MIAMI TRAVELS TO NO. 6 OKLAHOMA
Sept. 4, 2007
Miami-Oklahoma Release
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GAME 2
MIAMI HURRICANES
at OKLAHOMA SOONERS
When: Saturday, September 8, 2007, at Noon EST
Where: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (natural grass; 82,112) in Miami
TV: The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC, with Ron Franklin (play by play), Ed Cunningham (analysis) and Jimmy Dykes (field reporter).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4.
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
National Radio: The game will be broadcast nationally on SportsUSA Radio and XM Radio.
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WWWK 105.5 FM and WPIK 102.5 FM with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Oklahoma (www.soonersports.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME
The Randy Shannon Era has begun, and after an impressive 31-3 season-opening victory over Marshall, things get tougher when the Miami Hurricanes make their first road trip of the season to face the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday in Norman, Okla. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.
This is the first meeting between Miami and Oklahoma since the 1980s, when the two schools had three memorable matchups, with the Hurricanes winning all three games. In 1985, Troy Aikman was injured and Jamelle Holieway took over. Although Miami won the game 27-14 in Norman, Okla., the Sooners won the national championship that season. A year later, in 1986, the two schools were ranked No. 1 and 2, and the game matched Vinny Testaverde and Michael Irvin against Brian Bosworth and Co., with Miami winning 28-16 in a classic and Testaverde throwing for four touchdowns. A year later, on January 1, 1998, the teams met in the Orange Bowl Classic for the national championship, with Miami prevailing 20-14 to win its second national title. The two schools also played in 1973 and 1975, with Oklahoma winning both times.
Oklahoma won its 2007 season opener 79-10 over North Texas at home. Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford passed for 363 yards and three touchdowns, and wide receiver Juaqu Iglesias caught seven passes for 128 yards, with Malcolm Kelly making four catches for 118 yards and two TDs. The Sooners also gained 265 yards on the ground and held North Texas to 232 total yards.
This is the first game of a home-and-home series. The Hurricanes will host Oklahoma on Sept. 12, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium.
The Hurricanes have lost their last two road openers, at Louisville in 2006 and at Florida State in 2005. Prior to that, UM had won four consecutive road openers.
In their season opener, the Hurricanes were led by a opportunistic defense and a powerful running game. The defense held Marshall to 234 yards while intercepting four passes and making six sacks, the team’s most in three years. DL Vegas Franklin recorded two sacks, DE Eric Moncur had 1.5 sacks, and All-America DE Calais Campbell had five tackles and the team’s first interception by a defensive lineman since 2001. The UM running game totaled 260 yards rushing, with true freshman Graig Cooper rushing for 116 yards in his first collegiate game and sophomore Javarris James gaining 99 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Cooper’s performance was the best ever by a Miami running back in his debut game.
THE OPPONENT
Oklahoma is 1-0, after having defeated North Texas 79-10 last Saturday in Norman, Okla. In 2006, Oklahoma finished 11-3 and won the Big 12 championship before losing in the Fiesta Bowl to Boise State in that thrilling come-from-behind victory for the Broncos. Oklahoma has won seven national championships, its last in 2000.
THE SERIES
This will be the six meeting between the two schools, and Miami has a 3-2 lead in the series, having won the last three games. In the last meeting, Miami won the 1987 national championship with a 20-14 win over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl Classic.
THE COACHES
Randy Shannon is 1-0 at Miami. Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops is 87-19 in nine seasons.
A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE SOONERS WOULD
Give Miami a 2-0 record and thrust them back into the top 20 for the first time in a year. It would also give Miami a 2-0 start for the first time since 2004.
