The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 31

SPORTSLINE 460-1212 THE SUNDAY OKLAHOM AN SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1982 Sooners Rise to the Pressure, 29- 8 first shutout off campus since the 14-0 Sugar Bowl win over Penn State in 1972. Adams' late afternoon dashes aside, the day belonged to the Sooners. "The defense played well, and I've got to be proud of our defense today," Switzer said. "Other than the big draw play, they were outstanding." OU allowed Kentucky only one first-half trip across midfield and that sojourn ended when Russell Blair hooked a 42-yard field goal attempt. After fail-See Page 3B, Column 7 Sooners tightened up for two plays, forcing a fourth-and-one at the five.

Following a timeout, the Wildcats called Adams' number again, and with a good clearing block from Gay, the day's leading rusher (87 yards on nine carries) trotted around left end and into the end zone. Adams also hauled in a swing pass from Jenkins for the two-point conversion. That kept the final score from being a repeat of the 29-7 Sooner win in Norman in 1980. The touchdown wiped out what could have been OUs weren't the. first and may not be the last team to look great defending the Wildcats.

Kentucky didn't erase its zero on the scoreboard until the final five minutes of the game. Sophomore tailback George Adams, a Lexington native, rambled from Kentucky's 10 to the Sooner 35 on a third-and-20 draw play. The 55-yard gain was the biggest play of the afternoon. Runs by quarterback Randy Jenkins, tailback John Gay and Adams moved the ball to the six before the tinued to try to disguise injuries and inexperience in the interior line. Sophomore quarterback Danny Bradley, getting his first significant playing time, and a wealth of backfield talent allowed the Sooners to forget some of the hurts by rushing for 365 yards against the Wildcats.

But the key to OU's success Saturday was the defense, the unit which was supposed to guide Oklahoma to whatever heights are attainable in 1982. Against Kentucky, the defense showed its skill, although the Sooners own as the Sooners fought off mistakes, injuries and only occasional Wildcat heroics for a 29-8 victory before a sellout crowd of 57,369. Quarterback Kelly Phelps steered the Sooners to one first quarter score before a blast in the ribs removed him from the game late in the period. X-rays today should determine whether it was a bruise or something more serious. Right tackle Greg Sims reinjured a pulled groin muscle and had to miss part of the contest as the Sooners con By Tim Cowiishaw Staff Writer LEXINGTON, Ky.

By Barry Switzer's own admission, there was some heat on the Oklahoma Sooners this week. An embarrassing opening loss at home will do that to a team. "We felt a lot of pressure going into the game," Switzer said. But during the game, it was a different story Saturday afternoon at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky, in the infant stages of a rebuilding plan, was incapable of exerting too much pressure of its Huskers Ride NMSU To 4 NCAA Records The Huskers broke the record for first downs and first downs rushing.

The 43 first downs topped the 42 set by Nebraska last year against Colorado. The 36 first downs rushing broke the mark of 35 by Colorado against Northwestern in 1978. Mike Rozier, gaining 149 yards on 14 carries, didn't play in the second half. He scored on runs ol three, one and two yards. Quarterback Turner Gill als sat out the second half after con necting on 10 of 13 passes, includ ing an 18-yard scoring strike ti Todd Brown for a second-quarte touchdown.

The Aggies never threatened score. Their deepest penetratioi was to the Husker 38. Quarter back Jamie McAlister completei 10 of 23 passes for 89 yards am was intercepted once. trolled the line of scrimmage. The visitors were only allowed into Husker territory twice in 12 possessions and no farther than the 38-yard line.

The defense allowed 182 total yards. Nebraska used 80 players, seven scoring touchdowns. TDs were scored four of the five times the Huskers had the ball in the first half. And TDs came on six of eight attempts in the second half. "We got to look at lots of Osborne said.

"It was gratifying our younger players were able to execute well. The new NCAA mark for total offense breaks the previous record of 875 yards set by Oklahoma against Colorado in 1980. The Huskers also broke the NCAA mark for the most rushing yards gained without a loss. Those 677 yards broke the old mark of 645 by Texas-El Paso, also against New Mexico State in 1948. LINCOLN, Neb.

