Watch: Oklahoma's Sooner Schooner Wagon Crashes on Field

Saturday afternoon, the Oklahoma Sooners were celebrating an early lead over the West Virginia [...]

By John Newby

Saturday afternoon, the Oklahoma Sooners were celebrating an early lead over the West Virginia Mountaineers when a tradition took a terrible turn. After every touchdown, the team mascot, a covered wagon known as the Sooner Schooner, is pulled onto the field by horses named Boomer and Sooner. The goal is to ride onto the field, nearly reach the 50-yard line, and then race back to the tunnel, but Saturday's version did not play out as expected as the wagon overturned on the field.

When the driver went to make the turn and head back toward the tunnel, the top-heavy wagon went up on two wheels due to the sharp angle and then completely fell over. The wheelbase remained attached to the horses, who ran off toward the tunnel, while the driver and his companion took a nasty tumble onto the turf.

The two individuals who fell from the wagon appeared to be considerably shaken up, but they were able to leave the field with some assistance.

Following the accident, a crew of team staff members was able to push the wagon off the field while another group contained the horses and kept them from running amok.

This accident occurred with little more than six minutes remaining in the second quarter as the Sooners were leading 28-7. Considering that the Schooner is driven onto the field after every score, this was the fourth time that the lap had been made by the wagon and the horses.

However, the incident made it very likely that the tradition would be put on hold, bringing a temporary – and possibly permanent – end to something that has been occurring since 1964.

Interestingly enough, this was not the first time that this incident has occurred. Back in 1993, the Sooner Schooner was driven onto the field following a field goal against Colorado. The driver that day, Scott Gibson, took a corner too sharply and caused the wagon to overturn. Gibson, the flag bearer, and the RUF/NEK (the team's spirit squad) queen all tumbled onto the turf.

Given that quarterback Jalen Hurts only had one incompletion in the first half while throwing for 190 yards and two touchdowns, there was little doubt that the Sooners would be scoring more frequently in the third and fourth quarters. Would the celebration change after the Sooner Schooner overturned, or would Oklahoma find other ways to show excitement?

(Photo Credit: David Stacy/Icon Sportswire/Getty)

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