1980: Texas used Coach Bob McQueen’s “Belly Bum” play to get a 7-3 victory. Waco Richfield quarterback Alfred Anderson rolled right out of the T-formation. The fullback faked and went between the tackle and end. The left halfback swept right. The right halfback runs forward. With the Oklahoma defense following Anderson, right halfback Freddie Wells picks up the ball at the line of scrimmage and races 42 yards to the Oklahoma. A few minutes later, Victor Langley of Richardson ran 10 yards to the game’s only TD. Langely was named the offensive MVP for that. Lawton end George Schutz was the defensive MVP after six unassisted tackles, four assisted tackles and two fumble recoveries.
1981: Quarterback Rob Moerschell of Highland Park had 241 yards of total offense in Texas’ 27-3 win. Moerschell ran for 117 yards and hit 5 of 12 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Tackle Bill Heathcock of North Garland was the MVP of a defense that limited Oklahoma to just 13 yards in the second half. Phil Wilson of Putnam City had 17 tackles and Jeff Lee of Muskogee had 15 tackles for the Oklahoma defense.
1982: Fort Worth Eastern Hills quarterback Vince Spruiell hit Wichita Falls Rider’s Greg Owens with a 72-yard touchdown pass with 5:19 to play to pull out a 7-6 win for Texas. Richard Stephenson of Moore passed for a 128 yards and hit Phil Cole with an 18-yard TD strike in the second quarter to win offensive MVP honors. Gerald Taylor of South Oak Cliff was the defensive MVP.
1983: Robert Lavender of Lawton Eisenhower intercepted two passes to be the defensive MVP of Oklahoma’s 27-3 win. Lavender also threw a 21-yard halfback option pass to Cordell’s Chris Rainbolt for a TD. Ada quarterback Shawn Stephenson completed 6 of 14 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown to win offensive MVP.
1984: Texas scored 16 points in a two-minute span of the second quarter and routed Oklahoma 27-7. After Charlie Eipper of Hirschi and Chris Lambert of Converse Judson caused an Oklahoma fumble, the momentum swung to Texas. And what had been a scoreless game turned into anything but that. An 80-yard touchdown drive followed the fumble with Chris Pryor of Converse Judson getting the TD on a 2-yard run. Just 14 seconds later, Vernon’s Andy Burris dropped Oklahoma quarterback Reggie Smith for a safety. Lambert returned the free kick 23 yards to the Oklahoma 34, and three players later, Lewisville’s Rodney Murphy scored from the 1. Midland Lee’s Isaac Garnett ran for 60 yards in 18 carries to win offensive MVP. Pat Hartline of Lawton was the defensive MVP.
1985: Shell Henry of Picher scored both Oklahoma touchdowns in a 13-12 win. Henry scored on runs of 30 and 2 yards. Texas lost despite a 153-yard rushing performance by James Dixon of Vernon and a 74-yard run by Odessa Permian’s Dal Watson, both record-breakers at the time.
1986: Bill Mercer of Wichita Falls High had touchdown runs of 33 and 11 yards to lead Texas to a 17-0 win. Mercer had 68 yards rushing in just 10 carries and was named the game’s offensive MVP. It would be the final time the WFHS star would hear the cheers of the crowd. Just 36 days after the game, the 18-year-old was killed in a car crash in Abilene, Texas. The No. 44 jersey he wore in this game was retired the following year. James Polk of Wichita Falls Hirschi also had a nice game, running 10 times for 60 yards and scored on a 16-yard run. Greg Owen of Sulphur Spring was named the MVP of a Texas defense that held Oklahoma to just 25 yards rushing and eight first downs.
1987: Oklahoma pitched its first shutout in this one, 10-0. Led by defensive MVP Mongo Allen of Del City, Oklahoma held Texas to a minus 51 yards rushing in the fourth quarter. Tony Brooks of Tulsa Washington carried 19 times for 68 yards and scored the game’s only touchdown on a 7-yard run to win the offensive MVP award.
1988: Texas ended a seven-quarter scoreless streak against Oklahoma with a 2-yard touchdown run by Wilmer-Hutchins’ Ike Lewis in the fourth quarter and won 14-3. Lewis was the offensive MVP after running 10 times for 84 yards. John Pitts of Wichita Falls High School had two sacks and was named the defensive MVP. Oklahoma was held to just 18 yards rushing in the game.
1989: Sugar Land Willowridge cornerback William Shankle intercepted two passes — returning one for a touchdown — in Texas’ 33-0 blowout. Chad Hunter of Garland Lakeview also returned an interception for a touchdown. J.J. Joe of Arlington Lamar threw a 73-yard TD pass to Copperas Cove’s Mike Davis and scored on a 1-yard run. Eric Curl of Lufkin ran 12 times for 112 yards and touchdown to win offensive MVP honors. Shankle was the defensive MVP.