Southwest Roundup : Texas Opens Its Season and Hands Missouri Second Straight Defeat

Charles Hunter rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown, and quarterback Bret Stafford, a surprise starter, ran for another score to lead Texas to a 21-17 victory over Missouri Saturday night at Austin, Tex.

It was the season opener for the Longhorns. The Tigers fell to 0-2 under first-year Coach Woody Widenhofer.

Texas’ scores came on a 26-yard run by Hunter, a 36-yard run by Stafford and an eight-yard sprint by Anthony Byerly.

Missouri scored on a 33-yard pass from backup quarterback Warren Seitz to Craig Lammers, a 16-yard run by Seitz and a school-record-tying 53-yard field goal by Tom Wheilhan.

Missouri lost an almost certain touchdown in the third quarter when Darrell Wallace fumbled at the three as he twisted away from two tacklers. The ball went out of the end zone for a touchback.

Stafford started in place of senior Todd Dodge, who was announced as the starter early in the week.

Dodge entered the game early,however, and was booed after several incomplete passes.

The Missouri offense was hampered by an injury to starting quarterback Mario Adler, who left the game in the first quarter with a sprained back.

Arkansas 24, Tulsa 0--At Little Rock, sophomore quarterback Greg Thomas threw for the first touchdown of his college career, and Bobby Joe Edmonds set up two scores with long punt returns for No. 14-ranked Arkansas.

Thomas, who completed 3 of 10 passes in his first start last week, hooked up with Donnie Centers on a 16-yard pass that put Arkansas ahead, 7-0, less than six minutes into the game.

The touchdown came five plays after Edmonds returned a punt 34 yards to the Tulsa 31.

Edmonds’ 39-yard return to the Tulsa 15, and James Rouse’s one-yard run five plays later made it 24-0 at halftime. Tulsa managed 54 yards in the first half and did not cross midfield.

The Razorbacks’ top receiver, James Shibest, didn’t play due to a suspension announced by Coach Ken Hatfield on Friday.

Texas Tech 28, North Texas State 7--Gerald Bean and Ansel Cole each scored on one-yard runs at Lubbock, Tex., and freshman quarterback Travis Price, who rushed for 85 yards, added a seven-yard touchdown run for Texas Tech.

It appeared the Red Raiders were going to post their first shutout since beating Texas A&M;, 3-0, in 1983, but North Texas reached the end zone with seven seconds left.

The Raiders improved to 3-0, marking their best start in six seasons. North Texas fell to 1-2.

Texas A&M; 31, Northeast Louisiana 17--Anthony Toney carried 22 times for 106 yards and three touchdowns to pace Texas A&M; in a nonconference game at College Station, Tex.

Toney had touchdown runs of two yards in the second quarter, one yard in the third and five yards with 1:14 remaining.

Eric Franklin added three field goals as A&M; evened its record at 1-1, while Northeast Louisiana, a Division I-AA team, fell to 1-1.

Franklin missed from 35 and 20 yards but kicked a 32-yarder in the first quarter and a 40-yarder in the second and a 35-yarder with 8:59 remaining.

Texas A&M; had 539 yards in total offense, 313 rushing, and 31 first downs.