Altus Times sports writer

MIAMI -- Shakespeare once wrote, "All the world's a stage."

That seems to the motto that Oklahoma University tailback Adrian Peterson lives by. Whenever the Sooners are playing under the brightest and hottest lights, Peterson makes his greatest impact.

Peterson's stage name was once strictly A.D. (All Day). But he has reverted back to an old standby that summed up everything he is about on the field -- Diesel.

"In high school they called me the Diesel because I used to run people over," Peterson said.

"Diesel is like the king of the road. If my football career does not work out, maybe I will be a Diesel model. I have a couple pairs of their shoes," he said, alluding to a popular line of clothing.

Peterson stands 6-foot-2 and is 210 pounds. As a freshman he casts a long shadow that if the Oklahoma coaches have their way will eclipse Pro Player Stadium at 7 p.m. tonight in the 2005 Orange Bowl. The game will be televised on ABC (5&7)

Peterson and his Sooner teammates will battle the University of Southern California for the BCS national championship. Both teams feature a load of talented players and award winning quarterbacks.

Yet, it is Peterson that has stunned the world with his phenomenal play this season. As a frosh he has rushed for 1,843 yards on a NCAA record 314 carries. He has a total of zero fumbles to go along with 15 touchdowns and he is the main reason Oklahoma could be on the verge of winning its second championship in five years.

"This was one of my goals to come out of high school and play for a national championship," said Peterson. "I'm not surprised to be here my freshman season because I knew what I was coming into; I knew what kind of team I was coming to. I understood that if we practiced and played the way were capable of then I felt that we would be playing here."

While many freshman are just trying to make sure they get to practice and class on time, Peterson envisioned this exact scenario when he chose Oklahoma over his home state's university, Texas. He wanted to go to a school that would compete for titles and prepare him for an NFL career. Both tasks have been met.

Yet, even Peterson is pleasantly surprised by what he has accomplished so far in his career.

"Well, I've just really made the best decision for me," Peterson said. "It really wasn't a deciding factor where I was going. Just looked at the things that I wanted to accomplish, and when they all came out, Oklahoma was the best choice for me. When I came in I knew what kind of program I was coming into and the group of guys I was playing with, so I wouldn't say I'm surprised. ... I knew we came to play hard, bust our butts and just get out there and win games and we'd be here."

While Peterson isn't surprised, imagine the first impression opponents have the first time they see him on the field or on film.

"We haven't played anybody like him," said USC senior linebacker Matt Grootegoed. "He has a lot of good strengths. He runs the ball really well. He puts the ball where it needs to be n in the end zone. ... He takes it up the field, he can run outside, he can run inside. ... He's a playmaker. ... When they need something big to happen, he's there to make it."

The Trojans have already established that stopping Peterson will be its primary focus. While the passing attack of Jason White and the Sooner receivers can decimate a defense, if Peterson is allowed to run wild, he and the offensive line can break the will of an opponent.

"We have to wrap up on him," said the Trojans Mike Patterson. "He's a wonderful football player, he's not the type to go down as soon as you hit him, and he's not the type to back down from a challenge."

As Peterson has shown this year, when the lights are on and the big stage is set up, he is at his best. In the Sooner's three prime-time games this season, the man they call Diesel averaged 191 yards per outing. With the national championship being the biggest stage in college athletics, his coaches and teammates expect Peterson to be in a zone.

"I'd rather face Reggie Bush than Adrian," said Oklahoma linebacker Lance Mitchell. "Look at that guy (Peterson). ... Big, strong, fast -- he could run through any tackler if he needed to. ... Bush is a little more elusive. ... He's (Bush) probably more fun to play against than to pound it with A.D. (All Day)."

However, it takes more than one player, no matter how special, to win a national championship. And both the Sooners and Trojans fulfill the necessary quota.

If the offense and defense cancel each other out, what will be the determining factor in this championship game?

"You know, we've been in some tight circumstances in a few games and fought our way through them," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. "So I like the fact that we have. ... I think overall when you go through 12 games to have that experience coming into these type of games can help you possibly, just that you've been there, hang in there, keep playing, something good is going to happen, when that's happened before that way."

"In the end if those circumstances come, we'll handle them the right way and keep playing."

With the amount of hype that has surrounded this match for the past two years, it will take a lot for the game to live up to its billing. But the players seem to have a feeling that it will not be a problem.

"This game has all the hype to be a classic," said Bush. "It has all the -- as far as the Heisman Trophy winners and finalists -- it has all the hype it needs, so many great athletes on both teams, so it could possibly play out to be an instant classic."