As his teammates gathered around him in a show of support, Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford described the unanimous advice it took for him to enter the NFL draft and end his college career at Oklahoma that was the fulfillment of his childhood dreams.

"To make this decision and realize that I've probably played my last game at Oklahoma," Bradford said, taking pause at the thought, "it's really tough."

Bradford, of Oklahoma City, signed with the Sooners as an unheralded recruit, only to win the starting quarterback's job as a redshirt freshman and then have his career take off as a sophomore.

He broke the school records with 4,720 yards passing and 50 touchdowns en route to the Heisman Trophy and the BCS championship game a year ago, and it was a 24-14 loss to Florida in the title game that brought him back for another season.

He leaves Oklahoma, which has never produced a starting NFL quarterback, as perhaps the school's most notable passer. Among his school records are the career marks for passing yardage and touchdowns.

"It's extremely tough considering that this is where I grew up, this is where I dreamed about playing. To put this in the past it's extremely tough," Bradford said.

Dr. James Andrews will perform season-ending surgery on Bradford's right, throwing shoulder tomorrow in Birmingham, Ala. Bradford's recovery is expected to take four to six months, with the NFL draft less than six months away. Bradford said he'll stick with his plan to enter his name in the draft in January as long as his rehab is going according to plan.

Bradford was hurt just before halftime in the Sooners' season-opening loss to BYU and returned to play one full game before getting injured again in an Oct. 17 loss against Texas.

ELSEWHERE

SEC coaches reprimanded: Tennessee's Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen were reprimanded by the Southeastern Conference for criticizing officials.

On Sunday, Kiffin questioned why officials failed to penalize Alabama's Terrence Cody for unsportsmanlike conduct when the defensive lineman removed and threw his helmet after blocking a field goal on the last play of Alabama's 12-10 win in Tuscaloosa.

Mullen said Sunday the replay official who worked Mississippi State's 29-19 victory against Florida in Starkville, Miss., should be disciplined for not overturning an interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter by Gators linebacker Dustin Doe, who might have fumbled before reaching the goal line.

Michigan: The NCAA has joined the University of Michigan in an investigation into practices of college football's winningest program.

University president Mary Sue Coleman announced yesterday the NCAA has given the school a notice of inquiry.

The school started looking into allegations brought against Rich Rodriguez's program in August after a report in the Detroit Free Press cited anonymous players claiming the amount of time they spent during the season and in the offseason exceeded NCAA limits.

Pac-10 official suspended: The Pacific-10 has suspended a game official for missing a facemask call in Saturday's game between Southern California and Oregon State.

The conference did not name the official or any players involved, but Trojans safety Taylor Mays hit Beavers receiver James Rodgers, removing his helmet after he caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass.