Parking police: You've been warned...: Starting Saturday, Norman police officers will start issuing tickets to people who violate parking restrictions near the University of Oklahoma on game days. Fans are no longer allowed to park on both sides of campus-area residential streets, police said, because it was difficult for emergency vehicles to pass. The change took effect in August, and signs indicate where drivers may and may not park. (The Oklahoman)
Remembering Oct. 28, 2000: One of the most memorable dates in Oklahoma football history is Oct. 28, 2000, the day the Sooners returned to No. 1 with a 31-14 victory over previously-top ranked Nebraska. What was current OU quarterback Sam Bradford doing at the time? "I was playing a hockey game that day," he said, "so I wasn't able to come to the game. But I remember the first thing after the game was over, I skated over to the glass and asked my dad if we won. He said that we did." (Tulsa World)
Want some hoops? Before attending Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff against Nebraska, Oklahoma fans can get a glimpse of the Big 12 Conference men's favorite when the Sooners hold an intrasquad basketball scrimmage at McCasland Field House. The scrimmage is open and free to the public. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m., with drills starting at 3, followed by two 15-minute periods of live action beginning at 3:30. (The Oklahoman)
Limited reserved tickets available: The OU ticket office has a limited number of tickets available for Saturday's game. They are available on SoonerSports.com while supplies last. Tickets are $87 and are for reserved seats in Section 26.
OU dominates Nebraska: When the Cornhuskers finally scored, it was their defense that did it. Defensive tackle Chris Spachman returned a fumble 76 yards for a touchdown with 26 seconds remaining. All that did was spoil the Sooners' shutout in a 27-7 victory before a chilled crowd of 75,004 at Owen Field. Oklahoma supporters say the loss to Miami came before the Sooners developed an offense that belonged on the same field with their defense, which leads the nation. They say it is no coincidence that the Sooners' offense began to click after freshman quarterback Jamelle Holieway from L.A. Banning High School replaced injured starter Troy Aikman during the only loss. (From LA Times)
Annual 14 Foundation Holiday Food Drive is Saturday: The eighth annual 14 Foundation Holiday Food Drive collection will be held this Saturday prior to the Oklahoma-Nebraska game. Volunteers will be stationed outside the stadium gates to accept cash donations only. The event was founded by Josh Heupel's 14 Foundation and has picked up partnerships with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In its early years, the food drive extended to just a few families, but the scope has grown considerably. This year the drive will target 750 families in seven communities across Oklahoma. It is expected that some 3,000 meals will be served as a results. Families have been chosen in Ada, Enid, Kingfisher, Norman, Oklahoma City, Sand Springs, and Stillwater to help this Thanksgiving. The food will consist of a Thanksgiving meal along with four additional meals for each family. The Sooner Football program assists, each year, in meeting the Norman families by hosting a night at the Switzer Center for each of them to enjoy meeting the players. The Sooner players also assist in the distribution of the food to the families in attendance. (SoonerSports PR)
Box forced to learn early against K-State: The first game as No. 4 Oklahoma's first-string middle linebacker was filled with learning moments for (Austin) Box, a redshirt freshmen who's now being called on to replace injured starter Ryan Reynolds. Some of them, particularly that 29-yard touchdown catch by Kansas State tight end Jeron Mastrud that left Box visibly upset with himself, were harder lessons than others. "It was definitely a big wake-up for me. I like to think that I handled it well and eventually settled in and kind of got my feet under me," Box said. (More at The Oklahoman)
Alexander talks about stabbing: For the first time since being stabbed in the arm at a party after the opener, defensive end Frank Alexander spoke with the media on Tuesday. "The coaches were very understanding of the situation and came to see me in the hospital, which made me feel good to know I had their support and that they care about me," Alexander said. "They just told me to come back stronger. I've learned a lesson; my mother always tells me that nothing good happens after midnight, and I guess she was right." (The Oklahoman)
OU injury report: Bob Stoops said Tuesday that wide receiver Manuel Johnson was "getting closer" to returning to the lineup for Saturday's game against Nebraska. Johnson "caught some balls, did some drills yesterday, is supposed to do more today. So it should be just how comfortable he is at the end of the week and how much of the game plan, meaning in practice, he's able to execute. We'll just have to see by the end of the week." Tight end Brody Eldridge was full speed at practice on Monday and is expected to play, Stoops said. Offensive lineman Branndon Braxton, coming off an ankle injury against TCU, sustained a shoulder injury last week, said offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. (Tulsa World)
