(19) Miami (FL) (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0)

Despite Oklahoma winning by 69 points last week, coach Bob Stoops says the second halves of games tend to give him sleepless nights. A matchup against a new-look Miami team could leave him bleary-eyed.

On Saturday, the fifth-ranked Sooners face the Hurricanes, who are coming off a solid performance in new coach Randy Shannon’s debut.

With all facets of their offense clicking last Saturday, Oklahoma (1-0) routed North Texas 79-10, and Stoops could find little that was negative as his team piled up 668 yards of offense.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford was 21-of-23 for 363 yards with three touchdowns, and tied the school record with 18 consecutive completions in his first career start. Freshman running back DeMarco Murray scored five touchdowns, one shy of the school record, and receivers Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias became the fourth duo in school history to have more than 100 receiving yards in the same game.

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

That also was a departure from Oklahoma’s recent struggles in season openers. Last year, they beat Alabama-Birmingham by just seven points and were upset by Texas Christian in 2005.

Stoops also was pleased by the continued focus from his team, which didn’t let up even after leading 49-0 at halftime.

“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.”

After rolling over an opponent from the lightly regarded Sun Belt Conference, two Sooners said they were up for the challenge presented by Miami - a five-time national champion.

“The bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity,” center Jon Cooper said.

Added Iglesias, “You dream about playing against Miami.”

This will be the first time Oklahoma will face Miami (1-0) since three memorable meetings in the 1980s. Though Miami won 27-14 in 1985, the Sooners went on to win the national championship.

Top-ranked Miami met then-No. 2 Oklahoma in 1986, and got four touchdown passes from Vinny Testaverde in a 28-16 win. With the national championship on the line in 1987, Miami beat Oklahoma 20-14 in the Orange Bowl.

Shannon, the Hurricanes’ former defensive coordinator who took over for Larry Coker following a 7-6 record last year, has been a proponent of changing the school’s image - especially after last season’s brawl with Florida International that resulted in 13 ejections from both teams.

“We’re going to have pride in going out on the field,” Shannon said. “We’re going to have pride in doing things the right way. When people take pride in something, they’re going to work to do it the right way all the time.”

Miami’s defense held Marshall to 51 rushing yards, recorded six sacks and had four interceptions in a 31-3 victory last Saturday. Freshman Graig Cooper rushed for 116 yards and Javarris James ran for 99 yards and two scores as the ‘Canes had 260 yards on the ground.

James was Miami’s leading rusher with 802 yards as a freshman last season, but seems happy to share the spotlight with Cooper.

“It definitely takes a lot of pressure off,” James said. “Usually in the game when you get tired or something you have to fight through it, but I know if I get tired and I can’t give 100 percent on the play, this guy is going to come in and do the same - or probably better. Actually, I’m glad he came here.”

Kirby Freeman, who beat out Kyle Wright to start at quarterback, struggled in his debut, going only 9-of-21 for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Miami has lost its last two road openers, falling to Florida State in 2005 and Louisville last year.

“You can get Gatorade dumped on your head. You can have everybody in Miami patting you on the shoulder,” Shannon said. “But you know what? That’s never going to help you win the game next week.”