The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 25

SECTION Andre JHH Pointcounterpoint THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN Sports Yankees 2, Red Sox 1 Baseball daily, 12-B SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2001 SCENIC ROUT STAFF PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH Oklahoma State's Tatum Bell is pulled out of bounds by Leroy Johnson of Southern Miss. Pokes Miss out on opening win Cowboys ponder what might have been after error-filled loss at Southern Miss STAFF PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY Oklahoma running back Quentin Griffin powers past Air Force free safety Adam Hanes during the second half of OU's 44-3 win. Sooners discover nice I -2 punch Hybl, Griffin move mountains for OU lahoma." Instead, this one hurt. The Pokes planned and prepared for a coming-out party for months, privately proclaiming it as a game they COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Gyrfalcons flew and F-16s zoomed, both directed by cadets learning to master the skies.

An army of Oklahoma fans shared sold- Berry Tramel Southerm Miss 17 By John Helsley Staff Writer HATTIESBURG, Miss. Oklahoma State journeyed into the Deep South determined to make a statement. The Cowboys say they did, if for now only to themselves. What they now must prove to outsiders is that they aren't just whistling in Dixie. Opening the Les Miles era against a respected team on the road, OSU struggled through missed opportunities and mistakes four lost fumbles among them and somehow was still threatening at the end.

The Cowboys lost 17-9 to Southern Mississippi on a gloomy, wet day before 25,134 at M.M. Roberts Stadium. "What had to happen today is we needed to play with poise, not turn the ball over, make the plays we made and still have the ball," said Miles. "Not make serious mistakes at crucial times. "Had we done that, this game would have been a lot more fun for the people in Ok- could win.

Should win. Now they must move on, although the pain may linger a few days as the Cowboys get ready for Saturday's home opener against Louisiana Tech. "We have to take this as a learning process," said senior Oklahoma 44 Air Force 3 out Falcon Stadium with moms and pops proudly watching their babies march in dress blues on Parents Weekend. The college game's best example of quality ball and proper priorities put up a good fight. To such a grand Saturday came clarity.

The thin mountain air swept confusion from Sooner heads. Oklahoma's 2001 season is in focus. OU found a quarterback and its best offensive weapon, and they're not the same. Almost a Ik. SPORTS EDITOR By George Schroeder Staff Writer COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

Seconds after connecting with roommate Trent Smith on a second-quarter touchdown pass, Nate Hybl's fist-pumping exuberance carried him into the end zone, smack into the midst of the celebration. "That's what I'm talking about!" the Oklahoma quarterback yelled at Smith. On a day when Quentin Griffin showed a national-television audience his sometimes-hidden value, rushing for 201 yards, Hybl appeared to cement his grip on Oklahoma's quarterback job. And that's what everybody should be talking about. As 56,162 watched, Hybl, Griffin and a stingy defense propelled third-ranked OU past Air Force 44-3 Saturday afternoon at Falcon Stadium.

It was a big day for Hybl, who completed 14 of 31 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score. "It was a huge game for me personally to establish some confidence," Hybl said as he walked toward the team bus. "I'll step on the plane with a smile on my face." The Sooners extended the nation's longest win-See OU, Page 7-B Oklahoma State 9 Game statistics Page 7-B Game statistics Page7-B OU notes Page8-B as an afterthought, OU found easy victory, 44-3 over stouthearted Air Force. Nate Hybl emerged and Quentin Griffin sub- Dwayne Levels, who finished with a game-high 11 tackles See OSU, Page 7-B See TRAMEL, Page 8-B No.

2 Hurricanes dominate Penn State Miami 33 Penn fv State -i 7 Miami coach Larry Coker Saturday's jgjy first game as head coach. Lions, who finished last season with only their second losing season under Paterno. "We were terrible on some basic things early in the game," Paterno said. "It's hard to get used to that kind of speed." Todd Sievers kicked field goals of 35, 42 and 37 yards as Miami built a 30-0 halftime lead. So overpowering were the Hurricanes that the Lions didn't complete their first pass until 1:20 remained in the half.

Sievers added a fourth field goal a 23-yarder with 12:22 left in the game. Dorsey started his Heisman Trophy campaign by finishing 20 of 27 for a career-best 344 yards. He was intercepted once. Clinton Portis carried 17 times for 164 yards 13 for 136 in the first half as he ran behind the crunching blocks of 6-foot-9, 335-pound left tackle Bryant McKinnie. By Richard Rosenblatt AP Football Writer STATE COLLEGE, Pa.

No way, JoePa. Ken Dorsey threw three first-half touchdown passes and Larry Coker's No. 2 Miami Hurricanes scored on six of its first seven possessions in a dominating 33-7 win over Penn State on Saturday night. The Hurricanes kept Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno at 322 career wins one shy of Bear Bryant's major-college record. The 26-point decision equaled the worst loss Paterno has suffered at home in his 26 years at Penn State.

On an emotional night inside Beaver Stadium, a record crowd of 109,313 stood and cheered as once-paralyzed Adam Taliaferro hopped and skipped onto the field before the game. Taliaferro, wearing his No. 43 jersey and blue sweat pants, was injured against Ohio State last season and it was feared he might never walk again. But when the season-opener for both teams began, the night belonged to the Hurricanes, who turned Coker's coaching debut into a rousing success. In the first half alone, Dorsey hit 12-of-18 passes for 205 yards, including TD tosses of 27, 28 and 10 yards to three receivers.

"Emotion was on their side," Coker said. "I knew we'd lose the battle of the crowd and the battle of the tunnel, but we could control the battle on the field." Miami, coming off an 11-1 season with a chip on its shoulder after being left out of the national title game, is off and running for another championship. The Hurricanes were faster, quicker and stronger than the Nittany CHASING HOME RUN HISTORY Speedy Green runs away from retirement question do, New on Page 2 The Oklahoman introduces our new Inside Sports page today all the sports information you're used to, packaged in a way that's easier to read. any idea." ASHBURN, Va. Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green avoided questions Saturday about whether he is planning to retire at the end of the season.

i Hf Green is entering his team- I 2001 Barry Bonds did not homer Saturday in San Francisco's 2-1 victory over pACEi 6g Colorado. 136 GAMES Sammy Sosa "I haven't told anybody anything hit his 53rd home Mark McGwire hit homers 56 and 57 against Florida. record 19th season. He also owns Redskins records for interceptions (53), regular season games played (263) and regular season games started (250). BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS run Saturday in the Chicago about that," the 41 -year-old Green said.

The Washington Post quoted an unnamed source as saying Friday that Green was "about 98 percent" sure he would retire after the season. "Has Darrell indicated that's what he's going to uuu o-o viwu.y PACE: 64 over Atlanta. iraMf Missing files that are needed to complete this page:.