Sooner passers fighting own postseason jinx

Sam Bradford is well aware of the problems Heisman Trophy winners have had in the postseason. Same goes for Oklahoma quarterbacks.

He just happens to be both.

"You don't need to think about negative things," he said. "I think I'm just going to prepare like a normal game."

Some of the most prolific quarterbacks in the Sooners' storied history have fallen flat on college football's biggest stage in the past few years, resulting in a streak of four straight BCS losses for Oklahoma.

It's a pattern that has stained the "Big Game Bob" reputation that coach Bob Stoops earned as he led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship, and it'll be up to reigning Heisman-winner Bradford to stop it when the second-ranked Sooners (12-1) face No. 1 Florida (12-1) in the BCS championship game Thursday night.

"Definitely, I think that's a major factor in this game is the quarterback play," Stoops said. "But you know as well that it's what's surrounding him, too. If he's not protected, it's really not the quarterback's fault. If guys can't separate and get open or are falling down on their routes, he can only do so much."

Bradford became the latest quarterback to fall victim to Oklahoma's postseason woes last year in a 48-28 loss to West Virginia. And, really, his performance — 21-for-33 for 242 yards and two touchdowns — looks pretty solid when compared to the Sooners' three prior BCS games.

It all started with Jason White's meltdown after he won the Heisman Trophy in 2003. In his worst game of the season, White completed only 13 of 37 passes for 102 yards with two interceptions against LSU in the Sugar Bowl. He followed that up with a three-interception outing against Southern Cal in the Orange Bowl the following year, and Paul Thompson matched White's three picks in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State.

Combined, the three quarterbacks have combined for nine interceptions and just six touchdowns during Oklahoma's BCS slump.

So naturally, the pressure is on Bradford to break through and outperform 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow, who just happens to be on the other sideline for Florida. Right?

"It's not going to come down to one player and who plays better," Bradford said.