The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 33

THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN 8-B SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2003 FOOTBALL SUNDAY Horns win a big game 4th-down gamble pays off as Texas rallies past KSU By Jim Vertuno AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas Enough talk about Texas being soft. The 13th-ranked Longhorns showed they can gut out a big win and with a freshman leading the way. Vince Young shook 13 tional title and knocks them completely out of the chase. "It was a devastating loss," said linebacker Bryan Hickman. "It was probably the biggest game of the season." Roberson's fumble marred what was almost a spectacular return for the quarterback who missed K-State's loss to Marshall because of a hand injury.

Roberson ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns including a 1-yard run that gave the Wildcats a 20-17 lead. But he also had three turnovers with two interceptions, including one in the end zone that killed a scoring chance late in the first half. Instead, it was Young who grabbed the spotlight and took a huge step toward grabbing control of the offense. "Vince is just a scary guy," Kansas State defensive coordinator Bob Elliott said. "You can tell he's going to be one of the great ones." Taking a cue from the K-State play-book, Young piled up a team-high 80 yards rushing on options and draw plays and threw for 69 yards.

Mock played most of the first half and threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Sloan Thomas that gave Texas a 17-3 lead, but he was ineffective in the second. Roberson looked as though he would be the hero. His spinning, weaving 27-yard touchdown run in the third cut Texas' lead to 17-10 and a long completion to James Terry set up the second score. But just when the Wildcats looked to put the game away after getting a fumble deep in Texas territory, the momentum turned on Roberson's TEXAS 24 Kansas State 20 off a sore right ankle to rally the Longhorns with his running and passing and scored the winning touchdown from a yard out on fourth down with five minutes left as 13th-ranked Texas beat No. 16 Kansas State 24-20 on Saturday.

The backup to starter Chance Mock in Texas' quarterback rotation, Young led Texas to a second-quarter field goal on his first drive but limped off the field in pain after rolling his ankle on a sack in the third. He returned in the fourth to lead Texas to the winning score after Mock had little success getting the nation's highest scoring offense moving. "They said it was a bad sprain. I thought he was through," Brown said. Young said he feared the worst when his ankle rolled.

Television replays showed a gruesome looking twist and he clutched at it immediately. "It felt like it was gone," Young said. "Once I got to the sideline, I was able to walk it off." Young's fourth-down dive over the top of the line capped an 88-yard drive that started after Texas recovered Kansas State quarterback Ell Roberson's fumble. The big play in the drive came when Young uncorked a 52-yard pass to Tony Jeffery, who scored the game's first touchdown on a blocked punt in the first quarter. Jeffery went over cornerback Cedrick Williams to make the grab, and Young scored five plays later.

"We always knew Vince could run the football, but he went out there and made plays today," said Texas receiver Roy Williams. The Longhorns gambled by not going for a tying field goal on fourth down and Young's stretch with his 6-foot-5 frame made it pay off. "If you can't make 6 inches," Brown said. "You can't win the game." For Kansas State (4-2, 0-1), the Wildcats' second straight loss labels them once again as a pretenders for the na to The Longhorns (4-1, 1-0 Big 12), whose reputation suffered a beating after a 38-28 home loss to Arkansas on Sept. 13, will face No.

1 Oklahoma next week in Dallas. "This brings back the swagger," Texas tailback Cedric Benson said. "We can get rid of the 'soft' talk." "We needed a tough win," said Texas coach Mack Brown. "We needed a come-from-behind win. I'm proud the guys did what they needed to do to win." What the Longhorns needed was someone to make big plays late to steal momentum and win the game.

They got it all from Young. Texas wide receiver Sloan Thomas catches a 51 -yard touchdown pass against Kansas State during the second quarter. Bears score 5 TDs in 1 7 minutes, stun Buffaloes BIG 12 STANDINGS By Jaime Aron AP Sports Writer WACO, Texas Bill Cosby gave a free concert at Floyd Casey Stadium a month ago in hopes of lifting the spirits of the Baylor campus. As funny as he was, the jolly mood that night was nothing compared to the thrill the football team provided Saturday. The Bears Win North Conference All Games PF PA PF PA Nebraska 1 0 17 7 5 0 134 39 Kansas 1 0 35 14 4 1 184 107 Missouri 0 1 14 35 4 1 149 97 Kansas St 0 1 20 24 4 2 216 105 Colorado 0 1 30 42 2 3 121 185 Iowa St 0 1 7 53 2 3 109 147 South Oklahoma 1 0 53 7 5 0 221 75 Texas 1 0 24 20 4 1 229 90 Baylor 1 0 42 30 3 2 112 119 Texas Tech 0 0 0 0 3 1 170 132 Texas 0 0 0 0 2 2 99 109 Oklahoma 0 1 7 17 4 1 205 53 ers of just four james in seven Bis Baylor 42, Colorado 30 Texas 24, Kansas State 21 Nebraska 30, Troy State 0 field and jumping up and down.

