Big Eight Roundup : Nebraska Returns for a 30-10 Win

The third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, who won four straight Big Eight Conference titles before they were unseated last year by Oklahoma, opened their 1986 conference season Saturday with a 30-10 victory over Oklahoma State.

Long kick returns by Dana Brinson and Rod Smith helped give Nebraska a 14-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game.

Brinson returned the opening kickoff 58 yards, and the Cornhuskers drove the rest of the way to score on a 1-yard run by Keith Jones.

After Oklahoma State (2-3) netted one yard in three plays, Smith returned Cary Cooper’s punt 63 yards for a touchdown.

Jones, the top rusher with 14 carries for 85 yards, scored on a 5-yard run to give Nebraska a 21-10 halftime lead. The Huskers (5-0) scored in the second half on a safety and reserve quarterback Clete Blakeman’s 5-yard run.

Oklahoma State defensive end Jerry Deckard had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and the Cowboys’ only touchdown. He stepped in front of Jones to intercept Steve Taylor’s screen pass and raced 45 yards untouched to score.

Colorado 17, Missouri 12--In a Big Eight opener at Columbia, Mo., Mark Hatcher ran 27 yards for a touchdown and O.C. Oliver went 5 yards for another score to help the Buffaloes to their first victory of the season.

Colorado also scored on a 25-yard field goal by Dave DeLine.

Missouri scored on two Tom Whelihan field goals, including a conference-record 62-yarder, and a 36-yard pass from Jeff Henningsen to Herbert Johnson.

Whelihan broke the Big Eight record of 60 yards set by Tony DiRienzo of Oklahoma State against Kansas in 1973.

The outcome left both schools at 1-4.

Iowa State 13, Kansas 10--Rick Frank’s 33-yard field goal with five seconds left lifted the Cyclones to victory at Lawrence, Kan.

Frank’s field goal capped a 13-point fourth-quarter rally by Iowa State, which improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Eight. Kansas, which led, 10-0, at halftime, dropped to 3-2 and 0-1.

Iowa State quarterback Alex Espinoza completed 25 of 36 passes for 277 yards, and his 31-yard touchdown pass to Tom Schulting was the 26th of his career.