Published: September 27, 2008 11:46 pm         

OU takes TCU win in stride

NORMAN — There was no shouting “We’re No. 1’’ in the Oklahoma locker room after the No. 2 Sooners beat Texas Christian 35-10 Saturday to put themselves in position to be No. 1 in the polls, which will be released today.

“I don’t have any opinion on that,’’ said OU coach Bob Stoops.

Ditto for OU quarterback Sam Bradford, who threw for a career-high 411 yards and four touchdowns.

“At this point, it means absolutely nothing,’’ Brad-ford said. “We still have a long way to go. We don’t even think about where we’re ranked in the polls. We take it one game at a time. Our focus is getting ready to play Baylor (OU’s next opponent Saturday).’’

Manuel Johnson, who set an OU single-game record with 206 yards, agreed with Bradford.

“We’re just going to play,’’ he said.

The Sooners could be thankful for the Bradford-to-Johnson combo that combined for five receptions for 206 yards, including touchdowns of 76, 55 and 63 yards.

TCU, which led the nation in rushing defense, held the Sooners to 25 net yards. OU averaged only .7 yards a carry.

The Horned Frogs put eight men in the box, only to see Bradford beat blitz after blitz. He had a 24-yard TD pass to Juaquin Iglesias.

“We know they were going to try to load the box,’’ Bradford said.

“When they do that, they got to play us one-on-one on the outside. As many good receivers as we have, we like our chances when teams play us man to man across the board.’’

Bradford said the passes to Johnson pretty much followed the game plan.

“He did a great job of getting open and making yards after the catch,’’ Bradford said.

Johnson’s 206 yards broke the school record previously held by Mark Clayton, who had 190 yards against Texas in 2003.

“It feels good,’’ Johnson said. “When you think of all the great receivers they have had here ... Mark Clayton, Mark Bradley ... it’s a tremendous honor.’’

Johnson said he played against several of the TCU players while playing high school football in east Texas. The Frogs recruited him.

“It feels good to do that against guys I knew,’’ he said.

Stoops said Johnson’s performance “was one of the best performances of a wide receiver we have had in 10 years.’’

Stoops said Bradford showed his physical toughness in taking hit after hit after throwing the football. He was sacked three times.

Bradford wasn’t im-pressed by his numbers. He was within 18 yards of Josh Heupel’s school record of 429 yards set against Louisville in 1999.

Bradford was concerned about the Sooners’ running game being shut down.

“We obviously need to run the ball better because if we run the ball like that in conference, we’re going to get beat,’’ Bradford said. “We have to figure out how to run the ball when they load the box like that. However, if they want to load the box and play us man to man outside, I like our chances.’’