Sooners' Bradford proves that he belongs
Quarterback sets OU's consecutive completion record
Sooners' Bradford proves that he belongs

By Jake Trotter

Published: September 9, 2007

NORMAN — Just after Sam Bradford delivered his first pass to Juaquin Iglesias, 286-pound defensive tackle Teraz McCray flattened the young quarterback.

For a moment, Bradford grimaced.

Then, he got up, and completed three straight passes — the last a 24-yard touchdown strike to Malcolm Kelly on a quick post.

Oklahoma's biggest question mark coming into this season is now an exclamation point. OU has a championship-caliber quarterback to go along with the rest of its championship-caliber team.

Bradford passed for 205 yards and five touchdowns as No. 5 Oklahoma destroyed Miami 51-13 in front of a record 85,357 fans Saturday at Owen Field.

"I've heard that,” Bradford said of his previous question-mark status. "People don't think you're that good or don't deserve to be here, and I think that's got to be motivation to prove that you belong at this level.”

The redshirt freshman proved he more than belongs, carving up one of the nation's top defenses.

Bradford finished 19 of 25 passing, connecting on his first four passes to break the school record for consecutive completions with 22.

Every ball he threw, it seemed, hit his receivers in the chest.

"He's putting it right on the money,” said Kelly, who caught three Bradford touchdowns.

With apologies to Texas' Colt McCoy and Missouri's Chase Daniel, Bradford so far looks like the best quarterback in the Big 12.

After two games, Bradford is 40 of 48 passing (83 percent) for 568 yards, with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

"He did a great job, he really did,” Miami coach Randy Shannon said. "He got the ball where it was supposed to be at, and the coaching staff did a good job of calling the plays.

"Hats off to him.”

Perhaps most impressively, though, Bradford took over when the Sooners really needed him to. In the second half with OU clinging to a 21-13 lead, Bradford led the Sooners on four straight scoring drives, putting the game far out of reach.

"It wasn't really a concern,” he said. "I just knew that we had to come out on fire those first few drives.”

Bradford took a late hit from linebacker Tavares Gooden, but popped up and two plays later connected with tight end Jermaine Gresham for a 6-yard touchdown.

After an OU field goal, he took another shot from defensive end Courtney Harris, but not before floating a 30-yard spiral to Kelly in the corner of the end zone.

And for the exclamation point?

Bradford checked off a play designed for Kelly and dumped the ball in the flat to fullback Dane Zaslaw, who somersaulted over the goal line for Bradford's fifth touchdown pass.

"Sure, this gives him confidence,” coach Bob Stoops said. "But I don't feel he's lacking any.”

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