It's a story that's all too true among college athletes that receive as much hype as Spencer Rattler did his first year as an OU Sooner. The (mostly toxic) fanbase always buys into whatever praise the team, coaches, university, and media has to say but it rarely works out.


It's a more common tale than you'd assume in college sports, but as most fans only follow their team and maybe that of their biggest rival, this happens quite a bit in college football. OU fans should be pretty familiar with the story of Sooner QB Jalen Hurts from a few years ago.

Hurts started his college football career at Alabama, a true freshman surrounded by hype. He lead his team to a national championship game that was ultimately won by Clemson.

In his sophomore year, Hurts lead Alabama to another national championship game, but after failing to be productive in the first half, his backup Tua Tagovialoa was brought in as relief, ending in a comeback win for the Tide.

I think most college football fans had immense respect for this young QB in his junior season as he took a backseat to Tagovialoa, showing the world that he could support his team, for the good of the team, from the bench. While he did take some snaps during the season, it was Alabama's second national championship game defeat at the hands of Clemson.

After completing his degree early, and with no hope in Tua Tagovialoa giving up his starter job, Jalen Hurts had to seek out a school that would allow him to take his snaps. He ended up the starter at OU in the 2019 season. While he managed to set new school record against smaller opponents like Akron and Houston, Jalen finished his college career with an OU loss to LSU in the first round of the CFB Playoff.

Ultimately, he achieved a universal goal every college football player shares. He made an NFL roster. It may be with the Philidelphia Eagles, but it's still professional football.

Time will tell if Spencer Rattler will rise that occasion in South Carolina, but if the Wikipedia page of UofSC Gamecocks currently affiliated with the NFL is any indication, it was probably a smarter move rather than staying the ire of Sooner Nation in Norman.

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Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

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