Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Oklahoma falls to 10th in AP and Coaches Polls: Oklahoma (4-1) landed at No. 10 in both the AP and coaches polls released Sunday. Including the 2007 preseason editions, Sunday's polls marked the sixth-straight week the Sooners have been ranked in the top 10. From the Big 12 Conference, Oklahoma (No. 10) was joined by Missouri (17), Texas (19), Kansas State (24) and Nebraska (25) in the AP. In the Coaches' Poll, OU (No. 10), Texas (16), Missouri (17) and Nebraska (23) were ranked. (Full Rankings available at SoonerSports.com)

AP Top 10 (First Place Votes), Pts.
1 LSU (33) 1,593
2 USC (32) 1,591
3 California 1,475
4 Ohio State 1,420
5 Wisconsin 1,271
6 South Florida 1,203
7 Boston College 1,172
8 Kentucky 1,143
9 Florida 1,031
10 Oklahoma 992
17 Missouri 561
19 Texas 449
24 Kansas State 214
25 Nebraska 198

USA Today Poll (First Place Votes), Pts.
1 USC (45) 1,483
2 LSU (14) 1,454
3 California 1,363
4 Ohio State (1) 1,313
5 Wisconsin 1,251
6 Boston College 1,138
7 Florida 1,000
8 Kentucky 971
9 South Florida 960
10 Oklahoma 925
16 Texas 573
17 Missouri 532
23 Nebraska 261

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Former Sooners' coach Mike Stoops hospitalized: Before kickoff, Bob Stoops acknowledged he was concerned about the health of his younger brother. Arizona coach Mike Stoops, who once served as OU’s defensive coordinator, was hospitalized Friday in Tucson for what was diagnosed as a problem with kidney stones. Stoops was scheduled to be on the sideline Saturday night when Arizona hosts Washington State. Bob Stoops said he didn’t know about his brother’s medical problem until after he read about it in a newspaper. "I called him, and he said he’s been in a lot of pain," Bob Stoops said. (Tulsa World)

Stoops on OU's loss: "They outplayed us and outcoached us in the second half," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "It's disappointing. We're not a very smart football team right now." (Dallas Morning News)

Reynolds expected to have X-rays today: Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds played most of the fourth quarter with numbness in his right shoulder after getting hit with a helmet Saturday. "I'll get X-rays (Sunday),” Reynolds said. "Hopefully nothing's wrong with it. It just went numb, couldn't move it.” At times, Reynolds struggled to lift his arm and trainers inspected the shoulder nearly every time he came off the field. (NewsOK.com)

Sooners kicked all over Folsom Field long before deciding FG: The Oklahoman

Inside OU's unraveling: The Oklahoman

Inside OU's breakdowns: The Oklahoman

Bradford throws two costly interceptions: The Oklahoman

Star receiver held without a catch: The Oklahoman

Sooners have rebounded before after unexpected loss: The Oklahoman

Sooners can't adjust to Boulder's altitude: The Oklahoman

By the numbers: The Oklahoman

Self Destruction: Norman Transcript

Sooners didn't make the plays: Norman Transcript

Crushing defeat: Tulsa World

OU-Texas -- The big game loses its luster: Tulsa World

Third-down problems plague Sooners: Tulsa World

Drop caps Sooners' bad day: Tulsa World

Two-Minute Drill: Tulsa World

UT, OU losses take shine off of matchup: Dallas Morning News

Football Notebook: Dallas Morning News

OU-Texas weakened: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Last-play field goal gives Buffaloes stunning victory: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Buffaloes shock the nation: Denver Post

Buffaloes lower the boom: Boulder Daily Camera

Hawkins knew breakthrough victory was coming: Boulder Daily Camera

CU rushing attack delivers KO: Boulder Daily Camera

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Colorado stuns Oklahoma in final second field goal: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops envisioned it going down to the wire. Colorado Dan Hawkins had a hunch his team would pull off the big upset. Both coaches turned out to be correct and Hawkins' Buffaloes dealt a serious blow to the Sooners national title hopes when Kevin Eberhart kicked a career-long 45-yard field goal as time expired to send Colorado past No. 3 Oklahoma 27-24 on Saturday. "I told them all week they're going to win the game," Hawkins said. "Not because I'm 'The Swami.' I've done this for 25 years and you just know. You know when your team's ready, you know when you're poised." (AP/SoonerSports.com - Stats)

It should be noted Texas was defeated by Kansas State 41-21 Saturday.