Sam Bradford among six Big 12 QBs named O'Brien Semifinalist: The Davey O'Brien Award released its 13 semifinalists for the 2008 honor Monday. Twelve of the 13 are junior or seniors. The exception? Oklahoma sophomore Sam Bradford. The Fort Worth, Texas-based award is presented annually to the top quarterback in college football. OU's Jason White was the honoree in 2003 and 2004. Bradford has completed 183-of-270 passes for 2,520 yards with 29 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has set an NCAA record for touchdown passes during a freshman and sophomore seasons with 65. Earlier this season, he bettered the OU mark for passing yards and total offense in one game with 468 and 482, respectively, against Kansas. For his career, Bradford has 65 touchdown passes against just 13 interceptions. (SoonerSports.com)
OU-Nebraska Game of the Century reunion set: They won't be suiting up, but more than 50 Oklahoma and Nebraska players who participated in the 1971 Game of the Century will be honored during Saturday's game. Among those who plan to attend the ceremonies: Tom Brahaney, Leon Crosswhite, Chuck Fairbanks, Greg Pruitt, Joe Wylie from OU and John Dutton, Larry Jacobson, Jeff Kinney, Tom Osborne and Johnny Rodgers from Nebraska. (The Oklahoman)
Johnson limited in practice: Receiver Manny Johnson participated in practice Monday on a limited basis, and coach Bob Stoops said his status for Saturday's game with Nebraska would be determined as the week progressed. (Star-Telegram)
Granger finally speaks: Monday night after practice, Oklahoma defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger met the media for the first time since being sent home from the Fiesta Bowl for trying to steal a coat. He was reluctant to talk much about that incident. "It was a mistake. I apologized," he said. "I'm just happy to be back playing at the university." Was Granger worried that might not happen? "I'm just happy that it didn't," he replied. (Tulsa World)
OU-Texas A&M kickoff TBD: The kickoff time for Oklahoma's Nov. 8 game at Texas A&M won't be set until Sunday following this week's Big 12 Conference games. ABC has invoked its six-day window for announcing its Nov. 8 Big 12 options. The OU-A&M game will be shown on either FSN at 11 a.m., or on ABC at 2:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. (Tulsa World)
Travis Lewis named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week: For the third time in the last four weeks and the second week in a row, an Oklahoma player has been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Travis Lewis got the honor this week for his effort at Kansas State last Saturday. Lewis led the Sooners with 15 tackles, two of which went for loss, in the 58-35 victory. He also intercepted two passes and chalked up 55 yards in returns. Lewis got his first pick on KSU's opening possession and returned it 27 yards to set up OU's first score. The Sooners never trailed in the game. The San Antonio, Texas, native is OU's leading tackler this season with 84, the second-highest total ever by a Sooner freshman linebacker. Brian Bosworth holds that mark with 133 in 1984. (SoonerSports PR)
OU-Miami '09 date uncertain: Dolphin Stadium informed UM that it must reschedule next season's Sept. 12 game against Oklahoma because the Marlins are booked for a home series that weekend (and Sept. 26). Athletic director Kirby Hocutt expects to find another '09 date for the Sooners but said Miami might have to move its Oct. 3 game at UCF. (Miami Herald) OU has an open date for Oct. 3 with Big 12 play opening Oct. 10, 2009.
ESPN to televise OU-Nebraska: ESPN has picked up the Oklahoma-Nebraska game on Nov. 1. Kickoff time for the contest has been announced earlier for 7 p.m. It will be the second appearance of the season for Oklahoma on ESPN. The Sooners' victory at Washington also aired on the cable network. (SoonerSports.com)
Sooners near 100 percent: Wide receiver Manny Johnson (elbow) and tight end Brody Eldridge (ankle) didn't play against Kansas State, but are expected to return against Nebraska, putting the Sooners at or near 100 percent (excluding Ryan Reynolds, of course). "I don't see anything right now that's very significant," said OU coach Bob Stoops. Eldridge suited out Saturday, but was held out, costing him an opportunity to play in his home state. (The Oklahoman)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Texas (65) 1625 2 Alabama 1542 3 Penn State 1503 4 Oklahoma 1361 5 Florida 1337 6 Texas Tech 1280 7 Southern California 1234 8 Georgia 1212 9 Oklahoma State 1168 10 Utah 1027 14 Missouri 791
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Texas (58) 1522 2 Alabama 1439 3 Penn State (3) 1414 4 Oklahoma 1265 5 Texas Tech 1246 6 Southern California 1228 7 Florida 1199 8 Georgia 1137 9 Utah 987 10 Oklahoma State 972 14 Missouri 740
Frank Alexander shines: Freshman defensive end Frank Alexanderplayed by far his most minutes of the year Saturday, rotating in for both Auston English and Jeremy Beal from the third series on. His biggest play was a rush off the right end late in the first half, when he hit quarterback Josh Freeman despite being held by tackle Edward Prince. His backside sack forced a fumble that DeMarcus Granger recovered for the Sooners' third takeaway in four K-State possessions. (Tulsa World)
Venables on OU's defense: The Sooners aren't dominating either, giving up 32 points a game against Big 12 competition. Said defensive coordinator Brent Venables, "We're just giving things away, playing sloppy. That's what's discouraging and frustrating. We're in position and we're turning guys loose and we're not playing with any discipline." (The Oklahoman)
OU's record first half: Oklahoma's 55 points in the first half tied an Oklahoma program record for points in a half. OU had previously posted 55 points against Kansas State in the second half of its 1942 matchup. The point total is the highest ever in the first half, topping the previous record of 52 against Rice in 1978. (SoonerSports.com Statistics)
In a hurry: 1:45 - Of its eight scoring first-half scoring drives, Oklahoma's longest lasted only 1 minute and 45 seconds.
