COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Southland Roundup : Okoye Leads Azusa Pacific Rout, 35-0

Christian Okoye had 243 yards in 24 carries, including touchdown runs of 24 and 94 yards to lead Azusa Pacific to a 35-0 rout of Redlands in a nonconference game Saturday at Azusa Pacific.

Both of Okoye’s touchdowns came in the first quarter as the Cougars jumped to a 21-0 lead. Okoye’s first touchdown made it 14-0.

His second touchdown came from an unlikely spot, the Cougars’ six-yard line. But Okoye took a handoff, went off right tackle, broke two tackles, stiff-armed a third would-be tackler and outran everyone down the right sideline for a school record.

Okoye finished the first quarter with 155 yards in 9 carries, while Redlands (0-7) managed 134 total yards in the entire game. Okoye has 989 yards and 13 touchdowns in 133 carries this season.

The Nigerian-born Okoye holds the Cougar records for rushing yards (2,888) and touchdowns (26) in only 24 games. Okoye is also a discus and hammer thrower and shotputter for Azusa Pacific.

Azusa Pacific finished with 505 total yards, including 440 yards rushing. David Titchenal, who was switched from quarterback to slotback last week, had touchdown runs of 48 and 40 yards in his only carries. New quarterback Aaron Eames added a nine-yard touchdown run for Azusa Pacific’s (4-0-2) other score.

Portland State 28, Cal Lutheran 7--Chris Crawford threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Vikings handed the Kingsmen their fifth straight loss in a Western Football Conference game at Cal Lutheran. Crawford completed 26 of 38 passes for 313 yards. Portland State is 4-3 overall, 2-1 in the WFC. Cal Lutheran is 2-5 overall, 0-4 in the WFC.

Occidental 37, Pomona-Pitzer 7--Mark Krajnik threw touchdown passes of 40 and 30 yards and ran for a score to lead the Tigers over the Sagehens in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Occidental. Occidental is 3-2-1 overall, 3-1 in the SCIAC.

UC Santa Barbara 14, U. San Diego 9--Quarterbacks Dan Costa and Paul Wright both ran for touchdowns as the Gauchos built a 14-0 lead and withstood a late Torero rally for a nonconference win at San Diego.

Trailing 14-9, quarterback Pat Dixon drove the Toreros to the Gaucho 23, but his last-second pass fell incomplete in the end zone as time ran out. Dixon finished with 15 completions in 31 for 162 yards and 3 interceptions. Both teams are 3-4.

Claremont-Mudd 27, Whittier 3--Mike Pembroke threw a 26-yard touchdown pass and ran for a touchdown to lead the Stags to an SCIAC win at Claremont-Mudd. The Stag defense keyed the win, limiting the Poets to minus 17 yards rushing, forcing five turnovers and sacking Whittier quarterbacks six times. Claremont-Mudd is 5-1 overall, 2-1 in SCIAC. Whittier is 3-4 overall, 1-2 in SCIAC.