COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Big Eight Roundup : Oklahoma Makes It 13 in Row With 56-3 Win Over Iowa St.

Oklahoma’s top-ranked football team manhandled Iowa State with customary ease Saturday at Ames, Iowa, blitzing the Cyclones, 56-3, and leaving Iowa State Coach Jim Walden shaking his head in amazement.

“It will take somebody’s greatest ability to beat these guys,” Walden said. “The last time I saw that much speed was at the NCAA track meet.”

Jamelle Holieway passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Anthony Stafford scored three times to lead the Sooners, who haven’t lost to Iowa State since 1961 and lead the series 54-4-2.

Oklahoma (4-0) built a 35-3 halftime lead and then coasted to its 19th consecutive Big Eight victory and 13th in a row overall, the longest in the nation. The Sooners have outscored their four opponents, 218-17, and have given up only eight first downs in their last two games.

“Offensively, this was the best half we’ve played this year,” Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer said of the opening half.

Switzer said Iowa State just doesn’t have enough players to compete with the top teams. The Cyclones’ roster includes only 57 scholarship players--38 below the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. limit.

“He’s just not talented enough to compete,” Switzer said of Walden. “You all know that. He’s short-handed. Jim’s a good coach, but like a lot of coaches, he’s just not as fortunate to have good players.”

Iowa State (0-4) had only five first downs and drove into Oklahoma territory just once in the first three quarters.

Syracuse 24, Missouri 13--Don McPherson completed 11 of 23 passes for 211 yards at Columbia, Mo., as the unbeaten Orangemen won their fifth straight game.

McPherson connected on a 71-yard touchdown pass play to wide receiver Rob Moore with 7:56 remaining in the third quarter to put the Orangemen ahead, 17-13. He also completed key passes in three other scoring drives.

The Orangemen moved to 5-0 for their best start since 1959, when they went 10-0 and won the national championship.

Missouri (2-2) fumbled the ball nine times, losing five.

Colorado 29, Colorado St. 16--At Fort Collins, Colo., sophomore Sal Aunese threw for one touchdown and ran for another in his first college start, and the Buffaloes (3-1) took advantage of five turnovers to beat the Rams (0-5).

Aunese, named the Buffaloes’ starter after an impressive performance in relief a week ago, connected on a 79-yard touchdown pass play to Drew Ferrando and also scored on a 6-yard run.

Aunese completed 4 of 6 passes for 139 yards and rushed for 83 yards in 18 carries before leaving the game late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.

Michael Simmons added touchdown runs of 14 and 2 yards for Colorado. Scooter Molander completed 30 of 48 passes for 398 yards for Colorado State.

Kansas 16, S. Illinois 15--At Lawrence, Kan., Kevin Verdugo leaped into the end zone from one yard out with 1:02 left as the Jayhawks (1-3) beat the Division I-AA Salukis, snapping a 10-game losing streak.

Southern Illinois’ John Brda, who kicked two field goals, was barely wide left on a 50-yarder with 19 seconds to play. The Salukis are 2-3.

Tulsa 37, Kansas St. 25--Lenny Williams blocked two blocked punts and both led to scores, and Derrick Ellison had a pair of touchdowns at Manhattan, Kan., as the Golden Hurricane improved to 1-4 while dropping the Wildcats to 0-4.