BIG EIGHT ROUNDUP : No. 4 Nebraska Takes It to Missouri Early, 50-7

Nebraska scored a safety and a touchdown off Missouri’s first two punts and went on to a 50-7 Big Eight Conference rout Saturday at Columbia, Mo.

Mike Croel blocked Missouri’s first punt through the end zone for the safety and a 9-0 lead. A few minutes later, Travis Hill broke through the line to block Mark Plunkett’s second attempt, and Reggie Cooper recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

The two blocked punts led to a 26-point first quarter for the Huskers, who hadn’t beaten Missouri this badly in Columbia since a 47-6 score in 1898.

A crowd of 55,620, the biggest at Missouri in four years, cheered when Plunkett finally got off a punt.

“I was cheering along with everybody else,” Missouri Coach Bob Stull said. “Our punt team was probably the worst I’ve ever seen. We don’t have a chance to beat anybody when we play like that.”

Gerry Gdowski ran for two touchdowns and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Morgan Gregory to lead the fourth-ranked Cornhuskers, 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Eight.

Missouri (1-5, 0-2) broke a 13-quarter touchdown drought when Michael Jones scored from one yard out with 5:01 left in the third quarter. The Tigers had not scored a touchdown since the first quarter against Miami Sept. 23.

Oklahoma St. 17, Kansas St. 13--Mike Gundy teamed with Brent Parker on a 15-yard touchdown pass play with 1:37 to play, capping a 91-yard drive that gave the Cowboys a victory at Stillwater, Okla.

Gundy, who did not start because of a knee injury, entered the game with 17 seconds left in the third quarter. He completed all eight of his passes for 120 yards and the touchdown.

The victory left the Cowboys 2-4 and 1-1. Kansas State is 1-5 and 0-2, despite a strong game from quarterback Carl Straw, who passed for 218 yards and ran for 44.