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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A 69-point romp is proof Oklahoma didn't look past its season opener against North Texas, but there's little doubt the Sooners -- and that number includes coach Bob Stoops -- are relishing the challenge that awaits them this week.

Oklahoma, which moved up three spots this week to No. 5 in The Associated Press poll, will host Miami on Saturday, renewing a rivalry started in the 1970s and made famous by three games during the mid-1980s.

Miami, coming off a 7-6 season -- its worst since 1997 -- remains unranked despite a 31-3 win over Marshall in its season opener. But Oklahoma knows the Hurricanes, with 17 starters returning, are bigger, stronger, faster and more athletic than North Texas and figure to give the Sooners an early barometer about any potential for success.

"The bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity," Oklahoma center Jon Cooper said about the Miami game. Added wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, "You dream about playing against Miami."

Stoops isn't discouraging that attitude of anxiousness, saying during his weekly news conference Tuesday that his players "realize it's a challenge. I'm sure it's the same for Miami. It's challenging, and anytime it is, it's awfully exciting, too."

For Stoops, watching the Sooners play consistently in a season opener also proved exciting. The Sooners have struggled somewhat in recent openers, edging Alabama-Birmingham 24-17 last season, losing 17-10 to Texas Christian in 2005 and holding off Bowling Green 40-24 in 2004.

But Stoops found little to criticize about his football team's performance in its 79-10 win over North Texas, during which the Sooners posted their highest point total since an 82-42 win over Colorado in 1980.

"I was pleased with the overall clean and solid play, really in all parts of our game," Stoops said.

Seemingly everything came easy for the Sooners against North Texas. Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford, making his first career start, passed for 363 yards and tied the school record for consecutive completions with 18. Freshman running back DeMarco Murray scored five touchdowns, one shy of the school record. Receivers Malcolm Kelly and Iglesias became only the fourth tandem in school history to have more than 100 receiving yards in the same game.

"Offensively, everyone wondered how Sam Bradford would handle the situation, regardless of who you're playing going out in your first game, I thought (it) was just remarkable how cool, calm and collected he was and how he executed," Stoops said.

"He was excellent in the huddle (and) at the line of scrimmage. I can think back several years, having new quarterbacks and they're having two, three fumbled snaps. A lot of things can go wrong, but he just executed in a wonderful way."

The defense limited North Texas to 247 yards of offense and scored a touchdown and a safety.

"Defensively, I thought our structure and positioning on the ball and tackling was very sharp," Stoops said, noting that hasn't always been the case in early season games in other years. Mistakes "have happened in a lot of other games, but it didn't happen the other night."

Stoops said it was refreshing to see the Sooners so focused, especially when it could have been tempting to look ahead to the Miami game.

"We've had some games where we've had lopsided wins, we've gotten ahead in the second half, and the second half gives me nightmares," Stoops said. "I go home just totally aggravated, because guys get in late, lose their focus (and) have penalties. Their intensity wanes a little and you break down in coverage or you miss an adjustment."

Against North Texas, "we didn't have that. To me, it's just reflective of how these guys have been. What I keep saying about them is they have a really great focus to them."

Stoops said starting running back Allen Patrick will be available for the Miami game after missing the season opener while continuing to recover from a sprained ankle. One of Patrick's primary backups, Chris Brown, will return after a one-game suspension for breaking team rules.
 
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Check Sooner Gameday Central for complete information on Oklahoma's game with Miami. For more information on the Hurricanes, please view the SoonerSports.com scouting report.