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Stoops confident Sooners aren't overlooking Colorado: Oklahoma is 7-1 under coach Bob Stoops in games played before facing Texas. The Sooners' only loss during that span came in 1999 – Stoops' first season at OU – in a 34-30 defeat at Notre Dame. Stoops said he wouldn't bring up to his players the possibility of looking at Texas. "We don't have to. They know going to Colorado is tough," Stoops said. "There isn't any of that, whatsoever. Look at our track record every year, before and after that game [8-0 under Stoops]. That's not an issue." (Dallas Morning News)

Stoops says think air wont' bother OU in Boulder: The Oklahoman

OU faces a trap game: The Oklahoman

Keys to the game: The Oklahoman

What they're saying: The Oklahoman

New ball game: Norman Transcript

Are all of these games really necessary?: Norman Transcript

Sooners will rely on aggressive play and conditioning to beat CU: Tulsa World

Exhiled Sooner QB returns to Oklahoma to face OSU: Tulsa World

Big 12 slate could be full of intrigue in '07: Tulsa World

Warning -- OU wants more offensively: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

OU is dialed in: Rocky Mountain News

Buffs set for third-ranked OU: Boulder Daily Camera

Buffs find out today how they stack up: Boulder Daily Camera

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Might the Sooners pull freshman Frank Alexander's redshirt? Would defensive ends coach Chris Wilson consider removing the redshirt from touted freshman Frank Alexander? "As of now, Frank isn't one of those guys. We'd like to save him," he said. "But it's a long year. I've always determined if a guy is redshirting once we play that last snap of the season. If you haven't played, you've redshirted. "We'll do what's required to perform well and win the game." (Tulsa World)

Limited tickets available for OU-Colorado: According to Colorado officials Thursday afternoon, approximately 2,500 tickets remained for Saturday's game. Folsom Field seats 53,750. (NewsOK.com)

OU keeps tabs on players' web presence: The Oklahoman

Sooners going home: Norman Transcript

OU receiver making grab for attention: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

There's no challenge Dizon can't tackle: Denver Post

Big opportunity for Buffaloes: Rocky Mountain News

Former CU recruit set to face Buffaloes: Boulder Daily Camera

CU-Oklahoma game info, stats, video preview: Boulder Daily Camera

Hypolite, Nicolas are formidable pair on CU's D-line: Boulder Daily Camera

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Cast allows McCoy to play despite broken hand: Despite breaking a bone in his right hand, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has been practicing and playing thanks to a cast he only wears on the field. In games, McCoy can't grab with his right hand, but he can move his wrist thanks to adjustments made to the cast. He can also take the cast off before and after practice. During the day, he tapes his middle and ring finger together to support the broken fourth metacarpal bone he suffered against Miami. After missing the Utah State game, McCoy returned against Tulsa and made his first and only tackle of the season. (NewsOK.com)

Family provides strength for Moore: SoonerSports.com

Defense looking to halt Buffaloes: SoonerSports.com

Harris says the saying, 'It takes a village...' applies to him: The Oklahoman

Sooners aren't the only team putting a lot of points on the scoreboard: The Oklahoman

Patrick up to top speed: Norman Transcript

Cooper's goals set a mile high: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- Brown, Williams updates: Tulsa World

Loadholt traded in job as a Sooner offensive tackle: Tulsa World

OU questions: Tulsa World

Can any team outpoint OU?: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Sooner freshman thrives at QB: Denver Post

Ex-Coloradans starring for OU: Denver Post

With Sooners en route, Buffs Smart'ing: Denver Post

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Williams may return in 2008 with medical hardship: Stoops said Williams had successful surgery Tuesday to repair his Achillies' tendon and could be back next year if the NCAA grants him another year of eligibility. Williams tore an ACL in the 2005 season opener against TCU and missed the rest of the season. (Dallas Morning News)

Stoops used fake calls: Bob Stoops wore a defensive-call wristband at Tulsa and, along with Brent Venables, signaled calls to the defense -- some real, some not.Stoops said he did so "strictly because we didn't want [Tulsa coaches] to get our signals."Deciphering a defensive call has become easier for offensive coaches, and quarterbacks frequently look to their sidelines near the end of the play clock to verify calls or switch plays after offensive staffs have checked out the defensive sets. (Star-Telegram)

Stoops on rather he'd coach his sons: Stoops, who has two sons, said he isn’t sure whether he would like to coach either of them, but admires what he sees at Colorado. "I think it would be tough, just with all the scrutiny and opinion out there," Stoops said. "But just knowing Dan a little bit and being around him, I'm sure he'll handle it as well as anyone can. I think it's great to have a chance to see your son every day, and to be in competitive situations with him would be neat." (Norman Transcript)

Brown recovering after head injury: Stoops said Tuesday that sophomore running back Chris Brown is "looking better and better" after being hit in the head late in the Sooners' win Friday at Tulsa. "His checkups Sunday and Monday were really good. So we expect him to be able to play [Saturday at Colorado]," Stoops said. "I'm not saying he is yet, that's something they'll check by the end of the week. "He ran all his conditioning Monday and looked great afterward, so there aren't any lingering signs that there is something going on there." (Dallas Morning News)

