On Saturday, Oklahoma’s football team was sailing against West Virginia. However, the team’s iconic horse-drawn wagon was a different story.
During Saturday’s Big 12 college football matchup, the Sooners cheerleading team drove the horse-drawn wagon onto the field during a break in play in the second quarter. As seen in a video taken at the game, the crew driving the horses tried to make a turn too sharp, sending the wagon crashing to the ground and leading the horses to run off.
The video showed staff for the Oklahoma Sooners rushing to pick up the shattered pieces of the wagon after the crash, and the cheerleaders who were thrown off were taken away by medical staff.
The team’s iconic wagon is known as the Sooner Schooner, which is pulled by two white ponies. It is meant to serve as a replica for the wagon that settlers used when racing in to settle the Oklahoma Territory — which is where the team also gets its nickname. The term “sooners” referred to those who tried to get a head start on the Land Run of 1889, which allowed people to claim land in the Oklahoma territory.
The Sooner Schooner is driven onto the field to the 50-yard line every time Oklahoma scores, with a cheerleader serving as the driver and another waving the Oklahoma Sooners flag.
Video of the wagon crashing quickly made its way around social media, with many sharing views on whether it was necessary for the team to drive the wagon onto the field during breaks in play.
The Sooners football team was having a much better time on Saturday, taking a 28-7 lead late into the second quarter as they looked to maintain their undefeated status.
Oklahoma is on a roll, literally. After Oklahoma Sooners QB Jalen Hurts runs in a TD against the West Virginia #Mountaineers defense. OU’s horse wagon tips over sending cheer leaders to the ground! #CFB #CFB150 #CollegeFootball #WVUvsOU @CFBPlayoff #Big12 pic.twitter.com/c7CtrEor5L
— Swapty Sports (@SwaptySports) October 19, 2019
Wow Oklahoma maybe you should stop running the horses and wagon on the field. #fail pic.twitter.com/U45lAkSWMP
— Anastasia (@WVUOU) October 19, 2019
While it appeared the cheerleaders who got thrown from the wagon were shaken up, many people took to social media to offer some jokes about the crash — including former college football legend Reggie Bush. The star tweeted that it looked like the team was trying to “drift” the wagon, referencing the Fast and Furious movies.
The crash itself even got some first-rate commentary from announcer Gus Johnson, who gave credit to the cheerleader for how well she rolled when she hit the ground to avoid full impact with the turf.
“Watch her ability to roll,” Johnson said. “When she hits the ground — nice roll! That’s what they teach you in ju jitsu.”
Gus Johnson just broke down the Sooner Schooner crash as only Gus Johnson can https://t.co/KxaVnd35cc
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) October 19, 2019
It is not clear what injuries the Oklahoma Sooners cheerleaders may have suffered in the wagon’s crash.