(AP) Nebraska helped New Mexico State get into the NCAA football record books the hard way Saturday with a 68-0 thrashing. The No. 3-ranked Cornhuskers set four NCAA offensive records and a school record along the way. "We thought they would be more physical," said Nebraska coach Tom Osborne. "They weren't all bad, but we were able to execute well." Nebraska, 2-0, set an NCAA total offensive mark with 883 yards and also broke its own NCAA mark with most first downs in a game, 43.

The Huskers rolled up 667 yards rushing, a school record. "We wanted to take it right to them," said quarterback Turner Gill. "The offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage." The Husker defense also con SIB Photo by Jim Argo Bob Slater puts the tackle on Kentucky quarterback Randy Jenkins in the end zone for a second-quarter OU safety. Slickers Gain on Soccer Title Team Could Ice Championship Tonight The strong Express offensive backfired, when the Slickers scored their first goal. Joe Rausch put a long pass over the heads of the retreating Detroit defenders to Mark Kerlin, who nodded the ball to Jeff Bourne in the right corner.

Bourne faked inside, took the ball toward the flag, then struck a low crossing shot directly in front of Sec Page 11B, Column 1 By Dave Pego Staff Writer PONTIAC, Mich. The Oklahoma City Slickers can claim the American Soccer League Championship tonight at Taft Stadium after shocking the Detroit Express in the Pon-tiac Silverdome here Saturday night, 3-1. The Slickers used devastating counterattacks to send the Express reeling to their first regula- three series up in Oklahoma City tonight. "We'll win Sunday, then we'll win Wednesday, and then we'll have the championship." Tinnion boldly predicted. "They're the second-best team in the league." But the Slickers did not look like the second-best team in the league after they became ac customed to the slick artificial turf of the Silver-dome.

For the first 25 minutes of the game, Detroit time after time sent both forwards and midfielders rushing in for six-man offensive charges while the Slickers tried to hold them at bay by using offsides traps. tion-time loss in the Silverdome since July of 1981. "It was a tremendous win," said Slicker coach Brian Harvey, "Now we'll just go back to Oklahoma and beat them there." But Detroit coach Brian Tinnion said he doesn't think the Slickers will wrap the best-of-. Southern Cal Clubs Indiana ception. The Hoosiers were never able to get their ground game going, managing just 78 yards rushing.

Tailback Orlando Brown was Indiana's leading rusher with 13 carries for 43 yards. The Trojans rolled up 392 total yards, rushing for 221 and passing for 171. Spencer, who carried six times for 31 yards for USC, was the team's leading receiver with four catches for 66 yards. Browner's touchdown run with the punt was one of three long returns for the Trojan safety. He also set up the second score with a 32-yard runback, then had a 50-yard kick-off return to open the second half.

The victory was Southern Cal's fourth in. as many meetings against the Hoosiers, including a 21-0 triumph last season. bury hit freshman wide receiver Todd Del-lutri with a 13-yard scoring pass midway through the period for the final score. Salisbury, who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the Trojans 17-9 opening loss to Florida last weekend, finished with 13 completions in 22 attempts for 171 yards and suffered no interceptions. Sophomore USC tailback Fred Crutcher carried 28 times for 123 yards.

The Southern Cal defense, led by linebacker Riki Gray and nose guard George Aehlca, kept the Hoosiers, also 1-1, frustrated until the closing moments. Quarterback Babe Laufenberg marched the Hoosiers 81 yards to a score with 2:37 loft with the touchdown coming on a one-yard dive by Chuck Howard. Laufenberg, a native of the Los Angeles area, finished with 15 completions in 30 attempts for 121 yards and threw one inter LOS ANGELES (AP) Sophomore quarterback Sean Salisbury threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score Saturday as 19th-ranked Southern Cal whipped Indiana, 28-7, in a non-conference college football game. The Trojans, 1-1, got all their points in the opening half, scoring touchdowns the first four times they had the ball. Salisbury, a 6-5, 210-pounder making his second start for Southern Cal, capped a 90-yard scoring drive with a one-yard sneak 11:28 into the game.