Injury report: Wide receiver Manuel Johnson watched the game with his arm in a sling after dislocating his elbow last week against Kansas. Tight end Brody Eldridge missed his second game with an ankle injury, although he did suit up. During the game, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy appeared to injure his left foot or ankle midway through the third quarter. He returned in the fourth, and did not appear to be limping afterward. Gresham was knocked woozy during a K-State kickoff midway through the third. He didn't return, though offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the Sooners simply were being cautious. (Tulsa World)
OU scores 55 in a wild first half: DeMarco Murray racked up 167 total yards and four touchdowns, and No. 4 Oklahoma sustained a 21-point Kansas State rally in the highest-scoring first half in school history to beat the Wildcats 58-35 on Saturday. Sam Bradford added three touchdown passes in a wild first half in which the Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) give up a 28-7 lead before taking control with 27 consecutive points of their own. The capper was a 68-yard punt return touchdown by redshirt freshman Ryan Broyles that gave the Sooners a 55-28 halftime lead. That total matched the school record for points in a half, set in the second half of Oklahoma's 76-0 shutout of the Wildcats in 1942. (Associated Press)
Manny Johnson out today: Oklahoma wide receiver Manny Johnson is wearing a sling and won't play in today's game against Kansas State. Johnson dislocated his left elbow against Kansas last weekend. Still, coach Bob Stoops said earlier in the week Johnson had a chance of playing against the Wildcats. (The Oklahoman's OU Blog)
Former Sooner Pendleton wins the John McLendon Memorial Minority Scholarship: Former Oklahoma football player Carl Pendleton has been named as one of five recipients for the ninth annual John McLendon Memorial Minority Scholarship. Pendleton will receive $10,000 towards his graduate studies. The other winners are Keenan Blalark of Northern Illinois, Alejandra Diaz-Calderon of Notre Dame, Keunta Miles of Central Florida and Araceli Ortiz of Stanford. Pendleton II is a 2006 graduate of Oklahoma, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. As a member of the Sooner football team, Pendleton was a starter for the 2004 Big 12 Championship team, as well as the BCS National Championship game that year. He was a member of Oklahoma's Student Athlete Advisory Council and, in 2006, represented the school at the NCAA Leadership Conference. Due to an unhealthy environment, Pendleton bypassed his final season of eligibility to adopt his stepbrother. While supporting a two-person family, Pendleton has remained a positive role model in the community. He has taught Sunday school classes for elementary school age boys and is involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Oklahoma. He also travels on a weekly basis to speak to schools, churches and youth groups.(SoonerSports.com)
Manny Johnson likely out at Kansas State: Coach Bob Stoops said Monday that wide receiver Manny Johnson, who suffered a dislocated elbow in the win over Kansas, is "doubtful" for Saturday's game at Kansas State. "He's doubtful for this week," Stoops said. "His elbow was dislocated. It's back (in place). There are no other issues around it. There's a chance by the end of the week he'll be comfortable enough to play. But it's questionable this week and likely (he'll be able to play) after that." (The Oklahoman)
Eldridge and Braxton update: After practice Monday night, Stoops said tight end and captain Brody Eldridge was getting closer to being ready to play this week after spraining an ankle last week. Stoops said Eldridge was likely to play at Manhattan. Stoops on Sunday said offensive lineman Branndon Braxton also was closer to rejoining the rotation at left tackle and guard, but still has issues with a leg injury suffered vs. TCU. (Tulsa World)
Bradford nominated for All-American Player of the Week: Four nominees for the AT&T All-America Player of the Week award have been announced after the seventh week of college football action, and now it's up to fans to determine the winner. University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, University of Iowa running back Shonn Greene, University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Penn State University running back Evan Royster have been selected by ESPN as this week's top candidates, based on the players' outstanding performances over the weekend. Fans can text message VOTE to 51234 on their wireless phone to opt in for the chance to vote. (Find more info at espnallamerica.com)
Lendy Holmes named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week: Oklahoma safety Lendy Holmes has been named the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for his work in last Saturday's 45-31 victory over Kansas in Norman. Holmes intercepted two passes off Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, who had thrown just three total interceptions coming into the game. Holmes also had eight tackles, one for loss and two pass deflections. The Dallas native now leads OU in interceptions with three this season and is No. 4 on the team in tackles with 42. (SoonerSports PR)
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska set for 7:00 p.m. kickoff; network to be determined: Oklahoma and Nebraska will play their Nov. 1 football game in Norman at 7 p.m. It won't be known for a few more days yet which network will televise the contest. The game will be aired on either ABC or ESPN, but that decision won't be made by network executives until the results of this week's games are known. Regardless of which network is selected, the game will be shown to the entire nation.(SoonerSports.com)
Bradford nominated for USA TODAY's Player of the Week: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford is among six nominees for USA TODAY's Player of the Week.. Vote for Sam at USAToday.com
OU plans to Harris as middle linebacker option: Oklahoma played possum with Kansas all the way through pregame warm-ups Saturday, when Austin Box was seen drilling at middle linebacker between starters Keenan Clayton and Travis Lewis. Then the game started; free safety Nic Harris went in at middle linebacker (replacing the injured Ryan Reynolds), and Box never saw the field. Now that the secret is out, just how permanent is OU's personnel move? "I think we'll use (Harris) as an option and a linebacker as an option," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Sunday, "depending on what (opponents) are giving us on the field personnel-wise." (Tulsa World)
Sooners No. 4 in first BCS poll of 2008: Oklahoma was No. 4 in the initial BCS standings of the 2008 season released Sunday afternoon. The Sooners were rated No. 4 in the Harris poll, No. 5 in the USA Today poll and No. 4 by the computers. The BCS standings formula consists of three components, each weighted equally: the USA Today Coaches Poll, the Harris Interactive College Football Poll and an average of six computer rankings (Anderson & Hester, Richard Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, Jeff Sagarin and Peter Wolfe). Oklahoma has been ranked in the top five of the BCS more weeks than any other team (39) and No. 1 more weeks than any other team (18). (SoonerSports PR)
BCS Standings 1. Texas .998 2. Alabama .949 3. Penn State .867 4. Oklahoma .832 5. USC .775 6. Oklahoma State .773 7. Georgia .720 8. Texas Tech .713 9. Ohio State .703 10. Florida .699
Manny Johnson update: Oklahoma wide receiver Manuel Johnson walked off Owen Field with his left arm in a sling Saturday, after dislocating his elbow on the Sooners' fifth play. Afterward, coach Bob Stoops said: "It's probably likely that he'll play this week." "He said it hurts, but he thinks he'll be back soon," OU wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias said. "I hope he's back soon." (Tulsa World)
Bradford throws a school record 468 yards to defeat Kansas: Sam Bradford passed for an Oklahoma record 468 yards and had three touchdowns passes to help the No. 4 Sooners bounce back from their first loss by beating No. 16 Kansas 45-31 on Saturday. The Sooners (6-1, 2-1 Big 12) started pulling away in the third quarter to keep themselves right in the thick of the national championship chase after losing their No. 1 ranking to Texas in last week's Red River Rivalry loss. DeMarco Murray scored his second touchdown of the game on an 8-yard run in the third quarter, and Bradford found third-string tight end Kolby Smith for a 2-yard touchdown pass as Oklahoma stretched its lead to 45-24 with 12:02 to play. Despite losing top receiver Manuel Johnson to a first-quarter arm injury, Bradford cleared the Oklahoma record of 429 yards set by Josh Heupel in 1999 against Louisville. (Associated Press)
John Tamanaha, NBC Sports: Facing a Sooners defense that has yet to give up a touchdown in the first quarter this season, Jayhawks quarterback Todd Reesing needs to find out a way to stay close early. That could be slightly easier to do with Oklahoma middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds sidelined for the rest of the season due to a knee injury... Oklahoma 42 - Kansas 20
Tim Griffin, ESPN.com: The Sooners are steaming after twice squandering double-digit leads in last week's loss to Texas. Their struggling running game will be tested by Kansas' defense which ranks 12th nationally in rush defense and 34th overall... Oklahoma 38 - Kansas 24
Adam Abramson, Campus Confidential: This is an awfully angry Oklahoma team that Kansas should be very nervous to face. I don't think the loss last weekend takes much away from the Sooners, I think it just validates the Longhorns much more than most had been willing to. Kansas cannot keep up with Oklahoma in pretty much any facet... Oklahoma 35-10.
