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Brown, Murray lead No. 4 Oklahoma in rout

Aug 31, 2008 - 6:34 AM NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- Inclement weather just delayed the inevitable for Chattanooga.

Chris Brown ran for three touchdowns and DeMarco Murray added two scores on the ground as No. 4 Oklahoma rolled to a 57-2 triumph over Chattanooga in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

Murray gained 124 yards on 15 carries and Manuel Johnson hauled in nine passes for 119 yards and a TD for the Sooners, who improved to 87-21-6 in seasons openers.

"It was a good performance to start out my senior year," Johnson said. "I felt good and made some plays. It was what you expect to accomplish in a season opener."

After leading the nation in passing efficiency as a freshman last season, Sam Bradford completed 17-of-22 attempts for 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Oklahoma raised its record to 9-1 in openers under coach Bob Stoops.

"We came out and played really clean," Bradford said. "It was definitely a confidence booster, gaining more and more with each drive."

Entering the season with high expectations, the Sooners got to work early against the Moccasins, scoring touchdowns on each of their first seven possessions. Brown opened the scoring with a 10-yard run at 2:28 and Murray made it 14-0 with a 1-yard rush exactly three minutes later.

Bradford found Quentin Chaney from three yards out with 3:55 to go in the first quarter, and Murray added another 1-yard TD run with 21 seconds left, giving Oklahoma a 27-0 bulge.

Following a safety early in the second, Brown had a 10-yard scoring run and Bradford completed TD passes to Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias for a 50-0 halftime cushion.

"We got off looking good and did what we wanted to as an offense," Johnson said. "I think the team is at a better starting point at this time of the year than we were at the same time last season. So that is something very promising."

"Manny had some great plays tonight, but he's been a good receiver for a long time, and I have a lot of confidence in his abilities," Bradford said. "He showed up tonight and did exactly what I already knew he could do. It wasn't nothing I didn't already expect from him."

As if things were not bad enough for Chattanooga, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning rolled in during intermission, forcing a 72-minute delay.

"We didn't know what was really going on," Moccasins coach Rodney Allison said. "We were just sitting there. We were trying to get information because I have never been in that situation before and I didn't know what the options were."

"It's always a mental game and requires focus," Iglesias said. "I didn't feel like we were out for that long, and when we came back out, we were just as hyped as we were at the beginning of the game. It didn't take anything away from the excitement."

The break apparently cooled off Oklahoma, however, as Brown's 1-yard run accounted for the Sooners' only score in the second half.

"(The offense) is still a work in progress, especially the second string," Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. "It was good to get those guys going, but we have to work our way through some glitches and communication problems."

The Moccasins recorded their only points of the game when Sooners punter Mike Knall chased down a bad snap and knocked the ball out of the end zone for a safety 1:45 into the third quarter.

Shaun Kermah carried 17 times for 37 yards for Chattanooga, which was outgained, 487-36, in total yards.

"It wasn't great on our part by any means," Allison said. "It might have been great on their part. They are good. I coached at Clemson for four years and Auburn for six years, and they look like the real deal to me. ... That might be the best combination - defensive and offensive lines - in the country.

"We got whipped up front. That's what it looked like. Our inexperience showed, particularly in this caliber of game with some youth up front on offense. That might be a national champion right there. I am impressed."