Sooners Win, 33-7, Lose Quarterback

First probation.

Then Barry Switzer quitting.

Now injuries.

It hasn’t been a great year for Oklahoma football.

The Sooners lost starting quarterback Steve Collins after he broke the pinky on his right hand on the first play of the game Saturday against Baylor.

It didn’t really matter much against the Tigers, though, as backup Chris Melson scored once and directed two other first-half touchdowns as the eighth-ranked Sooners won, 33-7.

Collins returned on the Sooners’ second possession and led Oklahoma to a touchdown in 11 plays but then left the game. He is expected to miss between four and six weeks.

“Steve’s situation puts us in a big bind,” Oklahoma Coach Gary Gibbs said. “It shows how thin we are.”

Oklahoma (2-0) gained 338 yards, all rushing.

The Sooners defense held Baylor (0-1) to 206 yards, only 56 on the ground.

The Bears made only three first downs in the first half as Oklahoma played penalty-free and went ahead, 28-0.

Melson, a third-year sophomore, led Oklahoma to a score on his first full series, which was capped by a 19-yard run by Mike Gaddis.

Gaddis also scored the Sooners’ first touchdown on a one-yard dive.

Midway through the second quarter, Melson took the Sooners 56 yards for a score and made the big play himself, going 44 yards on an option to the Bears’ five.

Two plays later, Leon Perry scored from the one.

Melson’s one-yard dive on the next possession made it 28-0.

“I didn’t believe he was hurt that bad,” Melson said of Collins. “I definitely was not ready to go in at that time, but after a few snaps I was OK.”

Baylor Coach Grant Teaff took solace that the Bears played a little better in the second half.

“If all we’d had was the first half, I think I’d have jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge,” he said.

Baylor’s only touchdown came in the third quarter on a two-yard pass from Brad Goebel to Alonzo Pierce. Melson then fumbled on his 12, but Goebel was intercepted in the end zone on third down.

“I was very disturbed at halftime and told the players so,” Teaff said. “But we looked like a football team in the second half. We played them toe-to-toe.”

Oklahoma didn’t make a third down in the third quarter and lost two fumbles.