Big Eight Roundup : Nebraska Romps to 49-0 Win

While Nebraska’s passing game may sputter, the third-ranked Cornhuskers proved once again Saturday that there is nothing wrong with their running game.

Nebraska hit only 3 of 8 passes for 35 yards but rushed for 538 yards in 83 carries in a 49-0 win over Iowa State.

“Nebraska did a good job on the option,” Iowa State Coach Jim Criner said. “We knew they were going to move (the ball). We just couldn’t stop them.”

Coach Tom Osborne went with sophomore quarterback McCathorn Clayton, who rushed for one touchdown and passed for another, “because we thought we could run option plays against Iowa State.”

Senior Travis Turner started last week’s 41-3 victory over Kansas State.

The Cornhuskers, 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Eight, scored on three-yard runs by Clayton and I-back Doug DuBose, and on a 12-yard pass from Clayton to tight end Tom Banderas in the first half.

Then Nebraska exploded for three touchdowns in the third period--a 32-yard run by fullback Tom Rathman, a one-yard run by No. 3 I-back Keith Jones and a 20-yard run by Von Sheppard.

DuBose rushed 26 times for 114 yards in just 2 1/2 quarters and has 1,006 yards this season and 2,046 yards in two seasons. Rathman ran for 97 yards in 10 carries Saturday.

The Cyclones are 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big Eight.

Oklahoma State 35, Kansas State 3--Oklahoma State tailback Thurman Thomas rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns at Stillwater, Okla., and made an impression on Kansas State interim Coach Lee Moon.

“Thomas is just a great back, and great backs make great runs,” Moon said. “I thought he was a great player coming in, but he’s even better than what I thought.”

Thomas, the nation’s fourth-leading rusher going into the game, had 29 carries and broke the 200-yard mark for the third time this season. He scored all his touchdowns in the first half, on runs of 10, 1, 4 and 65 yards.

Thomas, a sophomore, has 1,227 yards this season.

Oklahoma State improved to 7-1 overall, 3-1 in the Big Eight. Kansas State is 1-8 and 1-4.

Colorado 14, Kansas 3--Mickey Pruitt scored on a 27-yard interception return, and quarterback Mark Hatcher ran for a touchdown at Lawrence, Kan., as Colorado improved its record to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Eight.

The victory assured the Buffaloes a winning record and gave them a solid chance at an Independence Bowl bid. Kansas, which has gone 11 quarters without a touchdown, lost for the third straight time to fall to 5-5 and 1-4.

Pruitt intercepted Mike Norseth on the third play of the game and ran down the sideline for his touchdown. Ron Brown broke into the open field for a 41-yard gain to the Kansas five to set up Hatcher’s run. Norseth broke David Jaynes’ school record of 2,660 yards of total offense in one season with a six-yard first-quarter completion.