Once players left, however, students noticed that while one goalpost was guarded by police, the other was surrounded only by volunteers. Several hundred fans stopped at that goal line, waited for reinforcements then charged into the end zone to chants of "Go! Go! Go!" They toppled the uprights quickly, marched it around the field and out of the stadium. There's more to this celebration because joy has been scarce around Baylor lately. The bad news began with the disappearance of basketball player Patrick Dennehy in mid-June. Dennehy was later found dead, a former teammate charged with murdering him.

Then scandal swept the team, leading to the shameful resignation of the coach and athletic director and an investigation that could lead to stiff penalties from the NCAA. Football hasn't provided much relief, despite victories the two previous games over lowly SMU and Division I-AA Sam Houston State. This one, though, came against a Colorado team ranked 17th a few weeks ago, making this among the most memorable victories in program history. "There's been so much frustration, the basketball situation is really sad now we've got a good bead on what to do," said Karas, who was 18-of-28 for 207 yards, with TDs of 8, 25 and 26 yards. After a scoreless first quarter, running the Bears' shutout streak against Colorado to nine straight periods, no Kansas State at Oklahoma State (FSN), 1 Baylor at Texas Kansas at Colorado, 2:30 p.m.

Oklahoma-Texas (Dallas-ABC), 2:30 p.m Nebraska at Missouri (TBS), 6 p.m. Iowa State at Texas Tech, 6 p.m. 12 seasons and los- 42 ers of 37 of their last 38 conference games Colorado overcame a slow start to score five touchdowns in a span of 17:15 and beat two-time reigning Big 12 North champion Colorado 42-30. Aaron Karas threw three touchdown passes, Rashad Armstrong ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns and the defense made several huge plays, including a fumble return for a score and a goal-line stop that prevented a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. It was a tremendous conference opener for new coach Guy Morriss and a sweet moment for even-newer athletic director Ian McCaw, who watched Baylor (3-2, 1-0 Big 12) play for the first time.

"The defense was fired up, the offense was fired up and the crowd was fired up," said linebacker Justin Crooks. "That's what wins you games." The fired-up fans were peaceful after the game, swarming the middle of the Baylor's Derrick Cash forces Colorado quarterback Erik Greenberg (13) to fumble during the Bears' 42-30 win Saturday. one was thinking about dumping goalposts. Everything changed a few minutes into the second quarter, when Baylor took over after a field goal put Colorado up 3-0. Karas led touchdown drives on four of the next five possessions, with the only non-score coming over the final minute of the first half.

The defense contributed, too, with Jamaal Harper returning a fumble 7 yards for the touchdown that put Baylor ahead 28-23, then a series of plays that made the lead stand up. "The ball came right to me," Harper said. "It bounced right into my hands." Two snaps later, CU quarterback Erik Greenberg fumbled a snap and Crooks recovered, leading to a 3-yard touchdown by Armstrong and a 35-23 advantage. Then Baylor botched a punt and Greenberg threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Derek McCoy, getting Colorado (2-3, 0-1) within 35-30. With 1:11 left in the third, it seemed like the Buffs' pedigree might help them pull through or that Baylor would return to its losing ways.

Instead, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Crooks helped throw Brian Calhoun for a 2-yard loss on fourth down from the 1. Then the Bears drove it all 97 yards, with Armstrong scoring on a 55-yard run. BIG 12 SCOREBOARD Husker defense shines; offense comes around Time of Poss. 26:47 33:1 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Kansas St, Sproles 24-128, 4-(minus 12), Mock(minus Neb FG Dyches 40. 3:46 Second Quarter Neb-Lo-d 1 -un (Dyches kickl.

1 Third Quarter Neb-Ross 3 un (Dyches kickl. Sproles 1-0. Scaife 1 -5, Robin 1-5. BAYLOR 42 COLORADO 30 Colorado Rushes-yards Return Yards I Nebraska's I Fabian Washington (3) JtHBl-. Bmsmmg grabs a fumble II TE0Q: by Troy State L'BS'iijjr jjp VH quarterback VfS who was hit by Nebraska's vV Trevor fW I W- JtNT Johnson.