MIAMI AGAINST THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE
The Hurricanes have played 10 of the current members of the Big 12 conference and have compiled a 31-19 record against the league. Miami is scheduled to play two Big 12 schools in 2007. After its bout with Oklahoma, Miami will welcome Texas A&M to the Orange Bowl 12 days later for a nationally televised Thursday night game. Here’s a breakdown of UM against the Big 12: Team Series Record
Baylor 6-3 Colorado 3-5 Iowa State 0-0 Kansas 4-0 Kansas St. 0-0 Missouri 3-0 Nebraska 5-5 Oklahoma 3-2 Oklahoma St. 1-0 Texas A&M 0-1 Texas 2-2 Texas Tech 4-1 Record 31-19
HURRICANES ON THE WATCH LISTS
Several Hurricanes have been named to preseason watch lists for some of the top awards in college football. Here’s the list:
Bednarik Award (top defensive player) — DE Calais Campbell and S Kenny Phillips
Hendricks Award (top defensive end) — DE Calais Campbell
Lombardi Award (top lineman) — DE Calais Campbell
John Mackey Award (top tight end) — TE DajLeon Farr
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player) — DE Calais Campbell
Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back) — SS Kenny Phillips
Doak Walker Award (top running back) — RB Javarris James
NO RUNNING VS. THE HURRICANES
Miami held Marshall to 51 yards rushing on 32 carries for an average of 1.6 yards per carry. In its last 14 games, the Miami defense has only allowed one team to rush for more than 100 yards against it. The Hurricanes allowed 132 yards rushing against Virginia on Nov. 18, 2006 to snap a 10-game streak of holding opponents under 100 yards rushing. UM’s 2006 rush defense ranked fourth in the NCAA, giving up 67.8 yards per game.
GAME NOTES FROM MARSHALL
Graig Cooper put together the best debut for a Miami freshman running back, finishing with 116 yards on 12 carries for a 9.7-yard per carry average.
Javarris James rushed for 50 yards or more in a quarter for the fifth time in his career. He had six carries for 50 yards in today’s first quarter versus Marshall and finished the game with 99 yards on 14 carries. Other 50-plus yard outings include: 55 yards in first quarter at Georgia Tech (Oct. 28, 2006), including a 49-yard run… 76 yards in third quarter vs. North Carolina (10/7/06), including a 62-yard run… 63 yards in first quarter and 80 yards in third quarter versus Houston (9/30/06) to finish with a career-high 148 yards on 18 carries.
Miami’s five scoring drives averaged one minute, 46 seconds (1:46) … The quickest scoring drive lasted just six seconds, while the longest lasted three minutes, 36 seconds (3:36). Miami’s 341 total yards of offense are the most by the team since a 420-yard offensive showing in a 14-13 win over Houston on Sept. 30, 2006.
Miami’s six sacks were the most since the Hurricanes posted seven versus Louisiana Tech on Sept. 18, 2004, in a 48-0 Miami win.
Francesco Zampogna’s 34-yard field goal in the first quarter marked the first first quarter points in a season opener for the Hurricanes since facing Louisiana Tech on Aug. 28, 2003, and the 10 first-quarter points are the most by the Hurricanes since then. Miami is 190-19 all time when scoring first.
Senior Spencer Adkins made it two picks by Hurricane linebackers with an interception in the third quarter. The last time a pair of Miami linebackers recorded a pick was in a 65-7 rout of Washington on Nov. 24, 2001, when Chris Campbell and Jonathan Vilma grabbed two of Miami’s six interceptions in the game.
Miami’s captains for the game were DE Calais Campbell and OL Derrick Morse.
Miami’s defense has given up more than 20 points just twice in each of the last two seasons. The Hurricanes gave up just 51 rushing yards – the fewest yards allowed since Miami held Boston College to 24 yards on 25 carries in the Hurricanes’ 17-14 win on Nov. 23, 2006.
Freshman Graig Cooper eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in his collegiate debut versus Marshall, finishing with 116 yards on 12 carries.
Senior Tavares Gooden recorded his first career interception in the first quarter, returning the ball 35 yards before being stopped the 1-yard line. Six seconds later, junior DajLeon Farr caught his first career touchdown reception on Kirby Freeman’s first touchdown pass of 2007.
Junior Calais Campbell recorded his first career interception in the second quarter. He was the first defensive lineman to pick off a ball since William Joseph versus Virginia Tech on Dec. 1, 2001, in a 26-24 Miami win.
