Top 10 Victories during the Blake Era

The Daily Oklahoman is doing a big "Bob Stoops @ 10" thing this week. To supplement their superb coverage, I thought I would provide a little different perspective. For you, the loyal reader, I submit the Top 10 Victories of the John Blake era.

1. Oct 12, 1996, Texas - This was JB's first victory. The Sooners were pathetic in the four games prior to this. They were coming off losses to TCU, San Diego State, Tulsa, and Kansas, and UT was ranked.
2. Oct 19, 1996, at Baylor - this victory was significant because it was a) Blake's first two game winning streak; b) kept the unbeaten streak alive over Baylor. The Sooners came from 10 points down in the seconf half to beat Baylor. Pause for a moment to let that sink in.
3. Sep 6, 1997, Syracuse - this game was an absolute thriller to watch. Demond Parker ran for 200+ yards. OU blocked a field goal at the end of the game to seal the victory. You woulda thought we won the national championship that day the way we reacted in the stands.
4. Oct 18, 1997 Baylor - the Sooners intercepted a two point conversion with 28 seconds left to secure a one point victory.
5. Nov 22, 1997, at Texas Tech - John Blake is undefeated in Lubbock as a head coach. I wish Stoops could say that.
6. Sep 5, 1998, North Texas - The largest margin of victory during the Blake era. The Sooners were down 6-0 after the first quarter. QB Patrick Flether went 5-5 for 84 yards and a score.
7. Sep 12, 1998 at TCU - I was actually at this game with TexPoes. I have never been more embarrassed about winning a football game. OU was 5-19 passing. The best pass play was an interception...the Sooners threw a pick and the TE, whose name escapes me, stripped the ball from the defender after the pick and the Sooners went on to win the game. The weather was horrible. This also concluded the only three game winning streak of the Blake era. LDT was held to 22 yards on 10 carries. The teams combined for 15 first downs.
8. Sep 27, 1997, Louisville - I remember two things about this game: a) I about got in a fight with a gent sitting in front of me over a chairback; and b) the Cardinals had a receiver named Arnold Jackson. He caught 3 balls for 16 yards.
9. Nov 9, 1996, at Boone State - this was Blake's only W against our intrastate rival. Of course, at that point, Tulsa was a rival as well, and ECU would have been if they were in Division I.
10. Nov 21, 1998, Texas Tech - Conspiracy theorists believe Spike Dykes was paid by fellow Big 12 coaches to lose the game in an effort to save Blake's job. Fortunately for all of us, it didn't work.

Honorable mention (hey there were only 12 wins to analyze):

i) Nov 14, 1998 over Baylor and ii) Oct 31, 1998 over Iowa State. I have blocked both these games from my memory. However, I would bet money that the Pride of Oklahoma dressed up in costumes and played La Bamba at halftime of the Cyclone W.