MaWm Nebraska won I 30-0 on I Saturday. AP PHOTO Colo-FG Crosby 28, 13:12. Bay Quiroga 25 pass from Karas (Webb kick), 7:49. Colo-Jolly 1 run (Crosby kick), 5:22. Bay Shelton 26 pass from Karas (Webb Time of Poss.

31 :28 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Troy Betterson 14-; Todd 1 -4, Home 6-4, Miller 2-(minus 3). Bay Harper 7 fumble return (Webb kick), By Eric Olson Associated Press Writer LINCOLN, Neb. A 10-point lead at halftime was nothing for 12th-ranked Nebraska to worry about against Troy State. Not with the nation's leading defense in control NahracLa from start to fin- neraira ish in the Corn- 30 huskers' 30-0 victory Saturday. "Our defense is playing lights State out, running around like madmen," quarterback Jammal Lord said.

"We'll keep on rolling with the defense and try to keep playing better on offense." Lord keyed the Huskers (5-0) as they broke open the game with two touchdowns in the third quarter. Lord hit tight end Matt Herian on a 77-yard pass before Cory Ross ran in from 3 yards. Then Lord scored on a 6-yard run to push Nebraska's lead to 23-0. Joe Dailey threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Herian in the fourth quarter for the final margin. The Trojans (3-3), coming off last week's upset of Marshall, saw their three-game win streak end.

"It seemed like we played two dif ferent halves," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "We got offensive production in the second half. Hopefully we can get four quarters together offensively. I was real pleased with how we came out the last two quarters. Maybe we can build some momentum." It was Nebraska's 35th straight home victory over a non-conference opponent.

In posting their first shutout in 39 games since beating Baylor 59-0 on Oct. 21, 2000, the Huskers held Troy to 150 total yards, 66 rushing. "Every game that's our goal," rush end Trevor Johnson said. "We shut them down in every aspect. They couldn't run or pass against us.

They put up 250 rushing against Marshall. That's a big statement about how good our defense is." Nebraska's defense made a believer of Troy State coach Larry Bla-keney, whose team did itself no favors by being penalized 13 times for 115 yards. "We faced a very good defense today, maybe good enough to take this team to some heights," Blakeney said. "The Blackshirts are for real." Lord led the Huskers with 72 yards on 14 carries, and completed seven of 12 passes for 135 yards, with an interception. Herian caught three passes for 110 yards to became the first Nebraska Betterson 1 Bay Armstrong 3 run (Webb kick), 5:34.

Colo McCoy 29 pass from Greenberg (Crosby kick), 1:11. 110. LeFH Davies 1-12 Davis 1 27-57 56-203 'ered blocked punt in 19-37-2 18-28-0 one(Mangumk Tex FG Man on three straight possessions. Yet Nebraska came away with only one touchdown. Four plays after Fabian Washington recovered quarterback Aaron Leak's fumble at the Trojans 21, Lord scored from a yard out to put the Huskers up 10-0.

The Huskers twice drove inside the Troy State 15, but Dyches' two field-goal attempts bounced off the right upright. They also turned the ball over on downs after moving to the Troy State 29. "If we had been able to connect on a couple of big plays in the first half, it would have been a little better," Solich said. receiver in two seasons to go over 100 yards in a game. "That's a pretty good feat in this offense," he said.

"I'll take 100 yards any time." Lord said Herian could have had more. "He was open the whole game," Lord said. "I threw the ball too high on some, too low on others. I have to get better." David Dyches kicked a 40-yard field goal to open the scoring in the first quarter. All but four of Nebraska's 33 offensive snaps in the first half came on Troy State's side of the 50, and the Trojans (3-3) turned over the ball INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Colorado, Calhoun 19-56, 2-7, Jolly 2-1 Klatt 1-0, Greenberg 3-linus 7).

Baylor, Armstrong 37-166, Kreig 7- KSt-Safety, punt blocked out of end Fourth Quarter PASSING Colorado, Greenberg 16-29-1 -346, Klatt 3-8-1 -53. Baylor, Karas 18-28-0-207. RECEIVING-Colorado, McCoy 6-171, Hackett 4-1 43, Donahoe 3-44, Vickers 2-15, KSt Tex 13 18 42-209 52-133 89 157 5-18-2 10-22-0 Rushes-yards Comp-Att-Int Return Yards 32, Evans 2-31 Roberts 2-13,.