Sooners prepare for Big 12 opener: SoonerSports.com

Defense looking to halt Buffaloes: SoonerSports.com

Coop returns to Rockies on Saturday: SoonerSports.com

New kid on the block -- Jermaine Gresham: The Oklahoman

Former Sooner Harris has sprained knee: The Oklahoman

OU Notebook Notebook: The Oklahoman

The offense's quest? Perfection: Norman Transcript

With mom in prison, grandma raised Lofton: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- No decision on Brown: Tulsa World

Don't forgegt to remember hurt Sooner: Tulsa World

Hawkins -- OU beatable: Denver Post

Sooners rolling into Boulder: Denver Post

Sooners playing with chip on shoulders: Boulder Daily Camera

Buffs, Sooners led by young QBs: Boulder Daily Camera

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Nic Harris named to Good Works Team: Oklahoma free safety Nic Harris has been named to the 2007 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team ®. The AFCA accolade is for his contributions in the community. The two 11-man teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA, honors players for their dedication and committment to community service. The AFCA has been selecting the Good Works Team since 1997. Harris, a junior, served as president and is an active member of BridgeBuilders, an African-American student-athlete network group at Oklahoma. Bridgebuilders joined forces with Norman's Food for Friends Community Action Agency and helped serve lunch to less fortunate in the community. Through four games, Harris has 17 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass deflections and two fumbles forced. OU running back Jacob Gutierrez was named to the Good Works team last season. (SoonerSports.com)

Stoops not concerned with elevation: Stoops said he has no concerns playing in the high elevation Saturday at Colorado. "It hasn't been a factor yet," Stoops said. "And this isn't our first time up there." (Norman Transcript)

Buffs next for No. 3 Sooners: SoonerSports.com

Iglesias grabbing attention as possession receiver: The Oklahoman

Stoops -- Bradford getting more confident: The Oklahoman

Success at Tulsa could net Patrick more carries: The Oklahoman

OU Notebook: The Oklahoman

Gundy on Gundy: Norman Transcript

Colorado coach bucks pressure on son: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- Gundy family values: Tulsa World

Stoops says he understands Gundy's criticism: Tulsa World

OU's Finley has scary incident at breakfast: Dallas Morning News

No. 3 Sooners quickly gain Buffs' attention: Denver Post

Buffs aim to cook up turnovers vs. OU: Boulder Daily Camera

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Oklahoma-Texas to air 2:30 ABC: ABC has picked up the Oklahoma-Texas football game and will air the game live at 2:30 p.m., on Oct. 6. The AT&T Red River Rivalry will be played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the location for the contest for every year since 1929. (SoonerSports.com)

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Chris Brown questionable against Colorado: Coach Bob Stoops said tailback Chris Brown's availability for Saturday's Big 12 Conference opener at Colorado would be determined through the week. Brown smacked the back of his head against the Skelly Field turf in last Friday's victory over Tulsa, after taking a hard hit from Hurricane defensive back John Destin. He stayed down for a few minutes before walking slowly to his sideline. (Tulsa World)

Sooners not content with start: SoonerSports.com

Breaking down Colorado: The Oklahoman

Stoops helped signal defensive plays: The Oklahoman

Williams out for season: Norman Transcript

Now we know what stirs Poke coach: Norman Transcript

OU defense passes first test of 2007: Tulsa World

OU's mixed signals: Tulsa World

Around the Big 12: Dallas Morning News

Big 12 opener has points, emotion: Dallas Morning News

Respectable won't be good enough vs. OU: Boulder Daily Camera

Buffs vow to not be intimidated by OU: Boulder Daily Camera

First Look -- Oklahoma: Boulder Daily Camera

Eye on the Sooners: Denver Post

Buffaloes win big in tune up game: Rocky Mountain News

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Sooners #3 in AP Poll; 4th in Coaches Poll: Oklahoma moved past Florida for the No. 3 slot in the latest AP poll released Sunday. The Sooners (4-0) rolled past Tulsa, 62-21, at Skelly Field for their first road win of the season. Texas (7), Missouri (20) and Nebraska (25) joined Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference in the polls. OU was ranked No. 4 in the latest coaches' poll with four first-place votes. This marked the 364th week Oklahoma was ranked in the top five of the AP poll, more than any other team. (Full Rankings available at SoonerSports.com)

AP Top 10 (First Place Votes), Pts.
1. USC (43) 1,601
2. LSU (22) 1,580
3. Oklahoma 1,456
4. Florida 1,417
5. West Virginia 1,388
6. California 1,263
7. Texas 1,196
8. Ohio State 1,193
9. Wisconsin 1,030
10. Rutgers 1,008
20. Missouri 401
25. Nebraska 134