Mike Rose, Campus Confidential: Oklahoma will undoubtedly be ready to take out all of the anger from last week's loss to Texas on the Jayhawks. The Sooners are still a powerhouse so I expect a big win this week. Oklahoma will be able to score, but the loss of linebacker Ryan Reynolds will be a key... The Sooners 38-13.
CollegeFootballNews: While the Big 12 world will be focusing on the Missouri -- Texas showdown, this has the potential to be a preview of the Big 12 title game. Oklahoma has a lot of work to do, needing to win out and needing Texas to lose twice, but that's not all that far-fetched considering the remaining Longhorn schedule ... Oklahoma 44-Kansas 23
Oklahoma's English, Robinson among Lombardi semifinalists: Oklahoma's Auston English and Duke Robinson are among the 12 semifinalists announced for the 39th Rotary Lombardi Award, presented by Wachovia. The group was made public Thursday at a kickoff event at SRO Sports Bar & Café. This year's award dinner will be held on December 10 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Downtown Houston. English is a defensive end for the Sooners, while Robinson is the offensive left guard. Robinson was s semifinalist last season as well. Both hope to become the fourth OU player to win the coveted honor. Lee Roy Selmon won the Lombardi in 1975, Tony Casillas in 1995 and Tommie Harris in 2003. (SoonerSports.com)
Bradford, Robinson named to mid-season All-American by CBSSports.com: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and offensive guard Duke Robinson have been named to the mid-season All-America team selected by CBSSports.com. Bradford, who led the nation in passing efficiency last season, is No. 2 in that statistic this season. The sophomore from Oklahoma City has completed 134-of-185 passes for 2,052 yards with 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Last Saturday against Texas, he threw five TD strikes to raise his career total to 59, an NCAA record over a freshman and sophomore season. Robinson, a consensus All-American last season, is OU's starter at left guard. The Sooner offense ranks No. 4 in scoring and passing and is No. 6 in total yards. (SoonerSports.com)
Mangino's celebrity status in Oklahoma: The funny thing about Mark Mangino in Oklahoma is that he is a minor celebrity there, which is noteworthy for a guy who doesn't exactly seek out the limelight. "I happened to be there at a time they won a national championship, and when you do that, they don't forget very quickly," Mangino said. "They know all nine assistant coaches that were on that staff and they got their name memorized and what they look like and where they hang out." (Topeka Capital-Journal)
FSN to televise Oklahoma vs. K-State; 11:30 a.m. kickoff: Fox Sports Network has picked up the Oklahoma at Kansas State football game for Oct. 25. The network has slated the kickoff for the contest at 11:30 a.m. (SoonerSports.com)
Sooners to use Box, Balogun, Crow to replace Reynolds: Oklahoma will work former weakside linebackers Austin Box and Mike Balogun, along with backup Brandon Crow, as replacements for middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds, coach Bob Stoops said after Monday's practice."We'll work some different guys and we'll be ready to play [Saturday against Kansas]," Stoops said. "We'll experiment some. We're not going to be real detailed about it." (Star-Telegram)
Reynolds' plans to undergo rehab? Ryan Reynolds' knee injury against Texas, his third, raises the question of whether or not the junior linebacker wants to try to rehab the injury and continue his football career. "Yes," Stoops said. "Talking about it, I believe that's what his intention is. And we hope it is. I said to him, 'What the heck else you gonna do?' He loves it. "I saw him out there today, our guys are running sprints and he's over there doing sit-ups. I picked him up off the ground and said, 'What're you doing?' He said, 'Well, usually the guys that are injured do something else if they can't run.' I said, 'Well, we're going to give you an exception here for a couple days.' (Tulsa World)
Kansas-OU set for 2:30 kickoff on ABC: ABC has announced that it will televise the Oklahoma-Kansas football game from Norman this Saturday. The network has set the kickoff time for 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll released today, while the Jayhawks, who own Big wins over Iowa State and Colorado, are No. 16. (SoonerSports.com)
OU-Texas 2nd highest rated CFB game of '08: From Sports Media Watch...The Longhorns' 45-35 victory over the Sooners drew a 6.3 overnight rating on ABC Saturday, marking the second best overnight of the season, behind only an 8.4 for Ohio State/USC in September. The 6.3 overnight is the best for a Noon regular season college football game since Ohio State/Michigan drew a 6.4 in 2007.
