THE MISSION for Oklahoma's football team this season has now become clear -- put the pedal to the metal and floorboard it the rest of the way.

If fourth-ranked and 4-0 OU wants to remain a contender in what is shaping up as a four-team drag race to a national title game, it must continue turning scoreboards into its personal pinball machine. The Sooners continued to light it up Friday night with a 62-21 win over Tulsa at Chapman Stadium.

It wasn't the prettiest of OU's four wins this season, as the gritty Golden Hurricane made things interesting for a while.

But in the end, all that mattered was the final point total. It should ensure OU will continue to lead the nation in scoring.

With Texas A&M getting blasted Thursday at Miami (Fla.), Nebraska being embarrassed at home last week by USC and Texas struggling, OU has emerged as the class of the Big 12.

And with much of the national media down on the Big 12 after the league's disappointing start, the Sooners will likely have to continue posting big numbers when they open conference play next Saturday at Colorado.

OU is basically in a beauty contest with USC, LSU and Florida, which could last for the next two months. All four schools remain in serious pursuit of the two spots available for the Bowl Championship Series title contest next January at the Sugar Bowl.

OU's No. 4 standing in the latest polls tells the Sooners where they stand in the eyes of the voters. If USC runs the table, OU needs to find a way to leapfrog the winner of the LSU-Florida regular-season game.

Most Big 12 teams will be finished with their nonconference schedule by tonight. And other than OU, the league has done little to impress those all-important voters or distinguish itself.

That's why a perfect 8-0 record in conference play probably won't cut it for OU. If the other three teams in football's version of the Final Four keep rolling, the Sooners must steamroll their conference brothers by impressive margins to make a move up the polls.

In their in-state contest with the previously undefeated Hurricane (2-1), the Sooners looked more than capable of continuing their offensive fireworks. OU entered the game averaging 61.3 points a contest in wins over North Texas, Miami (Fla.) and Utah State and topped it.

Sure, the Sooner defense looked shaky early on. But it eventually figured out TU's funky offense and got two interceptions.

And give TU some credit. Especially Paul Smith, the Hurricane's marvelous quarterback. The senior from Owasso used OU's secondary for target practice early on as he tossed two touchdown passes and racked up 350 yards through the air.

But Smith and TU's passing game should have also provided OU some excellent preparation.

Missouri, Texas Tech and Baylor, all on the Sooners' upcoming schedule, like to throw the ball all over the yard like Smith. Thanks to Smith and his young stable of receivers, the Sooners' defense now knows what it needs to work on in pass coverage.

Other than bonehead penalties, OU's offense shouldn't change a thing. And special teams are in deed just that -- special.

As a matter of fact, things are going so well on offense that the OU coaches are starting to get a bit superstitious.

The national media is clamoring to talk to redshirt freshman sensation quarterback Sam Bradford.

But OU coach Bob Stoops has decided to stick with his policy of making Bradford available for interviews only after games.

Bradford continued to belie his inexperience against TU. He bounced back from an early interception by leading the Sooners on another game-long scoring explosion. The wise-beyond-his-seasons quarterback once again displayed his knack of spreading the wealth by getting all of OU's weapons involved.

Juaquin Iglesias had eight receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

Toss in the 285 yards of rushing, led by Allen Patrick's season-high 145 yards and two scores, and the Sooners appear more than capable of maintaining this top-end speed on offense all the way to the end of the BCS race.