Bradford suffers torn ligaments in left hand: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said that sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford has some torn ligaments in his left (non-throwing) hand and will have to have surgery on the hand after the Big 12 championship game Saturday against Missouri in Kansas City. Stoops said Bradford would be fine to play against Missouri but would likely have to wear a soft cast on his left hand. (Dallas Morning News)
Also: Box likely out 3-4 weeks: Stoops said that starting middle linebacker Austin Box will miss three to four weeks with a similar knee sprain that starting defensive end Auston English is recovering from now. Box was injured in OU's win Saturday night at Oklahoma State. (Dallas Morning News)
Big 12 Championship tickets available now: Tickets for the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship are available immediately for purchase online (SoonerSports.com). The OU Athletics Ticket office will also have limited phone sales from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30 by calling (800) 456-GoOU or (405) 325-2424. Phone sales will resume at 8:00 a.m., on Monday, Dec. 1. All tickets are $75 each. Orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and tickets are subject to availability. All orders prior to 11:00 a.m. Monday will be sent overnight via UPS. Those interested in purchasing tickets are encouraged to do so early as heavy demand is expected. The Sooners will play Big 12 North champion Missouri on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (SoonerSports PR)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Alabama (62) 1620 2 Florida (3) 1516 3 Texas 1488 4 Oklahoma 1480 5 Southern California 1355 6 Penn State 1257 7 Utah 1216 8 Texas Tech 1197 9 Boise State 1103 10 Ohio State 1069 14 Oklahoma State 798 19 Missouri 479
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Alabama (58) 1521 2 Oklahoma (2) 1397 3 Texas 1396 4 Florida (1) 1385 5 Southern California 1298 6 Penn State 1176 7 Utah 1153 8 Texas Tech 1116 9 Boise State 1044 10 Ohio State 999 15 Oklahoma State 613 17 Missouri 470
Harris Poll 1 Alabama (107) 2815 2 Florida (4) 2619 3 Texas (1) 2575 4 Oklahoma 2569 5 Southern California 2378 6 Penn State 2177 7 Utah (1) 2111 8 Texas Tech 2090 9 Boise State 1937 10 Ohio State 1856 14 Oklahoma State 1217 18 Missouri 896
Sooners defeat Cowboys 64-41: Now it's up to voters and computers. Sam Bradford threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 3 Oklahoma based its case for a BCS bump on its high-powered offense, outscoring No. 11 Oklahoma State 61-41 Saturday night in the highest-scoring Bedlam rivalry game in the century-old series.Needing to make up a minuscule eight-thousandths of a point to second-place Texas in the Bowl Championship Series standings to earn a spot in next week's Big 12 championship game, the Sooners (11-1, 7-1) relied on the Heisman-caliber arm of Bradford.He completed 30 of 44 passes and also scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, leading Oklahoma to its fourth straight 60-point game. (AP)
Lee Corso, College GameDay: Corso picked Oklahoma over Oklahoma State.
Tim Griffin, ESPN.com: The Sooners will know what they need to do before Saturday's game in Stillwater. And I'm guessing they will take care of business against a tough foe... Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 33
CFN.com: One of two things will happen. Oklahoma will prove it’s a national title-caliber powerhouse by blowing through Stillwater with a 30+ point win and yet another nuclear offensive display, or the team will come in overconfident... Oklahoma State 45, Texas 42
Campus Confidential:Abramson: Normally, the cynic in my picks the Cowboys here because I like to see chaos at the end of the year. However, I can't do that because Oklahoma is playing some of the best football in the country. We could have another game where we approach 100 total points.... Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma State 35
Rose: You know there's going to be an upset this week. I don't think it will be Florida or Alabama. How about Oklahoma? Well, the Sooners looked unstoppable last week in shredding Texas Tech, 65-21... Oklahoma 44, Oklahoma State 30
Bleacher Report: This could be the scene in Stillwater Saturday. Oklahoma State could very well beat Oklahoma. In doing so, Oklahoma will be eliminated from national title contention... Oklahoma State 31, Oklahoma 28.
The Olympian: Stillwater has been a fright house for Sooners during Bob Stoops era, losing twice and with no victory greater than six points... Oklahoma 41, Oklahoma State 38
The Birmingham News: The style points for Texas won't matter because the Sooners, now running the ball well, will make a statement in Stillwater... Oklahoma 42, Oklahoma State 24
Tech fans buy flyover banner to remind Texas about loss:Earlier this week, Texas fans bought a flyover that will carry a banner with the inscription "45-35" -- the score of Texas; victory over Oklahoma on Oct. 11 -- during ESPN College GameDay's live telecast before the Bedlam game. In reaction, Texas Tech fans have decided to buy their own flyover. According to Tech alum Shane Walker, a group of about 20 Red Raider fans have arranged for a pilot to fly over GameDay carrying the banner "www.39-33.com," which signifies the score of Tech's Nov. 1 victory over Texas. "It's a day Longhorn fans have forgotten," said Walker, who said he contributed $500 to the cause. "We realize we got thumped by OU, and if OU wins tomorrow, we're done in the national championship race. "But we want to go to a BCS bowl. Based on Texas' head-to-head argument, we should get the BCS bowl over them." (The Oklahoman)
Gresham named Tight End of the Week: Jermaine Gresham was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week for the second time this season. Gresham caught five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in OU's 65-21 win over Texas Tech. (The Oklahoman)
More honors: Sam Bradford and running back DeMarco Murray were named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American team on Wednesday. Bradford carries a 3.95 GPA in finance, while Murray has a 3.31 in communications. Both were named to the second team. Also, OU had a 13th player named to the Big 12 Conference All-Academic team in Kyle Johnson, a senior from Konawa. (Tulsa World) Find more from earlier this week here and here.
Oklahoma named team of the week: OU's victory over Tech earned the Sooners this week's Fiesta Bowl national team of the week honors, awarded by the Football Writers Association of America. It was the most points allowed by a Texas Tech team and the second-largest margin of victory against a team ranked No. 2 in the AP poll. The FWAA has awarded a team of the week since 2002. (Tulsa World)
Twelve Sooners earn Academic Honors: Twelve Oklahoma players, including six first-team selections, were announced Tuesday as part of the Big 12 Conference's All-Academic Team. The Big 12 Conference has named 137 student-athletes to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Football Team, the league office announced. Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and its media relations offices, the football academic all-league squad consisted of 91 first team members combined with 46 on the second team. (SoonerSports PR)
First Team Sam Bradford, So., Finance, Oklahoma City, Okla. Derek Gove, Sr., Communications, Carrollton, Texas Travis Lewis, Fr., Undeclared, San Antonio, Texas DeMarco Murray, So., Communications, Las Vegas, Nev. Sam Proctor, Fr., Undeclared, Pearland, Texas Jimmy Stevens, Fr., Undeclared, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Second Team Ryan Broyles, Fr., Undeclared, Norman, Okla. Brandon Caleb So., General Management, Richmond, Va. Auston English, Jr., Soc. Sci./Org. Studies, Canadian, Texas Desmond Jackson, Fr., Undeclared, Seguin, Texas Kyle Johnson, Sr., Petroleum Engineering, Konawa, Okla. Adrian Taylor, So., Sociology, Mansfield, Texas Carter Whitson, Jr., Science Education, Shawnee, Oklahoma
Murray named All-American Player of the Week: DeMarco Murray was named U.S. Army All-American College Player of the Week. Murray rushed for 125 yards and two TDs and caught four passes for 71 yards in OU's 65-21 win over Texas Tech. The award honors an alumnus of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl who had the top performance of a given week. Murray played for the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl West Team. (Tulsa World)
OU's Davis out for Bedlam: Senior defensive end Alan Davis is expected to miss Saturday’s game because of a knee sprain, Stoops said this week. Davis and English, who is also out this week, both missed the Tech game with sprained knees. (The Oklahoman)
Auston English expected to miss Bedlam: A fractured ankle kept the Oklahoma defensive end from last year's 49-17 victory over Oklahoma State. This time, the problem is a sprained left knee suffered against Nebraska Nov. 1. "He's progressing well, but we don't expect him to play this week," OU coach Bob Stoops said during the Big 12 teleconference Monday morning. Asked if English could return for the Big 12 championship Dec. 6, should the Sooners win in Stillwater Saturday night and then win a three-way Big 12 South tiebreaker via BCS ranking, Stoops said: "Possibly. I'm sure they'll evaluate him a little later in the week. He's getting better, but I couldn't tell you about next week." (Tulsa World)