USA Today Poll (First Place Votes), Pts.
1. USC (44) 1,481
2. LSU (8) 1,438
3. Florida (4) 1,437
4. Oklahoma (4) 1,336
5. West Virginia 1,260
6. California 1,137
7. Texas 1,103
8. Ohio State 1,092
9. Wisconsin 1,026
10. Rutgers 901
20. Missouri 369
22. Nebraska 209

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

John Williams to miss remainder of season with torn Achilles tendon: Oklahoma senior defensive end John Williams of Houston will miss the rest of the season with a torn left Achilles tendon. Williams suffered the injury on the fifth play of Tulsa's opening drive of the third quarter Friday night in the Sooners' 62-21 road win. Williams was using crutches on the sideline and wearing a protective boot on his lower left leg in the fourth quarter of the game. It's a tough loss for OU, which is already thin at defensive end. (Dallas Morning News)

Sooners scoring at blistering pace, but Stoops focused only on improvement: The Oklahoman

Peterson's most popular in purple: The Oklahoman

OU defense passes first test of 2007: Tulsa World

OU's Williams out for season: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- Malcolm moves up: Tulsa World

Racking up the points: Norman Transcript

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

OU defeat Tulsa easily 62-21: With so much talent, No. 4 Oklahoma can take turns scoring touchdowns. Allen Patrick ran for 145 yards and two TDs, Sam Bradford threw two long touchdown passes to Juaquin Iglesias and the Sooners outraced Tulsa 62-21 Friday night. DeMarco Murray made it into the end zone three times for the highest-scoring team in the nation twice on runs and once on a kickoff return. "We've just got a lot of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball a lot of them. A lot of people who whenever they touch the ball, you never know what they're going to do," Murray said. "Anyone can get six points whenever they touch it." (AP/ABC News)

Williams suffers injury: Defensive end John Williams suffered an ankle injury early in the second half while chasing after Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith. Williams, who entered the game with four tackles for losses and one sack, had his left ankle re-taped twice on the sideline. But did not re-enter the game. He remained on the sidelines throughout the remainder of the game, but wore an ice pack and was on crutches until the end of the game. (Norman Transcript)

Bradford sharp again as Sooners roll: Norman Transcript

Tulsa's flashy offense puts up fight; OU finally scores knockout: The Oklahoman

Sooners had hard time adjusting to Tulsa's wacky offense: The Oklahoman

Bradford shows he's not perfect: The Oklahoman

Graham: Mistakes cost TU: Tulsa World

OU plays pinball against Hurricane: Tulsa World

Sooners spread thin, but power way to win: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Stat: Sooners Vs. State Schools: The Sooners hold an all-time mark of 119-24-10 against the other colleges and universities located in the state of Oklahoma. OU is 14-7-1 vs. Tulsa, 78-16-7 vs. Oklahoma State, 2-0 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma, 17-1-1 vs. Central Oklahoma, 1-0 vs. East Central, 4-0 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma, 1-0 vs. Oklahoma Christian and 2-0 vs. Phillips. Oklahoma is 55-12-8 against the state in games played away from Norman (includes road and neutral field games). (More at SoonerSports.com)

When the Sooners visit Tulsa, everybody wins: The Oklahoman

Linebacer Lofton is OU's most indispensable player: The Oklahoman

Keys to the game: The Oklahoman

What they're saying: The Oklahoman

Wh's hot, who's not -- Tonight's passers, Sooners' schedule strength: The Oklahoman

Covering the spread: Norman Transcript

It's Tulsa's game, but you can blame OU: Norman Transcript

David, Goliath to clash: Tulsa World

OU has learned since '05: Tulsa World

Game No. 999 a big one for TU: Tulsa World

TU will draw from experience in past wins and bowl games: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- Wolfe recovering: Tulsa World

You got us, Bob -- our picks were botched: Tulsa World

OU-Tulsa Preview: Dallas Morning News

Sooners are heavy favorites: Los Angles Times

Oklahoma's Lofton tackles tradition: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

No. 4 Oklahoma at Tulsa: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Friday nights should be for high schools: Enid News and Eagle

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Stoops wouldn't put it past anyone to tape signals: Since New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 by the NFL for taping opposing coaches defensive signals, one of the biggest questions in college football has been are coaches spying on them. Stoops said OU has never caught anyone committing the crime Belichick was accused of. But he wouldn't be surprised if it's going on. "I haven't heard any, but I wouldn't put it past some guys," he said. (Norman Transcript)

Stoops: On playing on Friday Night: OU agreed to play on Friday so that Tulsa could be on national television (ESPN2), but not before OU athletic director Joe Castiglione checked with the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to see if high school administrators would object. They didn't. "If they had a strong feeling that this would really devastate (them), we wouldn't have done it,” Stoops said. "We're not going to make this a habit." (NewsOK.com)

