• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Baylor-Oklahoma Preview

Oct 9, 2009 - 5:22 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Baylor (3-1) at No. 1 Oklahoma (2-2), 3:30 p.m. EDT

Oklahoma is looking for a way to salvage its season. Facing Baylor with reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford under center could be a good start.

Starting for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in the season opener, Bradford looks to help the 19th-ranked Sooners bounce back from their second loss as they try to continue their dominance of Baylor in both teams' Big 12 opener Saturday in Norman.

Ranked third to open the season and poised to contend for a national championship, Oklahoma (2-2) is all but out of the title race and left hoping for a fourth straight Big 12 crown after a 21-20 loss at then-No. 17 Miami last Saturday.

That result came almost a month after the Sooners fell to then-No. 20 BYU 14-13 in Arlington, Texas. Bradford left that game late in the first half after spraining the AC joint in his throwing shoulder while being driven to the turf by a defender.

Landry Jones threw 10 touchdowns and three interceptions as Bradford's replacement, but the Sooners are happy to have their starter ready for the conference opener.

"Sam has had a great week of practice and is ready to play," coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. "We're obviously excited to have him back."

Bradford, considered a top NFL prospect, said earlier in the week there was a chance he could still need surgery in the offseason, but he's also been told there shouldn't be an elevated risk of re-injuring the shoulder by playing.

"I really don't think there's much concern for me taking a hit. From everything that I've received from the doctors, it's like taking any other hit. It can't do much more damage," said Bradford, who led the nation with 50 touchdowns and threw only eight interceptions in 2008.

"The odds of me hurting it now are just like the odds of me hurting it before anything happened to it."

While much of the focus has been on Bradford's injury, the junior is concentrating on getting Oklahoma back on track.

"To win another Big 12 championship and become the first team to win four straight Big 12 championships, I still think there's a lot in front of this team," he said.

Bradford has thrown for 725 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in two games against Baylor, helping Oklahoma improve to 18-0 in the series.

Even with their starting quarterback back on the field Saturday, the Sooners could find themselves relying on running back DeMarco Murray. Murray was held to 80 yards on 23 carries last week, but has rushed for 191 yards on 39 attempts with five TDs in two games versus Baylor.

Murray will be especially important because tight end Jermaine Gresham is out for the season with a knee injury and Ryan Broyles - the Sooners' leading receiver with 346 yards and seven touchdowns - will be out two to four weeks with a broken left shoulder blade.

"They're still a very good football team," Baylor coach Art Briles said. "Oklahoma is a very, very talented, well-coached, physical football team and we understand that."

Though Oklahoma's defense has developed a strong reputation by ranking fourth in the nation allowing 8.7 points per contest and 10th by giving up 253.0 yards per game, the Sooners yielded 21 straight points against Miami.

The Sooners, though, have had little problem taking care of the Bears. Only three of their 18 victories against Baylor have been decided by fewer than 10 points.

The Bears, who are without star quarterback Robert Griffin because of a knee injury, are coming off a 31-15 victory over Kent State last Saturday.

Making his collegiate debut, Nick Florence was 20 of 27 for 216 yards and rushed for 60 as the Bears compiled 374 total yards - including 216 on the ground.

Florence's second start could be more daunting in front of a packed house in Norman. The freshman could get help if senior running back Jay Finley is able to return after missing the last two contests with an ankle injury.

Finley's rushed for 212 yards on 22 carries this season, but just 64 on 15 attempts in two games against Oklahoma.

Baylor has lost 18 consecutive games against Top 25 opponents dating to a 35-34 overtime win over then-No. 16 Texas A&M on Oct. 30, 2004.