When the Oklahoma Sooners stepped into the fourth quarter of their College Football Playoff matchup against Alabama, they weren’t just chasing a comeback-they were stepping into a moment that’s fast becoming a signature part of OU football. And this time, it came with a little extra star power.
As the third quarter ended and the Sooners trailed by 10, the speakers at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium blared a familiar beat. It was 50 Cent’s “Many Men (Wish Death),” a track that’s quickly turned into an anthem for the team-and the fans-when the game hits crunch time.
But this wasn’t just a playlist decision. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson himself was in the building, helping take a budding tradition and turn it into something bigger.
This all started during OU’s 17-6 win over Missouri, when the song made its debut at the end of the third quarter. It was paired with a highlight reel video-hard hits, big plays, and season-defining moments-that had the crowd on its feet and the players locked in. The moment stuck, and just like that, a new tradition was born.
Ask the players, and they’ll tell you this isn’t just for show. Quarterback John Mateer lit up when asked about it after the Missouri game: “That was awesome.
We like that (song).” It’s not hard to see why.
The gritty, defiant tone of “Many Men” fits the fourth-quarter mindset like a glove-backs against the wall, fight still left in the tank.
Defensive lineman Gracen Halton said the track is already a part of the team’s internal rhythm. “We play it in the locker room before games and practice,” Halton said.
“I was surprised to hear it [at the stadium]. Everybody wants to see what the fourth quarter song is, so when I heard ‘Many Men’ I was like, ‘Ooh, OK.’
I wanna keep that.”
And it’s not just about the music-it’s about what it represents. For a program like Oklahoma, where tradition runs deep and every edge matters, the fourth quarter is sacred ground. It’s where games are won, legacies are built, and now, apparently, where 50 Cent helps set the tone.
This new wrinkle doesn’t just energize the team-it pulls the fans in, too. When that beat drops, you can feel the shift.
The crowd knows it’s go time. The players feed off that energy.
And in a game like the one against Alabama, where OU needed a spark, it’s no coincidence that they punched in a touchdown just two plays into the final frame.
Traditions in college football don’t happen overnight. They’re born in moments-big plays, big games, and the right soundtrack.
For the Sooners, “Many Men” might be more than just a song. It’s becoming a rallying cry.
And with 50 Cent now part of the fabric, this fourth-quarter ritual might be here to stay.