Lewis Baker leads by example: SoonerSports.com

Tulsa's time: The Oklahoman

Whether OU was interested or not, Chamberlain found a home at TU: The Oklahoman

Malzahn's no-huddle offensive attack has Tulsa running around like its hair is on fire: The Oklahoman

Bittersweet reunion for coach pair: Tulsa World

Kelly leaving his mark: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- No spies allowed: Tulsa World

Know the Foe: Tulsa World

Stoops impressed with Tulsa QB Smith: Dallas Morning News

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Wolfe suffers strained quadriceps: OU co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Bobby Jack Wright said Wednesday that senior strong safety D.J. Wolfe should not be limited Friday by a mild quadriceps strain that has bothered him this week. But just in case, Wright has gotten extra work for a few other players at the strong safety position this week, namely senior Darien Williams and freshman Dominique Franks. "If an emergency came up, we've got guys that are ready to go,” Wright said. (NewsOK.com)

Lofton plays sick against Utah State: Curtis Lofton's effort against Utah State last week -- a career-high 12 tackles and his first career interception, which he returned 45 yards for TD -- was strong enough on its own merit. Then came defensive coordinator Brent Venables' disclosure Monday. "He was sick before the game, threw up all over the linebacker drills," Venables said. "There were noodles on the 26-yard line." Still sick, Lofton took several intravenous fluids Monday. (Tulsa World)

Heat was on in camp, now so is OU offense: The Oklahoman

Now no one's laughing at father of Tulsa quarterback: The Oklahoman

Lofton coming along strong: Norman Transcript

TU's Smith, Stoops traveled road not taken: Tulsa World

Tulsa regroups, adjusts for OU: Tulsa World

Grading the 'D': Tulsa World

Stoops calls TU's QB a competitor: MuskogeePhoenix

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

OU-Colorado game time announced: Fox Sports Net will broadcast OU's game at Colorado on Sept. 29. The game will kick off at 12:30 p.m. (NewsOK.com)

Single game OU-TU soldout; Ticket packages available: Single-game tickets have been sold out for the OU-TU football game. A limited number of mini-paks remain available. Mini-pak plans are a three-game package that includes tickets to the Oklahoma, UAB and Houston games. Prices are $102 and $90. Call 631-4688 to purchase a mini-pak. (Tulsa World)

Ryan Broyles receives deferred sentence and $100 fine: Update: Ryan Broyles arrested... Although they tried, Norman police investigators said Monday they never learned how a suspended University of Oklahoma football player got a key and an override code to a gas pump at a city convenience store. Ryan Broyles, 19, pleaded no contest in Cleveland County District Court Friday to a misdemeanor count of attempted petty larceny, effectively ending their investigation, Capt. Leonard Judy said. In an unscheduled court appearance, Broyles entered the plea before Special District Judge Reg Gaston. Gaston placed Broyles on a six-month deferred sentence and fined him $100. "Without anything further to go on, we essentially came to a dead end,” Judy said, implying that Broyles never told investigators how a key and code came into his possession. (NewsOK.com)

QB matchup highlights OU-TU QBs: The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award will highlight the game at Tulsa -- Sam Bradford versus Paul Smith -- as its marquee matchup for this week. Smith is on the O'Brien preseason watch list, and Bradford is among the nation's leaders in several statistical categories. The O'Brien Award this season has opened its voting to fans. Fans can vote once daily at cf,fgc www.DaveyOBrien.com. b = [100.0] The top three vote-getters will be added to the semifinalist list, and fan votes will then count 5 percent toward determining the finalists and winner. (Tulsa World)

The difference between Stoops and Gundy: Norman Transcript

Rotating Sooners stay fresh: Norman Transcript

Preserving history with a little English: The Oklahoman

Graham's message -- Tulsa won't be intimidated: The Oklahoman

UT's 3-0 record not very convincing: The Oklahoman

Sooners impressed by freshman's maturity: Tulsa World

Games on Friday will remain rare: Tulsa World

Win or lose, Friday is big for Tulsa: Tulsa World

Veteran QB, receivers key to TU's success: Tulsa World

OU's line keeps offense's heads spinning: Dallas Morning News

OU defense eyes toughest test yet: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

OU's Bradford has been season's biggest surprise: ESPN.com

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Oklahoma HS ADs and Coaches not in favor of Friday night college games: Lawton athletic director Steve Cothren said his district draws 70 percent of its annual revenue through football ticket sales. "The decision these three Oklahoma universities made to play on Friday was based on the revenue they will gain from the TV broadcast with a total disregard for the revenue Oklahoma high school athletic departments will lose," Cothren said. "I am not saying that because of these two football games we will not be able to fund athletics in Lawton. I am saying that the actions of these three universities are disappointing and show us that we are not important to them." (NewsOK.com)

