Sooners lower boom on Mizzou 62-21

[December 08, 2008]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Sam Bradford and Oklahoma wanted to drive home one point: They belong in the BCS championship game.

The No. 4 Sooners did that with a 62-21 blowout of No. 19 Missouri for the Big 12 title Saturday night.

Taking advantage of an opportunity many felt it didn't deserve, the highest-scoring team in major college football history romped to a third straight conference crown and became the first to reach 60 points in five consecutive games in 89 years.

"We were tired about hearing everyone talking about how we didn't deserve to be in the game," Oklahoma quarterback Bradford said. "It was a big motivator for us.

"I don't see how we could not be No. 1 tomorrow."

No need to worry, two is just as good, and if all goes accordingly Sunday, Oklahoma (12-1) will be in the top two of the Bowl Championship Series standings, looking at a title game matchup against No. 2 Florida on Jan. 8 in Miami.

Touted as the best two conferences in college football this season, it seems appropriate their champions will play for the national title.

For Oklahoma and coach Bob Stoops, it'll be their fourth appearance in a BCS national championship game. The Sooners won their first try in 2001 against Florida State, but have lost their last two -- to LSU after the 2003 season and to Southern California after the 2004 campaign.

The Sooners' losing streak in BCS games overall is four, taking some of the luster off a coach who earned the nickname "Big Game Bob" early in his tenure.

No one would argue with Big 12 Bob, though. Stoops improved to 6-1 in the conference title game. No other Big 12 team has won more than two in the 13-year history of the league.

This one was over by halftime. By then Bradford had already put up Heisman-worthy numbers, with 240 yards and two touchdown passes, and the Sooners led 38-7. Along the way they zoomed past Hawaii's NCAA record 656 points set in 2006.

The Sooners kept trying to put up more points until the end. Chase Daniel and Missouri (9-4) never really had a chance.

Oklahoma became the first team to score at least 60 in five straight games since Tulsa in 1919, STATS LLC said.

"Sam Bradford again is just sensational," Stoops said. "The defense really stepped up. We had a huge lead before they gave up anything in the second half."

Even Boomer and Sooner, the white ponies who pull the Boomer Schooner around after OU scores, cut out early. They took a short trot after Jimmy Stevens kicked a 30-yard field goal that made it 41-7 with 9:00 left in the third quarter and called it a night.

Bradford, injured non-throwing hand and all, didn't even have it that easy. He was still playing in the fourth quarter and finished with a Big 12 championship game record 384 yards.

Expect the sophomore to be in New York next Saturday when the Heisman Trophy is handed out, along with fellow Big 12 quarterbacks Colt McCoy of Texas and Graham Harrell of Texas Tech.

Maybe, Texas can beat Oklahoma in that competition. Surely it won't make it any easier for the Longhorns to watch the Sooners, a team they beat in October 45-35, play for the national title.

Oklahoma and Texas finished in a three-way tie for the Big 12 South title with Texas Tech, but the Sooners' victory over Texas Tech, combined with Tech's win against Texas, made head-to-head moot. According to Big 12 rules, the poll voters and computer ratings used by the BCS were left to break the deadlock, and the Sooners got the nod.

Texas fans have done all they could to remind anyone paying attention about their team's victory in Dallas, setting up Web sites, handing out signs and flying banners from planes -- including one over Arrowhead Stadium before the Big 12 title game that read "Enjoy the BeatByTexas.com Bowl."

Yes, the Longhorns also beat Missouri in the regular season.

But it wasn't enough to combat the Sooners' dominance. Since losing to Texas, Oklahoma has won seven straight games by a combined score of 419-205.

[Associated Press; By RALPH D. RUSSO]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.