Oklahoma Sooners News

Oklahoman — NEW YORK — ESPN will broadcast 15 Bowl Championship Series games from 2011 to 2014.The network and the BCS announced a new four-year contract Tuesday. ESPN outbid Fox, which is in the midst of a four-year deal to televise the games.The agreement covers the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls each year and the BCS title game from 2011 to 2013.The Rose Bowl will continue to be televised on ESPN broadcast partner ABC through 2010 under a separate, previous contract.see more on NewsOK.com

Oklahoman — Gresham a Mackey semifinalist Junior Jermaine Gresham was named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, given each year to the top tight end in college football.On the season, Gresham has 36 catches for 553 yards and nine touchdowns. Gresham already has 21 career touchdown grabs, the most ever by a Sooner tight end.Other Mackey semifinalists include Chase Coffman (Missouri), Jared Cook (South Carolina), Mark Hafner (Houston), Branden Ledbetter (Western Michigan), Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State), Dennis Pitta (BYU) and D.J. Williams (Arkansas).The winner will be announced Dec. 11 during th...

Oklahoman — Langston, NWOSU make playoffs Langston and Northwestern Oklahoma State have qualified for the NAIA football playoffs.The top 16 teams in the rankings qualify. Langston (9-2) finished ninth in the final poll, and Northwestern (8-2) was No. 10.First-round games are Saturday. Langston will play at unbeaten Mid-America Nazarene in Olathe, Kan. Northwestern faces undefeated Friends in Wichita, Kan.OU RUNNER QUALIFIESOklahoma sophomore Kelly Waters qualified for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships, scheduled next Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. Waters was the only Sooner to make the field afte...

Oklahoman — NORMAN — Bob Stoops dispelled the possibility Monday of injured defensive ends Alan Davis and Auston English making an unexpected return for Saturday’s game against Texas Tech.That means Oklahoma linebacker J.R. Bryant and defensive tackle Pryce Macon will be backing up starters Frank Alexander and Jeremy Beal at defensive end against an offense that leads the nation in pass attempts and fewest sacks allowed."We’re going to have to step up, but it’s up to those two to step up also,” Beal said. "We have to rush the passer.”Be...

Oklahoman — The irony to the Big 12 having its best season in league history is the conference doesn’t have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill all its bowl affiliations.That’s the tradeoff for having five teams ranked in the top 15 nationally.Fans in Ames, Manhattan and College Station haven’t enjoyed 20-, 30- and 40-point blowouts. But Big 12 football has never created a bigger buzz nationally.And it’s far from over.We know Missouri will be in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 6 for the Big 12 title game.But with two weeks left, it’s still uncertain who the Tiger...

Oklahoman — NORMAN — Texas Tech’s 10-0 start can largely be explained by three statistics.Four-hundred ninety-nine pass attempts. Six interceptions thrown. Five sacks allowed. Tech’s penchant for avoiding negative plays has been remarkable.In back-to-back wins over Texas and Oklahoma State, Red Raider quarterback Graham Harrell threw 103 times with eight TDs, no picks and was only sacked once. The challenge for Oklahoma defense’s this weekend against Tech will be to continue what it has been doing over the last month: inflicting negative plays on its opponent. Since...

Oklahoman — →Location: Lubbock, Texas→Nickname: Red Raiders→Record: 10-0, 6-0 Big 12→Last game: The Red Raiders scored on seven straight possessions and Graham Harrell threw for six TDs as Tech rolled past Oklahoma State 56-20 last weekend.→Best player: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree is a star, but at the moment Harrell is the favorite to win the Heisman. Harrell has thrown for 4,077 yards and 36 TDs to just five interceptions. →Why they could win: The Red Raider offense has been invincible lately, but improved defense is why Tech is in the natio...

Oklahoman — NORMAN — First glance at Oklahoma’s non-conference men’s basketball schedule doesn’t reveal the potential peril that awaits the Sooners in the season’s initial months.Dig deeper – beginning with tonight’s opener against American University – and it becomes clear that there’s no easing into things for No. 12-ranked OU."We think it’s a very challenging schedule that may not have tons of huge-name teams,” said Sooners coach Jeff Capel, "but it’s more quality teams and ...