Stoops: Lofton compares to great OU LBs in awhile: Bob Stoops speaking to the media on Curtis Lofton told them.. "He's playing as well as anyone we've had,” he ( Stoops) said. "Really, Ryan is, too." (NewsOK.com)

Patrick hopes to dominate Tulsa: “I expect us to go out and here and dominate,” running back Allen Patrick said. “That’s what we work on and that’s our goal, to go out and just dominate teams."(Tulsa World)

OU begins short week for Tulsa: SoonerSports.com

Sooner football heard in Spanish: Norman Transcript

Blowout doesn't help: Norman Transcript

Bradford's the real deal: Norman Transcript

Sooners face a test: The Oklahoman

OU missed out by not recruiting Smith: The Oklahoman

After win, OU falls in poll: The Oklahoman

Boren thinks Sooners have 50-50 chance of winning appeal: The Oklahoman

Stoops avoids Bradford all-star talk: Enid News

Around the Big 12: Dallas Morning News

Short week for No. 4 Oklahoma: Dallas Morning News

OU having success without early script: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

McCoy out against Utah State: Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Gerald McCoy didn't start for the first time this season and didn't get into the game. Backup Steven Coleman, a senior from Skyline, started in McCoy's place. McCoy broke the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand against Miami last week and has been wearing a cast ever since. McCoy said earlier this week that the cast slows him down.(Dallas Morning News)

Hartley career long: Garrett Hartley banged home a 53-yard field goal Saturday, a yard longer than his previous career best against Texas in 2005. "It came off my foot really well, with a little right-to-left draw," he said. "I couldn't tell how much I had to spare. It was good enough from 53, I know that." (Tulsa World)

Nichol #2 QB: True freshman Keith Nichol, who had been the Sooners' No. 3 quarterback in the previous two games, entered as the second-string signal caller Saturday. Nichol was 1-of-6 passing for 10 yards. He turned the ball over on a fumbled snap, but also threw a well-placed deep pass that Garrett Bothun could not pull in near the goal line. Joey Halzle also entered the game late, completing his only pass. (NewsOK.com)

OU Two minute drill: The Oklahoman

Guy says he's long been aware of Murray: The Oklahoman

Utah State a bargain: The Oklahoman

OU by the numbers: The Oklahoman

Game balls: The Oklahoman

How can anyone stop these Sooners?: The Oklahoman

Offensive line key to long TD runs: The Oklahoman

Patrick goes 69 yards...then gets outdone: The Oklahoman

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Sooners rout Utah State 54-3: Since Sam Bradford took over as quarterback, winning sure seems simple for No. 3 Oklahoma. Bradford threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns in another efficient performance, and the Sooners notched their third blowout of the season with a 54-3 win against Utah State on Saturday. "Nothing's easy at all, but I got in that rhythm early and I did feel I got a lot of confidence that way and saw things very clearly," said Bradford, a redshirt freshman who entered the game as the nation's top-rated passer. "I felt really comfortable today." Bradford completed his first 11 passes -- including two for scores -- to reach 21 straight passes without an incompletion. He'd already had a school-record run of 22 straight completions that ended in the Sooners' 51-13 rout of Miami last week. Malcolm Kelly caught his sixth and seventh touchdown passes of the season and Allen Patrick showed his sprained ankle has fully healed with a 69-yard TD sprint as the Sooners (3-0) piled it on again. (AP/SoonerSports.com)

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Sooners' WR bunch shines: While you're at it, keep an eye on OU's wide receivers this afternoon, and not just after they've caught passes. "I don't think since I've been here I've seen that group play that hard," Sooner wide receivers coach Kevin Sumlin said of last week's victory over Miami. "They went after it both run and pass. It makes you feel good as coaches because we've been harping on that." The willingness of Malcolm Kelly, Manuel Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias to block is especially crucial on the bubble screen passes Sam Bradford likes to throw, and when tailback DeMarco Murray turns a run outside, as he is prone to do. (Tulsa World)

Oklahoma Connection: Utah State coach Brent Guy graduated from Oklahoma State in 1983 and served as graduate assistant and linebackers coach at OSU. But he has downplayed the significance of returning to Oklahoma Saturday. “That’s not what the game is about,” he said. “The game will be about our guys going in there and playing against a team that’s ranked in the top three in the country." (Norman Transcript)

Box may be redshirted? Even though coach Bob Stoops said linebacker Austin Box would be one of three freshmen to play this season, Box has yet to step on the field, suggesting he will redshirt this year. "I wasn't completely sold,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "He could play, but we're in a situation health-wise we don't have to do that. "In the end, I think he gets more value picking up that year down the road.” (NewsOK.com)

What's a coach to do when the game turns into a blowout?: The Oklahoman

Iglesias and Gresham lead the way with 11 receptions, but Kelly has five TDs: The Oklahoman