Box to replace Reynolds? Bob Stoops indicated Sunday that having Box play the middle is "probably what we'll do, but we're going to work through that." "Austin is not ready to be declared the guy," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "You have to go out there and earn it. It will be whoever is most consistent and whoever can make the plays that position requires you to make." (Tulsa World)
Venables on DeMarcus Granger recovery: "We hope and expect that he continues to get better and get a steady number of more snaps every week," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "We'll just see how that all works."(Norman Transcript)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Texas (39) 1599 2 Alabama (26) 1582 3 Penn State 1492 4 Oklahoma 1306 5 Florida 1284 6 Southern California 1247 7 Texas Tech 1210 8 Oklahoma State 1184 9 Brigham Young 1131 10 Georgia 1081 11 Missouri 984 16 Kansas 620
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Texas (44) 1505 2 Alabama (14) 1452 3 Penn State (3) 1416 4 Southern California 1198 5 Texas Tech 1195 6 Oklahoma 1147 7 Florida 1145 8 Brigham Young 1143 9 Georgia 1010 10 Oklahoma State 958 12 Missouri 886 15 Kansas 676
Reynolds out of the season: Word started spreading along the Sooner sideline Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. And it wasn't good. Linebacker Ryan Reynolds had suffered torn knee ligaments -- again. Reynolds, termed the "glue" of the defense, is lost for the season. "I didn't know until they told me on the sideline," said freshman linebacker Travis Lewis. "I was heartbroken." (The Oklahoman)
Lewis performance: Travis Lewis recorded a career-best 19 tackles, tying Brian Bosworth (Nebraska - 1984) for the OU freshman single-game tackle record.
Bradford surpasses Grossman; breaks NCAA record: Bradford's second touchdown pass of the game set an NCAA record for most touchdown passes by a quarterback in their freshman and sophomore seasons with 56. Bradford broke Rex Grossman's (Florida) previous NCAA mark of 55 in his first two years with the Gators (2000-2001).
Texas tops Oklahoma in Red River Rivalry: The Texas Longhorns came into their annual showdown against the Oklahoma Sooners with a quarterback they could trust and a defense playing great under an aggressive new coordinator. Yet even after five solid wins, coach Mack Brown still wondered how good they were.Now, everyone knows.Trailing the No. 1 Sooners nearly all game, Colt McCoy and the No. 5 Longhorns grabbed control in the fourth quarter and refused to let go, pulling away for a 45-35 victory Saturday in one of the greatest games in the storied series between these Red River rivals. (AP/Google)
DT Granger in uniform and warming up:Dallas Morning News' Brandon George writes... Don't know if he'll play or not, but Oklahoma junior defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger of Kimball is in uniform and warming up on the field with the team right now alongside Gerald McCoy. Granger appears to be good to go.
OU-Texas predictions: Updated predictions from previously.
Tim Griffin, ESPN.com: Oklahoma 31, Texas 24: Will Muschamp has brought back the fire in Texas' defense, but the Sooners still have too many weapons.
Phil Steele, magazine publisher: Oklahoma 34, Texas 27: Two evenly matched teams including their QB's who are almost even as well. OU is the more experienced team and that gets them the win by a TD.
Natalie England, San Antonio Express-News: Texas 31, Oklahoma 24: Texas fans abandon "Texas Fight," and just start cheering, "Mus," "Champ."
David Henry, Amarillo Globe-News: Oklahoma vs. Texas (at Dallas): The honor of the biggest pick of the week goes to Canadian head coach Kyle Lynch, who coached ex- Wildcat/OU defensive end Auston English. "You know, I'm extremely prejudiced (about this pick)," said Lynch. Lord knows we can't have any bias in this space. Ahem... OU 38, UT 14.
Steven Jones, SportingNews: Sam Bradford will take advantage of UT's inexperienced secondary and -- despite some big plays through the air -- Colt McCoy will take too many hits trying to make plays with his feet. Oklahoma 38, Texas 31
Game Preview: Checkout Red River Rivalry game preview featuring team information, radio, television, odds/sportslines, game notes, injuries and more.