Gresham Mackey Award finalist: Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham was today announced as one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is presented annually to the top tight end in college football. Gresham leads the Big 12, which produced all three finalists, in touchdown receptions by tight ends with 10. He has 41 grabs for 648 yards, an average of 15.8 per catch, a figure that also leads the conference. The junior from Ardmore, Okla., also has been a key component in Oklahoma's potent rushing attack by averaging 5.7 knockdown blocks per game. The Sooners rank No. 3 nationally in total offense and No. 20 in rushing offense. Gresham is trying to become the first Sooner to win the award. Trent Smith was a finalist for the Mackey in 2001. (SoonerSports PR)
Pair of Sooners earn Big 12 honors: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Travis Lewis swept the Big 12 Football Player of the Week honors for their efforts in the Sooners' win over Texas Tech last Saturday. Bradford won the offensive award after completing 14-of-19 passes for 306 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Bradford's scoring strikes went to four different receivers and covered distances of 19, 28, 66 and 26 yards. The sophomore also rushed five times for 18 yards to account for 324 yards of total offense. Bradford has thrown four or more touchdowns in seven games this season including the last three in a row. Lewis, a redshirt freshman linebacker, compiled a game-high 13 tackles, one for loss, one pass deflection and one pass interception, which he turned 47 yards to set up the Texas Tech one. OU's DeMarco Murray ran in for a touchdown on the next play. (SoonerSports PR)
Brody Eldridge back: Saturday, the Sooners pounded Tech for 299 yards on the ground. Part of the reason for that was the return of tight end Brody Eldridge, who’s been out with an ankle injury the last month. "Brody is a physical presence in our front," Bob Stoops said. "On those perimeter runs, he's always a major factor in them." (The Oklahoman)
ESPN College GameDay to broadcast live from Stillwater: It became official late Sunday morning that ESPN College Football Gameday will broadcast its show from outside Boone Pickens Stadium Saturday before the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma game. GameDay, hosted by Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard, will set up on the library lawn for shows on Friday and Saturday. (The Oklahoman)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Alabama (63) 1622 2 Florida (2) 1512 3 Oklahoma 1486 4 Texas 1482 5 Southern California 1352 6 Penn State 1238 7 Texas Tech 1212 8 Utah 1206 9 Boise State 1064 10 Ohio State 1043 11 Oklahoma State 997 12 Missouri 917
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Alabama (56) 1518 2 Oklahoma (4) 1412 3 Florida (1) 1401 4 Texas 1370 5 Southern California 1288 6 Penn State 1157 7 Utah 1153 8 Texas Tech 1073 9 Boise State 1033 10 Ohio State 994 11 Missouri 896 12 Oklahoma State 858
Record points: The Sooners eclipsed the 50-point plateau for the eighth time this season and scored 40 or more for the ninth time in 2008. Both numbers marked school records. (SoonerSports Statistics)
Tech's worst defeat since '02: Texas Tech's 44-point defeat was its worst since a 60-15 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma on Nov. 23, 2002. (SoonerSports Statistics)
Sooners and Cowboys in PrimeTime: ABC announced Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State (Bedlam) would be televised 7 p.m. nationally (on ABC) next Saturday, November 29th (via OU-Texas Tech Coverage).
No. 5 Oklahoma dominates No. 2 Texas Tech 21 - 65: Sam Bradford and Oklahoma are on their way up in the national championship race, and Texas Tech sure came down with a mighty fall.Bradford threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns, and DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown combined to run for five more scores as the fifth-ranked Sooners brought an unceremonious end to No. 2 Texas Tech's run toward perfection in a 65-21 blowout Saturday night. (AP)
Tech's road record: Texas Tech is 2-16 on the road against ranked opponents since Mike Leach took over in 2000.
OU's home field advantage: OU has nation's longest active home winning streak at 23. OU is 60-2 at home since coach Bob Stoops took over in 1999 and has won 43 of the last 44 home games.
