[6] Maryland finished the regular season with a perfect 10–0 record with the narrowest win being a 20–6 victory over Don Faurot's Missouri.
[8] Maryland's star quarterback, Bernie Faloney, was injured midseason and saw limited game action for the remainder of the year.
The two had also served as assistant coaches in the U.S. Navy for the Iowa Pre-Flight football team under Don Faurot.
[2] Oklahoma entered the game on an eight-game winning streak with a single loss in the season-opener to Notre Dame and a tie in week 2 against Pittsburgh.
[9] Oklahoma also had an injured quarterback; second-stringer Pat O'Neal separated his sternum at Miami and missed the game.
[7] Wilkinson reportedly compiled fake playbooks and had them distributed where they would be discovered by Maryland personnel.
Wilkinson later admitted that he had indeed used the ruse on occasion, without specifically stating it was employed before the 1954 Orange Bowl.
Oklahoma quarterback Gene Calame rushed twice to gain some breathing room before the Sooners punted it away.
Felton rushed from the one-yard line, but was stopped six inches shy of the end zone, and Maryland turned over on downs.
[7] In the second quarter, Maryland advanced to the Oklahoma 20-yard line, and Tatum elected for a field goal attempt.
The Sooners took over on downs and halfback Jack Ging completed a pass to end Max Boydston for a five-yard gain.
On third down with one yard to go, Calame faked a handoff to Ging and executed an option run to the left.
With back-up Pat O'Neal also injured, only third-string quarterback Jack Van Pool remained, and he had little game experience.
Oklahoma tackle Don Brown escaped a block from Stan Jones and closed in on Walker.
[7] In the fourth quarter, Boxold threw a long pass into the endzone, but it was intercepted by Grigg for a touchback with four minutes remaining.
[7] Oklahoma back Larry Grigg managed to score the only touchdown of the game and Buddy Leake made the extra point.
[7] To date, that winning streak is the longest compiled by any NCAA major college football team.