Keys to the game: The Oklahoman

Point/Counterpoint: The Oklahoman

OU grad assistant glad to be with Sooners: Tulsa World

OU Notebook -- Sooner spies?: Tulsa World

Pundits are impressed by Sooners: Tulsa World

Pull up those bandwagon reins: Tulsa World

5 Storylines: Tulsa World

Letdown?: Norman Transcript

Bradford's story could be one for the ages: Norman Transcript

Can Oklahoma continue hot start?: Dallas Morning News

Fast-starting OU keeps level head: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

New-look Ags try to slow Sooners: Salt Lake City Tribune

Sooners taking Ags seriously: Salt Lake Tribune

Aggies pay high price for cash: Salt Lake Tribune

Aggie coaches, players have ties to Oklahoma: Utah Statesman

Aggies focus on playing error-free: Desert News

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Sooners' Harris honored: Oklahoma junior free safety Nic Harris has been selected to the 16th annual Good Works Team, chosen by the American Football Coaches Association to recognize football players’ involvement in their communities. There are two 11-man teams, one for Division I-A and one for all other college football divisions.Harris was president and is an active member of Bridge- Builders, an African-American Student-Athlete network group at OU. He helped BridgeBuilders foster relationships with students at Madison Elementary School and residents of Brookhaven Nursing Center, and teamed with Norman’s Food for Friends Community Action Agency to serve lunch to the less fortunate in the community. BridgeBuilders also raised money to provide Thanksgiving dinners to needy families in the Norman area. (Tulsa World)

Caleb out: OU co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin confirmed that second-string receiver Brandon Caleb will not play Saturday. Caleb, a sophomore, suffered what coach Bob Stoops called a slight knee sprain during practice last week. Coaches have offered no timetable for Caleb's return. (NewsOK.com)

Report: Sooners add Fuller commitment: Jeff Fuller, a wide receiver from McKinney, Texas, has given a verbal commitment to Oklahoma, according to recruiting Web site Rivals.com. The 6-4, 200- pound Fuller, who attended last week’s victory over Miami, reportedly announced he would not take scheduled visits to Florida and Ohio State.(Tulsa World)

Utah State quotes on Oklahoma: SoonerSports.com

Sooner vision -- An eighth national title?: The Oklahoman

Longhorns casting wary eye northward toward dominant Sooners: The Oklahoman

Smith returns to Sooners' sidelines: The Oklahoman

Kelly has become Sooners' top offensive threat: Norman Transcript

Zaslaw's effort rewarded: Tulsa World

OU -- Know the foe: Tulsa World

OU Questions: Tulsa World

Maturity paying off for Sooners: Dallas Morning News

Bradford for Heisman? Not so fast, pardner: Houston Chronicle

Stoops works his QB alchemy once more: CBS Sportsline

Do top teams have championship QBs?: FoxSports.com

No way USC, LSU, Oklahoma all go undefeated: SI.com

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Updated: OU wants secondary violation dropped: As previously posted; After consulting with a fellow Big 12 Conference school, Oklahoma wants the NCAA to strike a self-reported secondary rules violation from its record. Oklahoma reported that it had broken NCAA rules when it hung jerseys with three prospects' high school numbers in the Sooners' locker room when the recruits came to visit. The university's executive director of compliance, Jason Leonard, subsequently sent a letter to the NCAA asking to have that violation removed, according to documents obtained Friday through an open records request by The Associated Press. Leonard wrote that Oklahoma heard from compliance staff at Missouri after they'd read an AP story published June 12 detailing secondary violations that had been self-reported by Oklahoma. Leonard wrote that he was informed that Missouri – in a similar situation – had been told by a former NCAA official in 2005 that no secondary violation had occurred in that instance. (AP/Dallas Morning News) (8-11-07)
Update 2: University of Oklahoma secondary violations removed: The Oklahoma football program had a self-reported secondary NCAA violation removed from its record, according to documents obtained Tuesday by The Oklahoman. Oklahoma originally reported that it had broken NCAA rules when it hung jerseys with three prospects' high school numbers in the Sooners' locker room when the recruits came to visit. In a letter dated July 18, NCAA Associate Director for Enforcement of Secondary Violations, Renee Gomila, wrote that "based upon additional information (OU) submitted, it was confirmed by membership services that under the specific facts of this case, no violation of NCAA legislation occurred inasmuch as personalized numbers and names were not placed on the jerseys displayed during the prospects' visits.” (NewsOK.com)

McCoy suffers broken hand; unlikely to start against Utah State: Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy broke a bone in his right hand on Saturday against Miami but was able to practice Monday with a cast protecting the injury. He said the injury occurred during the Sooners goal-line stand that ultimately ended with a Hurricanes touchdown. McCoy said having a cast over four fingers does hinder his effectiveness, but doesn't actually hurt. "I'm working to get better every day so it won't slow me down," he said. (Tulsa World)

