2 ranking indicated, OU was hardly chopped liver. Led by senior quarterback Thomas Lott, a wishbone wizard from Jay High School, the Sooners were prolific offensively and relentless defensively.

"That Oklahoma team had some great offensive players, guys like Kenny King and Elvis Peacock," Blackwood said. "But we had some great players, too. I thought we had a phenomenal team. Our defense felt that as long as we hung in there, Earl would pop one."

He did, but that's getting ahead of the story.

UT was 3-0 heading into the OU game, outscoring its opponents by a combined 184-15. After beating Boston College 44-0 in its opener, avenging a 14-13 loss the previous year, the Horns routed Virginia 68-0 and Rice 72-15.

The Sooners entered the game against UT with a 4-0 record. They started the season No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, but fell to No. 5 after edging Vanderbilt 25-23 in their opener.

OU breezed past Utah 62-24 before nipping Ohio State 29-28 in a classic in Columbus, Ohio, climbing from No. 3 to No. 1 in the AP poll. OU defeated Kansas 24-9 the following week, but slipped to No. 2 before meeting the Horns.

Now back to Blackwood.

"We weren't even ranked going into the season in '77, but we came out and beat the snot out of Boston College and Virginia," he said. "We obviously went into the OU game with some confidence. We knew we could move the ball. Earl was used in a totally different way that season, and he was lighting it up."

After lining up at fullback in the wishbone for three seasons, Campbell moved to tailback when Akers ditched the triple-option and went to the "I" formation.

For a while, it appeared UT's frustration in the heated series with OU would continue after it lost starting quarterback Mark McBath and his backup, Jon Aune, to season-ending injuries in the first quarter.

Third-stringer Randy McEachern, a junior who wasn't even listed in the Horns' media guide at the beginning of the season, entered the game and earned a place in UT lore.

With the score tied 3-3, McEachern directed the Horns on an 80-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown run by Campbell - see, he did "pop one" - just before halftime. UT's other first-half points came on a 64-yard - yes, a 64-yard - field goal by Seguin graduate Russell Erxleben.

Erxleben booted a 58-yarder to give the Horns a 13-6 lead with 8:08 left, but the Sooners had one gut-wrenching drive left in them. With Lott wheeling and dealing, OU drove from its 20 to the UT 4 before facing a fourth-and-one with 4:10 left.

Lott ran left on the option and headed upfield, but was held for no gain by Shearer and Johnson.

"That was the courage and the fortitude of our defense," Blackwood said. "It was so exciting to see us make that stand."

Still, UT would need one more big play before it could celebrate.

With the Horns unable to make a first down - they gained only two yards to the 6 in three plays - Erxleben had to punt out of the UT end zone. And what a punt it was. It went 69 yards and put the Horns out of danger.

"Russell Erxleben was absolutely unbelievable," Blackwood said. "They had no chance after that last punt."

And Campbell?

He rushed for 124 yards on 23 carries and scored the Horns' only TD, making OU another notch on his belt en route to the Heisman Trophy that season.

UT finished the regular season 11-0, but its hopes of a national championship ended with a 42-10 loss to Notre Dame in the 1978 Cotton Bowl.

But the 1977 Horns long will be remembered for their stirring victory over OU.

"You don't forget games like that," Blackwood said.

(Photos courtesy of The University of Texas)

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