Oklahoma vs. Texas (ABC 12:00 ET/11:00 CT) Pregame: ESPN College GameDay live at the Cotton Bowl! (ESPN 10:00 ET/9:00 CT) OKC pregame: (KOCO-TV/ABC 10:00 local time)
Oklahoma fans stop in at Annual Bevo Bash: Thousands of Oklahoma Sooners fans heading to Dallas for the Red River Shootout made a stop at a Carl's Jr. in Marietta for the Bevo Bash.The annual celebration gives fans an opportunity to get revved up for the rivalry with the Texas Longhorns.Carl's Jr. manager Gary March said he grills up about 3,000 burgers over a 3-hour period, a free feast for the fans, with all the fixings. He also said the burgers are different than the ones the store sells regularly. "We can't say what the difference is," said March."I think it's Bevo burgers that have been mashed and just absolutely creamed," said Sooners fan Sally Feuerborn. (KOCO)
What they're saying about the future of OU-Texas: From The Oklahoman
"It's always exciting, the tradition, the history, just the atmosphere with the state fair all around it and splitting the stadium in half. But hey, I understand the business side of it, too. We've got two strong programs and schools that need to protect their interests as well. So it wouldn't be all that bad to do a home-and-home if we had to. I mean, if our administrations felt it was the best thing to do, then I'd certainly be for it and I'm sure coach (Mack) Brown would do the same thing." -- OU coach Bob Stoops
"Arlington is great for pro. But we want to be the place for college football. We've coexisted for 25 years. I don't see why we couldn't do it for 25 more." -- State Fair of Texas president Errol McKoy
"As long as we take care of our stadium, put money back into it, we can count on Oklahoma and Texas staying here for many years. There is no reason in the world for them to leave." -- State Fair of Texas board chairman Pete Schenkel
Sooners upset No. 25 Texas: John Blake will never forget his first win as coach of Oklahoma one of the biggest upsets in the 91-year history of the Red River classic with Texas. Reserve tailback James Allen scored on a 2-yard run in overtime yesterday as Oklahoma rallied from an 11-point deficit to shock No. 25 Texas 30-27 to trigger a wild celebration.(AP/NY Daily News)
Sooners stay perfect: The No.2-ranked Oklahoma Sooners proved they can win without Tony Casillas, and it`s a good thing, because the all-America noseguard may be missing from the lineup for a while. Casillas played three plays before suffering a knee injury Saturday, but the stout Sooner defense slammed the door on the Texas Longhorns anyway in a 14-7 victory. (AP)
Murray says he's fine: Popular speculation is that after five games [DeMarco] Murray still doesn't have 2007's to-the-house speed after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap last winter. "I really don't want to talk about it," he reiterated. "I'm good. I'm ready to play." I know some plays haven't been there, but I find myself getting a little impatient at times and trying to break it and I miss the big one. I've just got to stop being impatient. It's going to come for me soon." Actually, through five games Murray has carried more times (85 attempts to 50) and for more yards (431-316) than a year ago, though his average per carry (5.1 yards) is down by almost a yard. He says he’s fine and that added strength and weight have made him a better between-the-tackles runner and a much better blocker. (Star-Telegram)
Nice gesture: [Mack] Brown is believed to be the first coach in series history to send flowers to his rival. He shipped a bouquet to Stoops and his wife, Carol, after the birth of their twin sons, Isaac and Jake, in 1999. The gesture caught Stoops by surprise. "I was sitting there thinking, 'I'm not supposed to like this guy.' So I like the man for about a week." (Dallas Morning News)
Backup QB remains a concern for Texas: Brown acknowledged Thursday that his team's chances would suffer greatly if starting quarterback Colt McCoy were to be injured. Brown said that the Longhorns would have to modify their offense if backups Chiles or Sherrod Harris were forced to replace McCoy. "John and Sherrod are both improving, but neither is where we want them to be," Brown said. "We're trying to be patient. We're trying to hang in there, but that's an area where we need to get better." (Austin American-Statesman)
Cooper, McCoy expected to play: From Oklahoman'sOU Blog... Jake Trotter writes, Center Jon Cooper and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy are locks to play Saturday against Texas. Not only that, both will be close to 100 percent, they've said this week. We'll have more as the week goes along about the status of DeMarcus Granger and Frank Alexander.
Oklahoma-Texas Governors Red River Rivalry wager; to benefit Ike victims: The Red River Rivalry is being waged in more places than the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry and Texas Governor Rick Perry are also getting in on the competition. They have made a friendly wager on Saturday's much-anticipated football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. The governor whose team comes up short will donate cases of steaks to an organization that has helped people impacted by Hurricane Ike. (AP/KTEN)
It might cost you; average ticket price $360: At StubHub, OU-Texas tickets are hot, with sales for the game second only this season to Southern Cal-Ohio State. The company is reporting that several hundred tickets are available on the site, with the average price at around $361. That's less than a year ago, when the average was $400, although sales of tickets to the Red River Rivalry are actually up 50 percent from 2007. Ticket-buyers from 35 states have purchased tickets to the OU-Texas game through StubHub, with 14 percent of buyers from Oklahoma. (The Oklahoman)
Sooners using shirts as reminder: Oklahoma players wore special workout shirts this summer that detailed team goals. One shirt said, "Built Road Tough." OU was 2-2 last year in true road games and lost to West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. "That [road] shirt let us know you got to be tough on the road," Clayton said. "That's what we did last year on the road. We gave up. We quit. We weren't tough. The shirts are more motivational." Another shirt, which Clayton was wearing at Monday's practice said, "Oklahoma Strength & Speed" on the front and "Fed Ex BCS National Championship 2009" on the back. (Dallas Morning News)
Sam's Cotton Bowl prospective: This will be OU quarterback Sam Bradford's third trip down "The Tunnel." He was a first-year freshman in 2006, watching while Paul Thompson and Joey Halzle prepared to take all the reps. Last year, it was his show. "It was night and day," he said. "Going down there the first year, it was fun being part of the experience, getting to go down the tunnel and being a part of it on the field. But last year, knowing I was going to play the game, it was something I had wanted to do for a while. It was pretty much two totally different experiences. The first year, I was pretty much along for the ride, and last year it was a business trip." (Tulsa World)
Sooners run to victory: Shrimpsized Greg Pruitt, a 176-pound meteor, blazed for three touchdowns and over 200 yards rushing today to give the Oklahoma Sooners a 48-27 victory over Texas in a brutal, sledgehammer war of wishbone offenses. (AP... More From ("Sooners Stun Texas" UPI)
Switzer furious with officials: Only the fourth tie in 79 years of the Oklahoma-Texas series left Texas Coach Fred Akers thankful and Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer fighting mad at the officials yesterday. The top-ranked Longhorns gained the 15-15 tie on Jeff Ward's 32-yard field goal in the rain as time ran out after Switzer of the No. 3-rated Sooners had ordered an intentional safety. "It was a tremendous thing for us to salvage a tie," said Akers. (AP.. More from "Switzer blames officials for tie" Associated Press)
Murray injured? [DeMarco] Murray and Stoops insist he's healthy. Murray said it's "been frustrating." "But we're winning," Murray added, "so there ain't too much I can complain about." Kevin Murray, who talks to his son almost daily and comes to most games, said he's noticed a difference. "Something is not there this year," Kevin said. "I don't know what's the problem. Either he's still hurt and doesn't want to say anything or he doesn't have the confidence back in that knee. He always says, 'Dad, I'm OK.' I think it's more of his confidence." (Dallas Morning News)
Franks anxious about OU-Texas: Sophomore Dominique Franks from Tulsa Union gets his first crack at Texas on Saturday. He can hardly wait. "I can't really sleep thinking about it," he said. "I went to bed about 10 last night and woke up about 1:30 in the morning and looked back over my playbook. I just know this is a great opportunity to be able to prove what I can do." (Tulsa World)
Stoops, Brown on Cotton Bowl renovations: Bob Stoops: "I've heard it looks great," Stoops said. "I'm sure it will add to the excitement and the atmosphere."
Mack Brown: "There are a lot of really good fans who never get a chance to walk in that stadium," Brown said. "Now maybe there will be 46,000 from each school that gets a chance to watch it instead of 35,000." OU-Texas game awakens dormant animosity: OU Daily
Mossis Madu on the OU-Texas game meaning more this year than last: "It always means this much. We could both be ranked 24 and 25, or we could be unranked. It's OU-Texas and it is always a big deal."
Auston English on being a Texas native playing for Oklahoma in this game: "It's a big game, I don't think it really matters where you come from once you realize the history behind the series. It becomes a big deal for anybody that goes to your school."
Dominique Franks on the anticipation of OU-Texas: "There's nothing like OU-Texas. I'm really excited and ready for Saturday to come. This is the biggest anticipation of the year. It's a one versus five matchup. There's just a lot of anticipation going into the game, a lot of talk about whether our defense can stop their offense or their defense being able to stop our offense."
ESPN College GameDay at Cotton Bowl: ESPN's College GameDay will be at the OU-Texas football game this week at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The show starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, two hours before kickoff between OU and Texas. The Sooners' game against the Longhorns will be televised on ABC HD. College GameDay will be on ESPN HD. GameDay is hosted by Chris Fowler, with analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard. According to a press release from ESPN, the first hour of the show will originate from outside the Cotton Bowl. The second hour will originate from the field inside the stadium. (Tulsa World)
Injury update; Granger, McCoy expected to play: After practice on Monday, coach Bob Stoops raised the hopes of Sooner fans everywhere. "Everyone practiced to some degree today," Stoops said. "And right now our trainers are pretty optimistic and feel that everyone will be ready to play. Now, I'm not going to detail it all week on who is where, what percentage — I don't know how to do any of that. It's their feeling today that everyone's expected to play. If I know at one point that someone isn't going to play, then I'll say so." The question marks surrounded a pair of captains in defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and center Jon Cooper, and defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger, a former starter who hasn't played since a foot injury at Washington. (Tulsa World)
Keenan Clayton named Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week: Oklahoma strong side linebacker Keenan Clayton has been named the Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. The junior had a career-high 14 tackles in the Sooners' 49-17 win at Baylor last Saturday. After starting two games at strong safety in 2006, Clayton had worked in a back-up role until earning a starting linebacker job this season. The change has been good for the junior from Sulphur Springs, Texas. He currently ranks No. 3 on the team in tackles with 40 and is tied for the top spot in tackles for loss with six and in fumbles forced with two, Prior to this season, Clayton's career high for tackles was four, which he accomplished twice. He has exceeded that figure in four of the five games thus far in 2008 and has averaged 10.3 stops over the last three games. (SoonerSports PR)
Cooper and McCoy update: Oklahoma hopes to have defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and center Jon Cooper healthy for Saturday's showdown with Texas, after the two were hurt (McCoy injured his toe and Cooper sprained his knee) at Baylor over the weekend. Asked Sunday if McCoy was all right, OU coach Bob Stoops said: "We'll see. I believe so, but I've yet to get a report from our trainer." Asked about Cooper, OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said: "I talked to Scott (Anderson, the Sooners' head athletics trainer) and I think he's going to be pretty good... I expect Jon to go. I don't think it's a big deal, but we'll sense more tomorrow and see how it is." (Tulsa World)
Reynolds' perfect game: Middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds made a season high 14 tackles against Baylor, including two for losses. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said it was about as good a game as one of his linebackers has ever played. "He graded out at 100 percent. I don't know that I've ever had that before," he said of Reynold's performance. "I tried to be very nit-picky and he graded out at 100 percent. He does a lot out there. I thought after the game that he played very well and it only confirmed watching the video." (Norman Transcript)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Oklahoma (51) 1608 2 Alabama (13) 1537 3 Missouri (1) 1487 4 LSU 1444 5 Texas 1374 6 Penn State 1287 7 Texas Tech 1163 8 Southern California 1137 9 Brigham Young 1103 10 Georgia 1014 16 Kansas 623 17 Oklahoma State 565
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Oklahoma (60) 1524 2 Missouri 1404 3 LSU (1) 1398 4 Alabama 1339 5 Texas 1305 6 Penn State 1203 7 Texas Tech 1101 8 Brigham Young 1086 9 Southern California 1055 10 Georgia 937 15 Kansas 667 17 Oklahoma State 523
Record: The Sooners have been ranked No. 1 more than any team in college football (97 weeks), Notre Dame (95 weeks).
