updated 1:26 a.m. ET Dec. 7, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is scheduled to have surgery on Sunday to repair torn ligaments in his left thumb.

He better heal quick — he might need that hand to lift the Heisman Trophy.

Bradford enhanced his chances of winning college football’s most prestigious award Saturday night, throwing for a Big 12 Championship-record 384 yards and two touchdowns in a 62-21 rout over Missouri.

The sophomore already had the resume to be among the front-runners for the Heisman: gaudy numbers, Big 12 South title, season-defining moment. Now, he’s got the Sooners headed to the national championship game, pulling off the kind of gritty performance that could sway undecided Heisman voters.

Next up? The Heisman ceremony in New York on Saturday, when Bradford could test the strength of the repaired digit on his non-throwing hand.

“This guy’s playing probably as good as anybody I’ve seen play,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.

Bradford was injured last week against Oklahoma State and stayed in the game, throwing for 370 yards and four touchdowns.

Wearing a brace on his thumb against Missouri, he whipped passes around Arrowhead Stadium on a frigid night, setting a Big 12 record with 34 completions, throwing to nine different receivers. Bradford helped Oklahoma win its third straight Big 12 title — sixth overall — and has the Sooners in the national title game for the fourth time nine years.

Not bad for a guy facing surgery in less than 24 hours.

“You can’t ask for more than he’s done,” said Sooners receiver Juaquin Iglesias, who caught nine of Bradford’s passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

Bradford has Heisman-like numbers, throwing for 4,464 yards, 48 touchdowns with just six interceptions in leading the highest-scoring team in NCAA history. He led an offense that at least 600 total yards four times this season, including 627 against Missouri, and the first team in 89 years to score at least 60 points in five straight games.

Bradford had the kind of signature play Heisman voters will remember last week against Oklahoma State, whirling through the air like a copter-on-a-stick toy while trying to score a touchdown — after injuring his hand.

He capped the season with Saturday’s gem, hitting 34 of 49 passes in his fifth consecutive 300-yard game, giving him 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns the final three games.

With less than a week until the Heisman ceremony, Bradford has to like his chances — not that he wanted to about it.

“I just wanted to win the game,” he said.

He did — and it may just get him the Heisman, too.

Also on NBCSports.com Out of Bounds: Katrina survivor pens hit Saints song Rosenthal: Colts will be team to beat next season NBA: ProBasketballTalk is here! Check out new blog NCAA BK: Who's in, who's out? Updated bracket projections Twitter: Follow us @nbc_sports

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Confident new Gator Rivals.com: Five recruiting sleepers Rivals.com: Top 25 signing classes Rivals.com: Top five impact freshmen Kentucky hires Tee Martin as WR coach FanHouse: FSU recruits, fans flocking to Fisher CFT: Bowden, Florida St. officially stripped of 12 wins   Slideshow: Catch up on all the coaching changes CFT: Tebow commercial was much ado about nothing CFT: Top recruit Henderson ‘back on the market’ College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: