BYU defeats Oklahoma: With Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford helplessly watching from the sideline, his right arm in a sling, BYU upset No. 3 Oklahoma 14-13 on Saturday night. Max Hall threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide-open McKay Jacobson in the back of the end zone with 3:03 left. The Sooners' last hope to recover and win without their star quarterback ended when Tress Way came up short on a 54-yard field goal with 1:23 left. (AP)

A SLING FOR SAM: The Oklahoman

OU loses Bradford to injury, then the game to Cougars: The Oklahoman

Ailing Sooners drop debut: The Oklahoman

Sam Bradford and the Sooners: A sling and a prayer: The Oklahoman

Late defensive letdown cost OU: The Oklahoman

Landry Jones wasted no time taking charge of team: The Oklahoman

BYU'S GAME-WINNING PLAY: Dallas Morning News

Bradford's, OU's goals take hit: Chicago Tribune

Cougars throw twist into Heisman race, title chase: San Francisco Chronicle

Sooners lose Bradford and opener: Boston Globe

Cougs prove to be adequate enough: Salt Lake Tribune

Grow up fast or face a race for third in the Big 12 South: Tulsa World

A painful beginning for Sooners: Tulsa World

Sam hurt, but Sooners not panicking yet: Tulsa World

No miracle needed: Cougars just did what they needed to do to beat Sooners: Norman Transcript

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners

Sooner fans can take a deep sigh, University of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday, the school is not exploring more neutral site games that may take games away from the campus in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Sooners open their 2009 season on the road (only second time in Bob Stoops era) in Arlington, Texas at Dallas Cowboys Stadium against BYU, the game was proposed by ESPN executives. Some Sooner fans have voiced concerned that the school is taking home games to neutral-sites in exchange for a payout or television exposure.

Bob Stoops addressed the issue at his weekly news conference

"I don't think anybody's looking to take games away from Norman, Okla., very often," Stoops said Tuesday. "I know (athletic director) Joe (Castiglione) is very sensitive to that. I don't know what the numbers are but in this community, for our university, for the whole community and the town, you don't want to see it very much. We're not looking to do it very much at all."

The University will get a $2.25 million payout for playing BYU at Cowboys Stadium.

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Schedule, University of Oklahoma

Mike Stoops is giving advice on BYU in preparation for Saturday's game: BYU's last opponent -- in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl -- was Arizona, a team coached by OU coach Bob Stoops' brother, Mike Stoops . Another brother, Mark Stoops , is Arizona's defensive coordinator. Rest assured that the brothers have talked about BYU, Bob Stoops said. "I am close enough with my brother that we are going to talk about a common opponent. So, yeah, we definitely did," Stoops said. "When you are playing a team you don't have a lot of familiarity with, where you don't play the year in and year out, you talk to other people who do." BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said that after watching Oklahoma film, he has noticed a lot of "philosophical" similarities between OU and Arizona. "Knowing that it is a coaching family, we are certainly not underestimating the transfer of knowledge from one program to the other, so we are not going to be an unknown to them," Mendenhall said. "Nor would I assume that they are putting extra, undue emphasis on us." (Salt Lake Tribune)

Labels: Bob Stoops, BYU, Oklahoma Sooners

BYU left tackle Matt Reynolds optimistic he'll play Saturday: Left tackle Matt Reynolds might set off the metal detector at the airport when BYU's football team departs for Texas later this week -- what with a few screws and a plate in his left hand -- but the sophomore believes he will play against Oklahoma on Saturday after fracturing the hand about three weeks ago. "We are real optimistic about the chances," Reynolds said after participating in live drills during Saturday's practice, a rubbery splint protecting the hand. "I have one or two more doctors appointments before we say for sure -- yes or no. But things look optimistic." (Salt Lake Tribune)

BYU cornerback suffers broken hand? Cornerback Brian Logan may have broken his hand during Saturday's practice, Bronco Mendenhall said. Logan had appeared to be the starter at field corner prior to the injury. "I'm not sure if it's broken, but early signs say that," Mendenhall said. (Deseret News)

BYU Game Starters: KSL.com

BYU preparing for biggest game in 19 years: ABC4.com

BYU not leery about season opener against Oklahoma: ESPN.com

Find the latest OU vs. BYU game information on the next game page.

Labels: BYU, Know the Opponent

Stoops not concerned with video board: Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops said recently, he's not concerned with the height of the massive Dallas Cowboys video board and sees it as 'a plus' if one of the Sooner punters were able to hit the board at Cowboys Stadium. The 60-yard long board which hangs 90-foot (NFL league policy is 85-foot) above the field has been an obstacle for at least one punter.

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Special Teams, Stadium

BYU vs Oklahoma spirit pass available: Even though college football's inaugural game at Cowboys Stadium between No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 20 Brigham Young has been declared a sellout, there's always room for more with a $25 Spirit Pass. Sooners and Cougars fans that may have missed out on landing tickets for college football's season opener on Sept. 5 still have a chance to attend the game. The Spirit Pass gives fans access to six giant-sized end zone decks that encompass 180,000 square feet, public concourses, numerous concession areas and more than seven acres of outdoor plaza space. Fans will have the same opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and excitement of the game, including a view of the world's largest center-hung video board that stretches 60 yards in length. In addition, two 48-foot wide video boards will directly face Spirit Pass fans to enhance their game-day experience. A Spirit Pass is similar to the infield at the Kentucky Derby, the Texas Motor Speedway, a Grounds Pass at Wimbledon, or the Pavilion at the Byron Nelson Golf Championship. Fans may purchase the Spirit Pass online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling toll-free, 800-755-3000. (Dallas Cowboys PR)

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Tickets

BYU RB Unga: OU is no tougher than Swine Flu: When it was suggested to BYU running back Harvey Unga earlier this week that he might not be able to handle a pounding from Oklahoma's defense in a couple of weeks because he is not being tackled in fall camp, he answered with a question. "You ever had the swine flu?" Unga asks. The junior from Provo's Timpview High School has. And he says whatever viciousness the No. 3-ranked Sooners bring to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sept. 5 surely can't be worse that what he went through for 10 days or so in early June. "Like somebody is hitting your back and your head, your whole body, with a sledgehammer," he said. More than two months after the fact, Unga still doesn't know how he got the H1N1 virus. He just knows he began feeling ill one night, and the next day a doctor was telling him about the swine flu. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Florida State first questioned OU's Balogun eligibility: Tulsa World

OU's McCoy has split personality: Enid News.com

OU, OSU offensive linemen fly under the radar: The Oklahoman

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Smack Talk

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Brigham Young, Oklahoma tickets available to general public Monday: I know many of you have asked and wondered.. Tickets for the Oklahoma-Brigham Young college football game at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday. All single game sales will be handled by Ticketmaster. Tickets may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Single-game ticket prices range from $50-$150. Orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and tickets are subject to availability. (SoonerSports PR)
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Fans Upset with OU vs BYU Ticket Prices
BYU, Oklahoma to Meet at Cowboys' New Stadium

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Tickets

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Big 12 coaches to discuss conference tie-breaker: The conference's athletic directors asked the coaches for a recommendation to be considered later this month at the Big 12 spring meetings. The coaches will meet to discuss the issue Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix. It's not clear if there is a consensus for change after Oklahoma won a three-way tiebreaker in the Big 12 South. The ADs will consider any recommendation May 19-21 during the spring meetings in Colorado Springs, Colo. The athletic directors are not bound by any recommendation that comes out of Phoenix. (CBS Sportsline)

Sooner fans upset with OU vs BYU ticket prices: The ticket prices for OU-BYU are $50, $80, $100 and $150 (club seats). Rick Knapp, executive director of OU's Touchdown Club, called the $150 ticket "national-championship prices" but said the fans he's heard from are more upset about the $50 seats, which are tucked into the upper-deck corners. "Most people understand if you want to sit down there (close), you're going to have to pay," Knapp said. "But you can't get a decent seat for 50 bucks." OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said he understands concern about the ticket prices, especially since the economy's cratered, and negotiated to have the average ticket price not exceed $85. But Joe C. said we can't think of this as a typical football game in a typical stadium. Jerry Jones World is too cosmic. "People will realize once they see this stadium," Castiglione said. "They are not entering a traditional stadium layout. When you see the stadium, you're going to be blown away." (More at The Oklahoman)

Upon further review... No review of Big 12 divisional tiebreaker necessary: The Oklahoman

Labels: BYU, Oklahoma Sooners, Tickets

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Dallas Cowboys, ESPN announce five-year agreement; BYU, Oklahoma to meet Sept. 5th: ESPN officially announced the anticipated BYU-Oklahoma game at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. From the ESPN press release:

ESPN will televise the first college football game at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 5 when Oklahoma and BYU take the field in what will be the 2009 season opener for both teams. The Labor Day weekend contest will kickoff in prime time and be televised on ABC or ESPN as part of the second annual ESPN Kickoff Week Presented by Gillette, which will feature extensive college football content across multiple ESPN outlets during the first week of the season.

The game will mark the beginning of a new five-year agreement between the Dallas Cowboys and ESPN to bring a top college football game to the club's new stadium each year during the Labor Day holiday weekend that kicks off the college football season. The starting time and ticket information for the game will be announced at a later date.

The OU-BYU game this fall will be just the second meeting between these two well-known college football programs. The Cougars won the only previous meeting 31-6 in the 1994 Copper Bowl.

"We are excited to host such strong traditional college football programs as those at the University of Oklahoma and Brigham Young University in our first-ever college football game at our new stadium," said Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones. "I don’t think there is a better place than Texas to celebrate the kickoff of the 2009 college football season, and I don't think you will find a better stadium for watching that football action than our new home in Arlington."

Labels: BYU, Future Schedule, Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

OU-BYU at new Cowboys Stadium? UPDATE 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) (11/05/08)
UPDATE: Brigham Young athletic director Tom Holmoe told reporters Wednesday that he's close to finalizing BYU's 2009 schedule. Will that include playing Oklahoma in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Texas in a season-opener? "I think everybody knows that when I am working with scheduling, I don't want to announce anything, or say anything out there until it is done," Holmoe told The Salt Lake Tribune. "Right now, it is pretty obvious there are a lot of things that are going on. It is not that I have been trying to keep anything from the fans or the press or anything, but we are very close to solidifying a change." (Jake Trotter's OU Blog)

Labels: BYU, Future Schedule, Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

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)

Style points count for Sooners: Norman Transcript

Sooners have enjoyed Kyle Field: Norman Transcript

OU's defense hopes it can redeem itself: Tulsa World

Points, not flash, are what's in style at OU: Tulsa World

How does OU-BYU sound?: Tulsa World

OU Notebook: Tulsa World

Stoops says he's on board for college football playoff: The Oklahoman

Granger thriving despite injury: The Oklahoman

Back-to-back wins have Aggies smiling: Dallas Morning News

South Oak Cliff safety commits to Oklahoma: Dallas Morning News

Sooners hoping redshirt freshman Alexander has staying power: Star-Telegram

OU has at least one weakness -- stopping the run: Bryan College Station Eagle

Aggies Goodson limited, but at least he's practicing: Houston Chronicle

Aggies Goodson returns to workouts: San Antonio Express-News

Labels: BYU, ESPN, Oklahoma Sooners