10 shy of 30,000: 10 points were needed for OU to become the first school in college football history to score 30,000. By total points, OU is the highest-scoring program in college football history with 29,990. (The Oklahoman)
Iglesias No. 2 all-time: Juaquin Iglesias caught six passes for 133 yards to move into second place on OU's all-time receiving yardage list. He has 2,112 yards, three more than Antwone Savage. Mark Clayton is OU's all-time leader with 3,241 yards. (Tulsa World)
Johnson surprised Sooners scored only 49 points: The way Manny Johnson saw it, the Sooners came up short in one category against Baylor. Points. "We only scored 49 points," Johnson said. "After getting 28 in the first quarter, you'd have thought that we'd get more than that." (The Oklahoman)
McCoy, Cooper, Murray injured: Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy hobbled off the field in the second half after twisting his ankle. But after a brief evaluation by trainers, he was back on his feet walking the sidelines. He never took his shoe off nor left the bench. "I'm good, I'm good," McCoy said. Center Jon Cooper left the game with a sprained knee, but said he too will be ready for Texas. Running back DeMarco Murray had an ice pack on his right knee after the game, but appeared to be walking without a limp. "We have some nicks," coach Bob Stoops said. "But I don't think there's anything too serious." (The Oklahoman)
Sooners defeat Baylor 49-17: Oklahoma remembers how to play the role of No. 1.Sam Bradford threw for 379 yards with two touchdowns, DeMarco Murray ran for two scores and four other Sooners got into the end zone in another lopsided victory over Baylor, 49-17 Saturday in their Big 12 opener.Bradford threw a 53-yard TD to Manuel Johnson only 70 seconds into the game for the Sooners (5-0), who built a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. (Associated Press/Google)
Stradford quits team: Wide receiver Tyler Stradford is no longer with the Oklahoma football team. The redshirt freshman from New Orleans was one of the fastest players on the team, but could never convert that into playing time during his two years in Norman. (The Oklahoman)
Moreland working on kicking game: OU freshman Matt Moreland struggled again with his kickoffs last week. He failed to reach the end zone on all six kicks, and has earned just three touchbacks in four games. Asked if there was something Moreland could do to improve the situation, OU coach Bob Stoops replied: "Yeah, kick it farther. Matt's got a big leg. I do see it more in practice than I've been able to see it in games. It's just continuing to work the technique." The Sooners are about willing to try anything. "We were talking the other day, you have a set of balls that are just game balls that we need to work with more in practice," Stoops said. "It's like hitting a bad golf ball. You hit a good one, it reacts differently. We'll see if that doesn't help a little bit." (Tulsa World)
Nation's No. 4 receiver Jheranie Boyd visits Norman: WR Jheranie Boyd (6-3 185) of Gastonia, NC made an official visit to Oklahoma last weekend, and the experience pushed the Sooners up the top of his list and to co-favorite status along with Clemson, North Carolina, Florida, NC State, Missouri and Illinois. "It was a real good visit," Boyd said. "I connected with the coaches real quick. I liked the players and the campus. Everything is right there." Boyd will take an official visit to NC State this coming weekend. He then has visits starting October 11th on three consecutive weekends with Illinois, Florida and Missouri. Boyd was not sure of their order. (Spartanburg Herald-Journal)
Bradford nominated: During Thursday's ESPN prime time telecast between Pittsburgh and South Florida, college football fans will learn if OU quarterback Sam Bradford wins this week's AT&T All-America Player of the Week. Bradford was one of four nominees nationwide after throwing for four touchdowns and a career-high 411 yards in a 35-10 win over TCU. It was Bradford's second nomination this season. (Tulsa World)
Sam Bradford calmer; and not concerned about Heisman talk:
"I feel like I'm in a lot more control and more calm. I don't get rattled as much as I did last year. I feel like that's something that I have improved on since last year." Sam Bradfordtold the media Tuesday.
On Heisman talk:
"You really can't worry about it. You worry about going out and playing within the system and playing your own game and just helping the team win," Bradford said. "I don't think you worry about any individual awards. It's all about the team."
McCoy named to Good Works Team: Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has been named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. It marks the third consecutive year that an Oklahoma player has been named to the prestigious squad. Jacob Gutierrez was on the team in 2006 and Nic Harris received the honor in 2007. "We're proud of the players who have represented us on the Good Works Team, and certainly Gerald is extremely deserving," said OU Head Coach Bob Stoops. "The fact that he was voted a captain as a sophomore speaks to the respect Gerald has earned in our program. Others have noticed Gerald's selfless actions and integrity, and we are pleased that he also is receiving that recognition on the national level." McCoy is currently serving as President of OU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. In that position, he has made a number of speaking appearances at area elementary schools, a facility for underprivileged children and area high schools. (SoonerSports.com)
Granger may return to practice Monday? Injured defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger (foot) may be ready to return to practice next week in preparation for Texas. "The reports to this point are positive," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "There is good speculation that he could practice Monday. So we'll see." (The Oklahoman)
Robinson benched due to disciplinary? Stoops said left guard Duke Robinson's absence from the lineup throughout the TCU game was not injury related and was "more of a disciplinary issue" that was "not related to a few weeks ago" when Robinson was benched for the Tennessee-Chattanooga game. (Tulsa World)
Alexander to return soon? Stoops also said injured redshirt freshman defensive end Frank Alexander could return to practice Monday as well. Alexander has missed OU's last three games and isn't expected to play against Baylor on Saturday. Alexander is still recovering from a stab wound he suffered at a Norman nightclub. (Dallas Morning News)
Johnson disputes holding call: Oklahoma slot receiver Manny Johnson politely disputed the flag he received for holding on a play that wiped out an apparent 66-yard touchdown catch by tight end Jermaine Gresham in the first quarter against TCU on Saturday. "I'd tell you if I was holding him," Johnson said Tuesday. "I don't think it was a hold. It was a good block." Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson seemed to back Johnson. "If the [official] wants to call that," Wilson said, "I guess he calls it. In my eyes, it was hard to give [Johnson] a minus."(Star-Telegram)