Fans beware of counterfeit OU-Texas Tech tickets: Norman law enforcement agencies are cautioning buyers to be wary of tickets offered by unauthorized outlets after a flurry of counterfeit ticket activity in Texas. More than 500 people were reportedly caught in scams by suspects who sold counterfeit tickets to the recent Texas Tech-Texas game. Those tickets were reportedly distinguishable from genuine tickets only when compared side by side, revealing slightly blurred lines and faded color on the fakes. The counterfeit tickets were sold for $250 to $350 apiece. (The Oklahoman)
Senior day vs. Texas Tech: Lost in the hoopla of Saturday night's matchup is the fact that 20 Oklahoma seniors are playing their final game at Owen Field. "They've been a great group of seniors and great attitude guys," coach Bob Stoops said, "and I really thought they stepped up early on in the year and really have shown a lot of leadership, maybe more so than some of the seniors we've had, which you appreciate as a coach." OU is 39-11, 24-8 in the Big 12 Conference and has won back-to-back league championships over the seniors' four-year tenure. (Tulsa World)
Halzle working on childrens coloring book: (Joey) Halzle is developing a coloring book for kids at The Children's Hospital at the OU Medical Center. He hopes to use photographs of Sooner players, which will be turned into pictures that can be colored, then bound together. He wants to include quotes, too, words that would encourage and inspire children battling life-threatening illnesses. These are kids, after all, who touched Halzle's heart. "It puts things in perspective," he said of visiting The Children's Hospital. "It's a great experience to go and spend time." (More at The Oklahoman)
Gresham not thinking NFL.. right now: There is speculation that tight end Jermaine Gresham is among the Sooner underclassmen who are NFL draft-worthy and, therefore, might consider this a final home game. "It never came up in my mind," Gresham said earlier this week. "I just play football one game at a time. No looking to the future." (Tulsa World)
Gerald McCoy named a semifinalist for the Wooden Cup: Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the 2009 Wooden Cup. He is the fourth OU student-athlete to be considered for the award over the last four years. Sooner track and field and cross country runner Jackie Dubois won the Wooden Cup in 2005, the same year that OU football running back Jacob Gutierrez was a finalist. Then, football defensive end Carl Pendleton was a finalist in 2006. The announcement on the finalists was made by Fred Northup, President, Athletes for a Better World. The Wooden Cup is given to a collegiate and a professional athlete who have made the greatest positive influence in the lives of others. The award recipients will be announced at a ceremony held at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club on Wednesday, January 14. (SoonerSports PR)
Eldridge near 100 percent: After battling an ankle injury the last month, tight end Brody Eldridge is finally close to 100 percent, thanks to a week of rest during OU's bye week. Said Stoops, "That's a positive." (The Oklahoman)
Norman gets respect:When Bob Stoops asked fans to be louder, he wasn't admonishing Sooner Nation. He just wants to have every possible advantage. But Tech defensive end Jake Ratliff, for one, thinks OU fans won't have a problem getting loud. "Norman's a tough place to play," Ratliff said. "I mean, there's 90,000 fans screaming at you. It's a fun place to go. Don't get me wrong. It's a fun place to go and I like playing up there. But it's definitely a tough place to play, especially after playing (at home) the last two weeks." (Tulsa World)
Lots of press: If the magnitude of a game is reflected in the media coverage, Saturday's game is big. Oklahoma officials anticipate issuing about 340 media credentials, up from about 230 for most games. (Dallas Morning News)
Meet the Boz: Former OU linebacker Brian Bosworth is scheduled to attend a pregame tailgate party at Sooner Legends Inn and Suites in Norman on Friday from 7-9:30. The event is limited to 150 registered guests and can be reserved by calling 405-701-8100. (Tulsa World)
Stoops denies message board rumors: Some fans used Oklahoma's bye week to circulate a message board rumor that the Sooners would have a new kicker by Saturday night's game against No. 2 Texas Tech. Not true, according to coach Bob Stoops. "Same guys," he said Tuesday. "Hopefully they'll be better." That goes for kicker — Jimmy Stevens is 4-of-7 on field goals and has missed four extra points -- and a kickoff coverage unit that has allowed three returns for touchdowns despite constant personnel adjustments. "We've worked it every day for the last two weeks," Stoops said of the kick coverage. "It sure looks good in practice." (Tulsa World)
OU's home field advantage: Stoops has lost two games at Owen Field in 10 seasons. But he got the attention of the Oklahoma media when he suggested that the fans could contribute more decibels. He noted that opponents seldom resort to silent counts in Norman. "I really do hope our people take an interest in not just cheering when we're going into the end zone but actively cheering and making noise when they're trying to communicate and get something going and to hopefully take away from something that they're doing," Stoops said. (Dallas Morning News)
OU vs. Texas Tech tickets in demand: Purchasing a ticket to Saturday's game between No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oklahoma isn't cheap. Tickets are going for a minimum of $150 on the ticket-selling Web site StubHub.com. Lower level seats are up to $1,500 apiece. The game is also the best-selling OU home game in StubHub history based on dollar volume, according to company spokeswoman Joellen Ferrer. (The Oklahoman)
Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham a Mackey semifinalist: Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham was one of eight semi-finalists announced Monday for the 2008 John Mackey Award. Gresham leads the Sooners with nine touchdown receptions this season. The junior from Ardmore, Okla., is OU's all-time career leader at tight end in TD receptions with 21. In addition to Gresham, the Nassau County Sports Commission (NCSC) listed Chase Coffman (JR, Missouri), Jared Cook (JR, South Carolina), Mark Hafner (SR, Houston), Branden Ledbetter (SR, Western Michigan), Brandon Pettigrew (SR, Oklahoma State), Dennis Pitta (JR, BYU) and D.J. Williams (SO, Arkansas). (SoonerSports PR)
Venables offers no comment about Clemson interview: (Brent) Venables met with the media Monday for the first time since his interview with Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips last Tuesday about the ACC school's head coaching position. The Sooner defensive coordinator decline to comment on how the interview went. "I have nothing to say about that," he said. (Norman Transcript)
College Game Day live from Norman: ESPN College GameDay is headed to Norman. The weekly college football show will broadcast live from OU's campus on Saturday, Nov. 22, as the No. 5 Sooners host No. 2 Texas Tech at Owen Field. The show goes live at 9 a.m. CT on Saturday. The set will be located inside the track at the John Jacobs Track & Field Complex immediately east of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The site is the same location as the last broadcast in Norman on Oct. 13, 2007, when the Sooners defeated Missouri. It will be the 20th time the show has been on hand for an Oklahoma game and the sixth time the program has televised live from Norman. (SoonerSports PR)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Alabama (42) 1601 2 Texas Tech (21) 1574 3 Florida (2) 1476 4 Texas 1437 5 Oklahoma 1369 6 Southern California 1310 7 Penn State 1178 8 Utah 1158 9 Boise State 1098 10 Ohio State 1017 11 Oklahoma State 987 12 Missouri 913
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Alabama (45) 1508 2 Texas Tech (15) 1465 3 Florida (1) 1373 4 Texas 1322 5 Oklahoma 1305 6 Southern California 1245 7 Utah 1113 8 Penn State 1093 9 Boise State 1023 10 Ohio State 957 11 Missouri 894 12 Oklahoma State 838
REPORT: Prospect Williams to de-commit from Sooners: Under Armour All-American cornerback Steve Williams has decommitted from the Sooners and could join California's Class of 2009, ESPN affiliate Web site OUInsider.com reports. When asked if he was a solid pledge, Williams responded, "I don't want to lie to you guys, but I don't think so. I think I am going to go to California and I am going to decommit from Oklahoma." He continued, "It is not really about Oklahoma it is just that I like California better. I just don't see myself as an Oklahoma Sooner as far as the system of playing cornerback."(More at ESPN.com)
UPDATED: Report: Clemson AD visits Oklahoma to interview who? Late this afternoon Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips boarded a plane headed for Oklahoma City. At first everyone believed that he would be talking with OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, but it now looks like Phillips is meeting with OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables. (More at SoonersIllustrated) UPDATE 2: Internet reports suggested that Phillips flew to Oklahoma City to interview either Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson or defensive coordinator Brent Venables for Clemson's head-coaching vacancy. Wilson said Tuesday night he has not spoken with anyone from Clemson. "I'd like to say there was some truth, I'd love to say there was some truth to it," Wilson said. "But I have not talked to anyone, as God is my witness." Venables, however, was not available for interviews after practice. Sports information director Kenny Mossman said Venables went straight home after practice to be his with his wife, who gave birth to a girl last Friday, the couple's third child. Venables was mentioned as a candidate for the Clemson job in a report by Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com two weeks ago that cited unnamed sources. (In parts and more at The Oklahoman) Last week, Kansas State was rumored to be after Brent Venables for their vacant head coaching job.
Don't expect Halzle in OU's hurry up offense: A question during the press conference centered on backup quarterback Joey Halzle, whom Stoops said will "occasionally ... throw it on third down to pick up the first down and try to keep the chains moving," but will likely not be allowed to operate OU's fast-paced offense. Was it a fair way to prepare Halzle if an injury occurred to starter Sam Bradford? "Probably not," Stoops said, "but what do you do?" (Tulsa World)
Report: Clemson AD visits Oklahoma to interview who? Late this afternoon Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips boarded a plane headed for Oklahoma City. At first everyone believed that he would be talking with OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, but it now looks like Phillips is meeting with OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables. (More at SoonersIllustrated)
A look at Sam Bradford's passing numbers: * Bradford is first nationally with 38 touchdown passes despite ranking No. 15 in pass attempts. * Bradford is second nationally in passing yards despite throwing 133 fewer passes than Graham Harrell, the national leader in yardage. * Bradford is second nationally (No. 1 in FBS) in passing efficiency. * Bradford ranks No. 4 nationally in total offense despite playing on a team that also averages 42.4 rushing plays and 194.3 rushing yards per game.
Stats (through Nov. 10) from OU Athletic Department..
ABC to televise Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech: ABC announced today that it will televise nationally the Oklahoma-Texas Tech football game from Norman on Nov. 22. The network has set kickoff time for 7 p.m. The visiting Red Raiders are No. 2 in the current BCS standings, while Oklahoma is No. 5. This will mark the first time since 2000 when Nebraska visited that a team ranked in the top five and a team ranked higher than OU played at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Huskers were No. 1 and the Sooners No. 3 heading into that game, which OU won, 31-14.(SoonerSports PR)
Sooners to rest during bye week: OU's bye week couldn't have come at a better time, with several Sooners battling injuries. The latest to go down was defensive end Alan Davis, who suffered a sprained knee Saturday, the same injury that kept defensive end Auston English from suiting up. "We are really banged up," Stoops said. "It's obvious we're playing without some of our best players. It's going to be good to rest up some of these players." (The Oklahoman)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Alabama (44) 1604 2 Texas Tech (21) 1574 3 Florida 1467 4 Texas 1437 5 Oklahoma 1375 6 Southern California 1311 7 Penn State 1161 8 Utah 1157 9 Boise State 1110 10 Ohio State 1009 11 Oklahoma State 963 12 Missouri 913
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Alabama (44) 1508 2 Texas Tech (17) 1469 3 Florida 1348 4 Oklahoma 1314 5 Texas 1300 6 Southern California 1268 7 Utah 1104 8 Penn State 1074 9 Boise State 1028 10 Ohio State 936 11 Missouri 883 13 Oklahoma State 808
Davis suffers sprained knee? Alan Davis, one of three healthy defensive ends in Oklahoma's rotation, suffered what coach Bob Stoops termed a sprained knee Saturday, similar to the one that will keep end Auston English out through the Nov. 22 Texas Tech game. That would leave Jeremy Beal, Frank Alexander and seldom-used Pryce Macon at defensive end against Tech, unless the Sooners consider pulling the redshirt off freshman R.J. Washington. "I don't know, you hate to do that," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "We'll evaluate everything." (Tulsa World)
Congrats to Brent and his wife Julie Venables on a third child.
Sooners roll Aggies 66-28: Sam Bradford threw touchdown passes to four different receivers, Chris Brown ran for three scores and No. 6 Oklahoma started fast again and routed Texas A&M 66-28 on Saturday. DeMarco Murray, Matt Clapp, Ryan Broyles and Juaquin Iglesias had TD catches and Bradford had a touchdown run for the Sooners (9-1, 5-1 Big 12), who set a single-game scoring record for an opponent at Kyle Field. The Sooners have scored 231 points in four games since a 45-35 loss to Texas. (Associated Press)
Tim Griffin, ESPN.com: The Sooners should have no trouble scoring against a weak Texas A&M defense. But it wouldn't surprise me if Jerrod Johnson and his group of young playmakers have enough moxie to make the game close well into the second half... Oklahoma 44, Texas A&M 24
CFN.com: A big early run will give OU a nice cushy lead, and although A&M will get plenty of passing yards to make things entertaining, Bradford will put up more Heisman-like numbers... Oklahoma 52, Texas 34
Bradford Doolittle, Upon Further Review: On one hand, the Aggies are playing at home and coming off two straight wins. On the other hand, those wins came against Iowa State and Colorado... OU 66-20
Stoops expects Johnson, Elridge to play Saturday: Coach Bob Stoops said he expects tight end Brody Eldridge (sprained ankle) and wide receiver Manny Johnson (dislocated elbow) to play Saturday. "Brody is likely," Stoops said. "With Manny, it's just going to be how comfortable he feels wearing the brace Thursday." (The Oklahoman)
OU Fans raise 30k for 14 Foundation Thanksgiving Food Drive: More than $30,000, a record for the event, was raised last Saturday for Josh Heupel's 14 Foundation Thanksgiving Food Drive. The drive was held prior to last Saturday's Oklahoma-Nebraska football game in Norman. As a result, some 34,000 meals will be provided for families throughout the state of Oklahoma. (More at SoonerSports.com)
Reynolds undergoes successful knee surgery: Ryan Reynolds, the middle linebacker lost to a torn knee ligament against Texas Oct. 11, underwent surgery a week ago. "It went great," OU coach Bob Stoops reported. "There were no other issues, which sometimes there are, whether it's cartilage or other ligaments. It was just the (anterior cruciate) ligament. Everything else was perfectly intact, which wasn't the case in his other surgery (in the spring of 2007). Hopefully this one will heal quicker and better." (Tulsa World)
Venables a candidate for K-State job? OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables, a former K-State player and assistant, had already been a message-board candidate to replace (Ron) Prince. Asked if he expected the Wildcats to call about any of his staff, Stoops said: "If they do, they do. I have always encouraged my guys ... put my guys in front of anybody, not just there. You're starting a story when there isn't one now. I'm not going there. "My guys are open to everybody in the country. That's pretty obvious. I've had quite a few go on. I've got no problem with it if they do." (Tulsa World)
Four-star prospect looking at OU: Jheranie Boyd, a four-star wide receiver out of Gastonia, N.C., is expected to announce his commitment today. Many believe Boyd is deciding between Oklahoma and Missouri, though he also said he is considering Illinois, North Carolina and North Carolina State. Boyd is the No. 32-ranked player in the nation, according to the recruiting Web site Rivals.com. (The Oklahoman)
OU-BYU at new Cowboys Stadium? Brigham Young football coach Bronco Mendenhall caused waves Tuesday, telling reporters that BYU could be playing a game at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in 2009. Mendenhall singled out Oklahoma as a possible opponent. "I know that we have been and are being considered for some early games next year, and that was one of them," Mendenhall said. "There was a chance that it could be against Oklahoma. But there were a list of teams for us to play, or we might have been just one of the teams being considered to play." The Salt Lake Tribune reported discussions are ongoing with ESPN representatives for BYU to play a game next September at the new Cowboys stadium. OU spokesman Kenny Mossman, however, said talk of a game with BYU in Dallas is premature. (More at The Oklahoman)
Coach Stoops ready for playoffs?!?: In Oklahoma Bowl Championship Series, Bob Stoops, said.... "I've come full circle," Stoops said Tuesday. "I'm for it." OU competes in the Big 12 South, the toughest division in college football. Four teams, including the Sooners, are ranked in the BCS Top 10. Undefeated Penn State, meanwhile, has only two opponents currently ranked in the BCS Top 25, and none in the Top 10, which makes Penn State's road to the BCS national title easier than OU's. Stoops said a playoff would level the playing field for schools with more difficult schedules against schools with softer competition. "With the differences in non-conference scheduling, some people have some difficult games, some people don't," Stoops said. "And some conferences don't have a championship game, others do."
Stoops puzzled about OU's drop in BCS standing: "Yeah, a little bit, but I'm (not) totally surprised," Bob Stoops said. "With Tech coming up after they beat Texas, you kind of thought that could happen. But there's still so much football left. There's still a lot that can happen." (ESPN.com)
CBS Sportsline ranks the Nation's top freshmen: Lewis among two freshmen defensive players ranked by Sportsline's Freshmen Watch, checkout full rankings here.
Report: Four-star safety Kevin Brent verbally commits: SI (Sooners Illustrated) has been able to confirm via a text message that Kevin Brent, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety from South Oak Cliff High in Dallas, Texas did indeed make a commitment to the Sooners. Brent is a top 100 prospect and currently rated as the fourth best safety in the country and a four-star prospect by Scout.com. "He is super big, strong, and fast," Scout.com's Baron Flenory informed. "He is a five-star type of player just because of his physical attributes." (Sooners Illustrated)
Auston English out with sprained knee: Oklahoma has lost another one of its top defensive players to injury. A month after linebacker Ryan Reynolds suffered a season-ending knee injury, defensive end Auston English could be lost for the rest of the regular season, coach Bob Stoops said Monday morning on the Big 12 football coaches' teleconference. English sprained his knee during the third quarter of Saturday night's win over Nebraska, and "we're thinking his injury is going to be maybe three weeks." (More at Tulsa World) Stoops told reporters Frank Alexander will likely replace English.