Southern Cal, which plays at Oklahoma next Saturday, made it 14-0 with 20 seconds remaining in the period as Salisbury and fullback Todd Spencer hooked up on a 3Q-yard scoring pass. Three minutes into the second quarter, Joey Browner returned a punt 54 yards for the Trojans' third touchdown. Then Salis Reserve OU qua, lerback Danny Bradley is a happy young man following his third-quarter touchdown. OSU, Tulsa Coaches Know Their Psychology Tulsa was manhandled (38-0) by Ar tal offense in a 27-6 season-opening win at Stillwater. The Cowboys ranked second nationally in rushing defense (minus 17 yards) and 13th in passing defense (88 yards).

Gary Lewis, Rodney Harding and friends tackled NTSU backs behind the line of scrimmage on 12 occasions. Offensively, the Pokes were hurt, by sevon turnovers but still managed 505 yards against NTSU. Tailback Ernest Anderson led the nation's rushers (not counting Saturday's games) after blitzing the Mean Green for 220 yards. It didn't tnko the 5-11, 190-noundor long to get going lie rompud yards off right tackle for a touchdown on the game's first play from centrate on doing our job." Cooper: "No, our practices are just like any other week. We don't have a lot of rah-rah types who do a lot of jumping up and down." On Tulsa's chances Johnson: "What worries me are teams big and strong enough to push you all over the field, and Tulsa has some big, strong linemen." Cooper: "We're not very big In the lines.

We certainly can't go one-on-one with them." Yeah well, uh thanks anyway, guys. Let's try to got a clue from tho farts. Through gaums ol Sept. 11, Oklahoma State was ruled ua the top defensive unit in the land. The Cowboys limited North Texas State to 71 yards to kansas last Saturday in Fayetteville after drubbing Air Force (35-17) a week earlier in Tulsa.

Golden Hurricane running back Michael Gunter, who rushed for 240 yards in 16 carries against Air Force, had just 23 yards on eight totes in Fayetteville. "We're down, we usually piny Arkansas tough," said TU's Cooper before a mid-week workout. "Our key is we are going to havo to keep our defense off the field. We've got to move the football and take the heat off our defense nnd that won't be easy against tho guys Oklahoma State has. "OSU's defense might not be as big across the line as Arkansas, but 1 So Tagc 8B, Column 1 sas.

We played Arkansas a lot longer than Oklahoma State. And I remember last year OSU had two game films on us and still closed their practices two weeks before the game, so they must think it's pretty Important." On recruiting implications Cooper: "We have the same kind of players (as OSU). We both recruit and try to sign the same players." Johnson: "We've only lost maybe one player to Tnlsn in four years, so it won't help recruiting any if we win. It can only hurt us if wo lose, but we've never had much of a problem nil ting against Tulsn." On player enthusiasm Johnson: "Their players are going to bo sky high for us, and we just have to con coach Jimmy Johnson and Golden Hurricane boss John Cooper were speaking of the same game. Witness this: On the series Cooper: "It's a natural rivalry, and I don't think you can underestimate the importance of that." Johnson: "No, I don't think It's a rivalry.

OU and OSU, that's a rivalry, but not OSU nnd Tulsa." On the game's importance Johnson: "Tho Tulsa people consider this to be tho big game of the year for them. It'a like their bowl gamo. They'd rather boat us than anyone on their schedule." Cooper: "Whenever we play a Southwest Conference or Big Eight team It's going- to be a big game, but it certainly isn't any bigger than Arkan By Tom Kcnslcr The old overplay-undcrplny routine. It's as much a part of college football as courtroom battles and TV timeouts. Whenever a team from a major conference plays one from a not-so-major conference you can expect tho respective coaches to engage in verbal jostling designed to give their players a psychological edge.

That was no more apparent than during Interviews leading to tonight's matchup between Oklahoma Stato (1-0) of the Big Eight nnd Missouri Vnlley Conference power Tulsa (1-1), scheduled to begin at 8:05 in Tulsa's SUclly Stadium tor live national telecast over the WTBS cnble SuporStatlon. You had to wonder sometimes if OSU head.