Big Eight Roundup : Oklahoma Erupts for Five Touchdowns in the Third Quarter to Rout Kansas, 64-3

Earl Johnson rushed for 203 yards and fueled a five-touchdown third quarter with three scores at Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, helping No. 4 Oklahoma to a 64-3 Big Eight Conference rout of Kansas.

Johnson scored on runs of 7, 24, 55 and 3 yards as the Sooners avenged a 28-11 loss here two years ago by handing Kansas the second-worst defeat in its 86-year history. Only a 51-yard field goal by Mac Smith in the fourth period kept Oklahoma from posting its third straight shutout.

Oklahoma, 7-1 overall and tied with Colorado at 4-0 in the Big Eight, has not yielded a touchdown since Oct. 11.

Kansas’ fourth straight loss dropped the Jayhawks to 3-5 and 0-4 in the conference.

Quarterback Jamelle Holieway scored on runs of 18 and 11 yards on Oklahoma’s first two possessions.

Nebraska 38, Kansas St. 0--Quarterback Steve Taylor ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third in a snowstorm as the No. 9 Cornhuskers bounced back from a 20-10 loss last week to Colorado.

Nebraska scored on its first three possessions before heavy snow made footing difficult.

Running back Keith Jones, who rushed for 109 yards in 18 carries, scored on a two-yard run on the Cornhuskers’ first possession, Taylor ran 14 yards for a second touchdown less than three minutes later and Dale Klein kicked a 26-yard field goal with 3:55 left in the first quarter.

But the Huskers (7-1, 3-1) fumbled twice and threw an interception to lose the ball on three of their next four possessions.

Kansas State (2-6, 1-3) missed a 27-yard field goal after recovering a Nebraska fumble at the Cornhusker 15 late in the first quarter.

Colorado 31, Oklahoma State 14--At Stillwater, Okla., Mark Hatcher ran 1 yard for a touchdown and threw 23 yards to O.C. Oliver for another score as the Buffaloes remained unbeaten in the Big Eight.

Colorado is 4-4 overall, 4-0 in the conference. Oklahoma State is 3-5 and 1-3.

Anthony Weatherspoon recovered an Oliver fumble in the end zone for the Buffaloes’ third touchdown, and Sam Smith ran two yards for the final touchdown. Dave DeLine kicked a 47-yard field goal for Colorado’s only first-half points.

Hatcher rushed for 69 yards in 18 carries and completed 4 of 7 pass attempts for 68 yards before leaving with a shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter.

Weatherspoon carried 13 times for 64 yards, and Oliver gained 50 yards in 14 runs.

Iowa State 37, Missouri 14--At Columbia, Mo., quarterback Alex Espinoza threw touchdown passes of 21 and 8 yards to Joe Henderson as the Cyclones overcame four first-half turnovers.

Espinoza completed 20 of 30 passes for 275 yards to help the Cyclones (5-3, 2-2) snap a two-game losing streak. Robbie Minor caught 7 passes for 137 yards for Iowa State.

Missouri (2-6, 1-3) beat Iowa State for its only victory last year.