Oklahoma’s Sooner Schooner Wagon Crashes, and Viewers Are Sounding Off

Saturday afternoon, an accident occurred during the Oklahoma and West Virginia game when the Sooner Schooner overturned on the field. Per tradition, the wagon was heading out onto the field following yet another touchdown by Jalen Hurts when the driver took a corner too sharply. Both he and the young lady in the passenger seat were thrown from the Schooner while the horses headed for the tunnel.

As it turns out, this is not the only time that the Sooner Schooner has overturned on the field, with the first incident taking place in 1993. For many, this means that it’s long past time to shut down the tradition and find some other way to celebrate the mass amount of touchdowns scored by this offense.

As expected, this incident generated a number of reactions on social media. Many simply worried about the overall health of those involved while others thought about the implications of this tradition that has been taking place since the mid-1960s.

Once it was made clear that everyone had avoided serious injuries, the discussion quickly turned to finding the best joke. There were hundreds of reactions to this wagon overturning, and many used that incident as an opportunity to discuss the state of NCAA football, as well as commercials that are shown with regularity.

Hit That Roll

When the Sooner Schooner tipped over on Saturday afternoon, the initial reaction was to hope that everyone involved was safe and unharmed. Once the individuals were able to walk off the field, it was time to look at the overall incident and find the minute details. 

For example, announcer Gus Johnson pointed out that the young lady that was tossed from the wagon was able to perfectly execute a roll as she hit the ground. This helped her avoid serious injuries and garnered attention from users on social media. 

History Repeats Itself

In 1993, the Sooner Schooner overturned during a game against the Colorado Buffaloes. In the incident in question, the driver took the corner too sharply and caused everyone to be tossed onto the field. 

Nearly 30 years later, the incident happened once again. For college football analyst Chase Goodbread, this is only further evidence that physics do not change with time. Taking a corner too sharply will still result in an accident. 

Insurance Quotes

Social media may be viewed by many as a cesspool for the sheer number of hateful comments, but there are some moments that bring individuals together. For example, one person saw the incident involving the Sooner Schooner and felt that it would be perfect for a series of insurance advertisements. 

Known for actor J.K. Simmons describing bizarre insurance claims, the Farmer’s Insurance ads often show drones destroying windshields, golfers stealing turf, and paint cans causing damage to a car. Some football fans believe that this incident in Oklahoma fits the description. 

Oregon Trail

For those that grew up in the 1970s, ’80s, and early ’90s, the incident in Oklahoma sparked some memories of childhood experiences. Specifically, there were many that saw the Sooner Schooner overturn and thought back to the days playing the educational video game, The Oregon Trail. 

Originally created in the early 1970s and made popular in the early 90s, this computer game tasked players with successfully taking their wagon on the Oregon Trail. In order to achieve this quest, they needed to hunt for food, ford rivers, and fight illnesses such as dysentery. The game was viewed as nearly impossible by many due to the sheer number of failures. 

Too Much Success

As former NFL defender Emmanuel Acho pointed out, this wagon overturning is the only thing that has gone wrong for this Sooners football team during the early portions of the football season. This team is expected to reach the College Football Playoffs with ease, especially after quarterback Jalen Hurts only threw one incompletion in the first half of the game. 

To his point, this Oklahoma team is undefeated after six games and is heading for a seventh straight victory. None of the games have been particularly competitive as the Sooners have topped 40 points six separate times, including a 70-point game against South Dakota.

Chivalry

The incident on the field may have been very entertaining for the viewers at home, but there was one moment that served as frustrating and worrisome for them. Why did no one assist the young lady that was thrown from the carriage? 

As many pointed out, there were some individuals that ran toward her to possibly help her up, but they instead stopped and went to pick up the wagon. For many users on social media, this served as evidence that chivalry is dead in the state of Oklahoma. 

Storage

While there were many focused on the actual individuals that fell out of the Sooner Schooner on Saturday afternoon, there were many others that focused on different aspects of the accident. One individual actually looked at the background of the scene and shocked by the sheer number of items falling out of the wagon. 

As a wagon used primarily for celebrations, shouldn’t the Sooner Schooner be fairly empty? Is the spirit squad using it for storage? There are many individuals that are less concerned about the reasons why there was so much stuff and were more focused on simply laughing at the moment. 

Photo Credit: David Stacy/Icon Sportswire/Getty