Stoop, Sooners not looking past Texas A&M: While there was clearly some Sooner celebrating going on over Texas Tech's upset of Texas on Saturday night, Bob Stoops said the focus going forward won't be on OU's revived chances in the Big 12 South and nationally. It'll be on Texas A&M. "That's what it is," Stoops said. "We've got Texas A&M. We've got to hopefully continue to make improvement and be at our best when we go down there and play." (The Oklahoman)
OU Injury update:Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said wide receiver Manny Johnson did not re-injure his right elbow against Nebraska. The senior played early, but was on the sideline for the last three quarters. "Manny is fine, he just didn't quite feel comfortable enough once he was out there," Stoops said. "He hasn't set himself back any." It was the same case for tight end Brody Eldridge. He played in the first quarter, but was in street clothes and wearing a medical boot on his right foot by the end of the game. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Eldridge's removal was precautionary. The Sooners were up 35-0 by the end of the first quarter. "Brody got kicked by one of our own guys and kind of aggravated his ankle," he said. "I thought, well we're doing good so If I don't need him I'm going to hold him." (Norman Transcript) No word on Auston English's status.
OU picks up McGuinness commitment: Gabe Ikard's recruitment went all the way to the top. A Saturday morning meeting between Ikard, his family and University of Oklahoma president David Boren might've been the deciding factor in the McGuinness tight end orally committing to the Sooners on Sunday. "They should have every recruit they want go talk to him," Ikard said. "He was really, really good about explaining to me how doors would be open for me if I came to OU." Ikard, a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder, grew up a Sooners fan but wanted to go through the recruiting process and consider all of his options before deciding. (More at The Oklahoman)
AP Top 10 with Big 12 teams (First Place Votes) Points 1 Alabama (46) 1600 2 Texas Tech (12) 1528 3 Penn State (6) 1525 4 Florida (1) 1398 5 Texas 1353 6 Oklahoma 1324 7 Southern California 1250 8 Oklahoma State 1198 9 Boise State 1030 10 Utah 1028 13 Missouri 830
USA Today's Coaches Poll 1 Alabama (40) 1498 2 Penn State (14) 1437 3 Texas Tech (6) 1409 4 Oklahoma (1) 1290 5 Florida 1268 6 Southern California 1232 7 Texas 1227 8 Oklahoma State 1066 9 Utah 1018 10 Boise State 958 13 Missouri 794
College Football News drops Oklahoma to No. 6?? It's not the Associated Press or Coaches polls, nor BCS component... But here's CollegeFootballNews.com top 10..
1. Florida 2. Alabama 3. Texas Tech 4. Penn State 5. Texas 6. Oklahoma (last week No. 3) 7. Oklahoma State 8. USC 9. Missouri 10. Georgia
English suffers sprained ankle: Auston English slowly rose from the bench, a black brace around his injured left knee, stood still for a minute or so, then sat back down. Twenty yards down the Oklahoma sideline, Jeremy Beal jogged off the field, having just harassed Nebraska into another punt, and was greeted appreciatedly by defensive coordinator Brent Venables. It was a case of one defensive end stepping up with the other in limbo late Saturday night. This might be the story of the Sooners' D-line, if not their defense in general, for a while. "It's a sprain," OU coach Bob Stoops announced of English's knee. "How long (English will be out), we'll just have to see. I'll let people know once they give me a number." (Tulsa World)
Points... OU's 35 points in the opening period marked the third time this season that OU has scored 28 or more points in the first quarter, a school record.
And.. more points: The Sooners' 62 points were its most ever against Nebraska. OU's 49 first-half points against NU marked its most ever in a half against the Cornhuskers. The Sooners' previous best against Nebraska was 34 in the second half of the 1954 contest.
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M set for 2:30 kickoff: The University of Oklahoma's football game against Texas A&M next Saturday will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. and will be televised by ABC. (The Oklahoman)
Sooners defeat Cornhuskers 62-28: Sam Bradford threw for 311 yards and five touchdowns and No. 4 Oklahoma capitalized on three disastrous Nebraska pass plays right off the bat Saturday night to the beat the Huskers 62-28 with its biggest offensive output in the storied series.It was the kind of start that would make Nebraska fans long for the power-running days of the past, and the stars of the Cornhuskers' "Game of the Century" win in 1971 just happened to be on hand for a reunion.This game was hardly another classic in a rivalry full of them. (Associated Press)
