Sooners have overcome obstacles

It might look like the same ol’ Oklahoma football team. The always-dominant Sooners, back in the Bowl Championship Series at the end of another college football season.

A team riding into its Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl faceoff with Boise State on an eight-game win streak, with a Big 12 championship under its belt and another top-10 national ranking.

But for Oklahoma — which arrived in Phoenix yesterday and will have its first practice today at Pinnacle High School — this season isn’t like the rest.

Before the year even began, starting quarterback Rhett Bomar was booted from the team and quarterback-turnedwide-receiver Paul Thompson was again asked to be the quarterback.

The first loss of the year came in the infamous instant replay game against Oregon, a 34-33 nail-biter in which defeat was snatched from the sure hands of victory on a botched call. On Oct. 14, potential Heisman Trophy candidate Adrian Peterson was lost for the rest of the regular season with a broken collarbone.

But through the adversity Oklahoma found itself, and a 21-7 win over Nebraska in the Big 12 title game on Dec. 2 put the Sooners back into familiar territory — a BCS bowl game.

“Since the beginning, within this program, within this organization, we never doubted ourselves,” Thompson said after the win over Nebraska. “We never felt that we were one step behind, even with all the injuries we’ve had, the people we’ve lost. It’s been a crazy year. And just the dedication, the commitment all these players have is something I have never seen before.”

With Boise State the opponent, Oklahoma again resumes the familiar role of favorite. Early odds have the Sooners seven-point favorites, but Thompson and the Sooners are well aware of the motivation that comes from doubters.

“I am not going to speak for (Boise State) or what their mind-set is, but when you are not getting recognized you do get a chip on your shoulder,” Thompson said at a press conference on Wednesday. “You want to prove something to everyone else … People have announced them as underdogs, but to us it is a very quality opponent and one that if we don’t prepare for, we could get beat.”

Sooner facts

• OU has seven national titles on its resume, the last of which came in 2000. The Sooners made the national title game in 2003 and 2004 but lost both times.

• The Fiesta Bowl completes the four-BCS bowl stop for many Oklahoma seniors. They played in the Rose Bowl in 2003, the Sugar Bowl in 2004 and the Orange Bowl in 2005.

• Oklahoma defensive end C.J. Ah You is the nephew of Junior Ah You, an Arizona State All-American defensive end in 1971. Junior Ah You was the defensive most valuable player of the first Fiesta Bowl in 1972.

• OU has been ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll 95 times, more than any other program in the country.