Sooners' Brown has big game, but comes up short on key play

MIAMI -- One of Oklahoma's biggest question marks coming into the national championship was whether junior Chris Brown could shoulder the load in the backfield. Despite a disappointing loss, Brown proved he could carry an offense.

Brown finished with 110 rushing yards on 22 carries, and added two receptions for 37 yards. He is only the third player to gain more than 100 rushing yards on Florida's defense.

Despite an impressive performance, Chris Brown will lament a missed opportunity at the goal line. (US Presswire)

Brown technically has been Oklahoma's second-string tailback behind sophomore DeMarco Murray, but Brown led the Sooners in every major rushing category this year.

The success of Murray and Brown -- both rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season -- resulted from their consistent rotation in the lineup, keeping them both fresh.

An injury to Murray in the Big 12 Championship Game forced Brown into the spotlight Thursday night in Miami, and he said he viewed it as his chance to prove himself.

"Someone had to step up, like a lot of guys have stepped up through the year," Brown said.

Brown's defining drive came early in the second quarter with OU down 7-0. The offense gained only 38 yards in the first quarter, and looked overmatched by Florida's front seven. But Brown broke runs of more than 14 yards on each of the first three plays of the second quarter for the Sooners, leading to their first score and a tie game.

Florida stopped Brown behind the line only twice in the game, but one came on perhaps the most important play of the game. After runs on four consecutive plays gave the Sooners a fourth-and-goal on Florida's 1, the Gators stuffed Brown for a 2-yard loss and a change of possession.

Despite his strong performance, that one play was still on Brown's mind after the game.

"Down on the goal line, we should get seven," he said. "Every team feels like that. When we get down there again, we should get seven again ... You look back at it now and say, 'Man, I wish we could have gotten that one.'"