Updated: OU's Patrick suffered cramps: Oklahoma RB Allen Patrick did not play after two carries in the third quarter, but did not reinjure his right ankle, instead suffering leg cramps. (Star-Telegram)(9-9-07)
Update 1: Patrick expected to play Saturday: Coach Bob Stoops said senior running back Allen Patrick has worked at full speed this week in practice and is expected to play Saturday. (Dallas Morning News)

Limited OU-Utah State tickets available: The University of Oklahoma has received a limited number of tickets from Utah State, this week's opponent, and has those tickets on sale now. Tickets are available online, by calling the Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668 or 405-325-2424) or in person from the Athletics Ticket Office on the west side of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on the plaza level of the Asp Avenue parking garage. The office's regular business hours are Monday-Friday between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets for the game are $47.00 and are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. (SoonerSports.com)

Hartley on his missed attempted: “It definitely rattled me a little bit,” he (Garrett Hartley) said Tuesday. “I try to be perfect with everything regardless if it’s a field goal or extra point and when it hit off the left upright I kind of was in shock at first, but I have moved on. I watched film and I know what happened and it was just a timing issue.” (Norman Transcript)

Clapp may be redshirted: Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said FB Matt Clapp might redshirt because of the play of Dane Zaslaw and the use of TE Brody Eldridge. (Star-Telegram)

Tuesday post-practice coverage: SoonerSports.com

Utah State quotes on Oklahoma: SoonerSports.com

Comparisons between Bradford, White already being made: The Oklahoman

Bradford's play keeps Nichol on sideline: The Oklahoman

Stoops -- Too early to gauge this year's team: The Oklahoman

OU notes: The Oklahoman

OU's rising star: Tulsa World

Are we in a cube-shaped world?: Tulsa World

Stoops -- Players don't hear the hype: Tulsa World

Sooners good, young: Norman Transcript

OU starting DT slowed by broken right hand: Dallas Morning News

Bar fight between OU, UT fans fuels rivalry: Dallas Morning News

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

OSU's Gundy favors ninth conference game; Stoops favors only if...: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Monday he would prefer to do away with the Big 12's divisional format and have each team play nine conference games instead of eight. Gundy said he proposed the change at the conference's spring meetings, but "everybody laughed at me." Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said he would support adding a ninth game, but only if it meant eliminating the conference championship game and the North and South divisions. "That's the extra game maybe that everybody's looking for, I don't know," Stoops said. "That's not a bad idea, but I don't see how it would work with two divisions. Those other teams that do (play nine games) don't have divisions like we do." Under the nine-game format, Stoops didn't think it would be practical to have the top two teams in the division play a championship game when the Big Ten and Pac-10 don't have title games. "Now your BCS opportunities aren't real good if you're just going to take the two best teams in the championship game," Stoops said. "Your likelihood of getting two in any BCS games is pretty much out the window. I don't see financially why that would work." (AP/SI.com)

Caleb may return this week? Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Caleb wasn't in pads for the Miami game due to knee injury. "He got a slight sprain on Thursday where a guy fell into him. It was kind of a freaky thing that happened to him late in the week," Stoops said. "We're hoping he'll be back this week. We'll see." Caleb is listed as a second-team wide receiver, but hasn't caught a pass this season. (Norman Transcript)

Oklahoma-Utah State available on PPV: The Oklahoma-Utah State game on Saturday, Sept. 15 will be televised live on pay-per-view by Big 12 Special Order Sports, FSN Southwest's pay-per-view division. The game, which is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT, will be available on participating cable television systems in Oklahoma and Texas and nationwide to satellite dish customers. The suggested retail price is $29.95. A list of participating programming providers carrying the PPV telecast will be announced later this week. Fans should check with their local programming provider for price and availability in their area. The game is being televised on pay-per-view because it wasn't selected for over-the-air broadcast or cable television coverage. Under conference TV rules, games not picked up for regular television distribution can only be televised live on pay-per-view, giving fans the option to watch a game they otherwise wouldn't be able to see. Participating cable and satellite TV providers will offer the telecast to their customers on a designated pay-per-view channel. The telecast will not pre-empt FSN Southwest's regularly-scheduled programming. (SoonerSports PR)

Sooners refocus for Utah State: SoonerSports.com

OU gives definition of extra benefits: The Oklahoman

Peterson is new leading man: The Oklahoman

OU football notebook: The Oklahoman

Title buzz surrounds Sooners: Tulsa World

Stoops asked -- Does this OU team compare to 2000 national champs?: Tulsa World

Guy set to face old foe in Sooners: Tulsa World

OU coaches not worried about overconfidence: Dallas Morning News

LSU, Oklahoma the best two teams in the country: Atlanta Journal Constitution