Big Eight Roundup : Oklahoma Makes a Believer of Missouri, 77-0

Missouri Coach Woody Widenhofer hasn’t played against top-ranked Miami, but he has played against fourth-ranked Oklahoma and says he can’t imagine there being anybody better.

“Overall, the football team of Oklahoma has got to be the best team in the country right now,” Widenhofer said after his Tigers were beaten, 77-0, Saturday at Norman, Okla.

“Miami has the best passing team in the country, but Oklahoma is the best running team and the best all-around,” he said. “I can’t see how anybody could be better.”

Miami beat Oklahoma this season, 28-16, when the Hurricanes were No. 2 and Oklahoma was No. 1. Since then, the Sooners have won six in a row by a combined score of 301-25.

Saturday’s loss was the worst in Missouri history, eclipsing a 65-0 loss to Texas in 1932. It was Oklahoma’s widest margin of victory since a 157-0 game against Kingfisher (Okla.) College in 1919.

Oklahoma is 8-1 overall, 5-0 in the Big Eight, while Missouri is 2-7 and 1-4.

The Sooners rolled up 750 yards in total offense, 681 rushing for an average of better than 10 yards per carry.

The Sooners’ 10 rushing touchdowns broke the Big Eight record of nine held by Oklahoma and Nebraska. And kicker Tim Lashar’s 11 successful conversions set another conference record.

Lashar has made 129 consecutive PATs, breaking the school record of 128 set by Uwe von Schamann. He also tied the NCAA mark of 129 held by Van Tiffin of Alabama.

“There wasn’t anything we could do about the score,” Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer said. “Our offense played extremely well . . . our talent, speed and depth on offense created the score today.”

Widenhofer agreed.

“There was no attempt at all to run up the score,” he said. “They’ve recruited a tremendous amount of talent. They’re going to play as hard as they can play, and they all play great.”

Oklahoma scored on all seven of its first-half possessions and scored more points by halftime than Missouri had allowed in a game all season.

“Offensively, I thought the first unit in the first quarter was as impressive as I’ve seen them play,” Switzer said.

Colorado 17, Kansas 10--At Boulder, Colo., Jeff Campbell and Mike Marquez ran for first-half touchdowns, and linebacker Darin Schubeck had a clutch fourth-quarter interception as the Buffaloes, heading into next week’s showdown with Oklahoma, held off the Jayhawks for their fifth straight conference victory.

The Buffaloes scored on three of their first five possessions to take a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter, while Kansas was managing just 23 total yards.

Colorado is 5-4 overall. Kansas, which lost its fifth straight, is 3-6 and 0-5.

Oklahoma State 23, Kansas State 3--At Manhattan, Kan., Hart Lee Dykes caught two touchdown passes from freshman Mike Gundy to lift the Cowboys past the Wildcats.

Both of Dykes’ scoring catches came in the first half to help the Cowboys improve to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the Big Eight. Kansas State, which has not scored a touchdown for 14 quarters, fell to 2-7 and 1-4.

Dykes finished with 7 catches for 121 yards. Gundy completed 9 of 19 passes for 151 yards.