BIG EIGHT ROUNDUP : Kansas State Finds Safety at Home and Escapes With a 26-25 Victory

William Price figured he had nothing to lose.

Indiana State had taken a 25-24 lead over Kansas State, and Price, a Kansas State defensive back, figured the Sycamores would be passing on a two-point conversion attempt.

Price guessed right.

He intercepted a pass and ran 102 yards for a safety, lifting Kansas State to a 26-25 victory at Manhattan, Kan.

“You have to gamble,” Price said. “Somebody has to step up with the game on the line.”

Indiana State took its 25-24 lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass play from Ray Allen to Charles Swann.

But on the conversion attempt, Price stepped in front of the receiver, intercepted Allen’s pass about two yards deep in the end zone and took off after breaking two tackles near his own goal line.

The Sycamores then recovered an onside kick, but Price intercepted Allen’s pass on third down to seal the victory in the season opener for both schools.

Kansas State’s Eric Gallon rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns, both in the first half during a driving rain. Indiana State’s Derrick Franklin gained 121 yards in 27 carries.

Kansas State was leading, 24-19, with 30 seconds left in the third quarter when Allen, facing third and 19, connected with Swann, who caught the ball near the 45 and outran everyone for a 78-yard touchdown play.

A two-point conversion pass was unsuccessful.

No. 12 Colorado 30, Wyoming 13--The Buffaloes were clinging to a 16-13 lead when quarterback Darian Hagan, returning punts for the first time in his college career, set up touchdowns with runs of 37 and 30 yards in the fourth quarter at Boulder, Colo.

The second return set up Hagan’s 17-yard scoring pass play to wingback Mark Henry with 6:52 to play.

“It was a lot of fun,” Hagan said of his punt-return duties. “All you have to do is read the blocks and take off.”

Hagan completed 12 of 23 passes for 151 yards for Colorado (1-0).

Tom Corontzos completed 19 of 41 passes for 198 yards for Wyoming (0-2).

Tulsa 13, Oklahoma State 7--Ron Jackson rushed for 149 yards in a ball-control offense that carried the Golden Hurricane to victory at Tulsa, Okla.

T.J. Rubley threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thompson, and Eric Lange kicked field goals of 34 and 45 yards for Tulsa (2-0).

Freshman Rafael Denson rushed 21 times for 88 yards for Oklahoma State (0-1) and scored on a two-yard run with 2:11 left. After the ensuing kickoff Jackson picked up 15 yards and later went seven yards for another first down that allowed Tulsa to run out the clock.

Rubley completed 11 of 18 passes for 107 yards.

Kansas 30, Toledo 7--Tony Sands ran for 174 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Chip Hilleary passed for a touchdown and ran for two more in an opener at Toledo, Kan.

Toledo scored on its first possession, but was held in check the rest of the way by a Jayhawk defense that held the Rockets to eight yards on the ground in the second half and 86 overall.

The Jayhawks gained 352 yards on the ground and 472 overall. Roger Robben ran for 63 yards in 16 carries and Hilleary rushed 10 times for 52 yards. Hilleary also completed 12 of 22 passes for 120 yards.

Iowa State 42, Eastern Illinois 13--Sundiata Patterson scored four touchdowns and quarterback Chris Pedersen ran for another as the Cyclones won their opener at Ames, Iowa.

Patterson, a junior fullback who scored three touchdowns all last season, rushed for 83 yards in 12 carries. He scored on touchdown runs of three, two, three and 34 yards in helping Iowa State match the highest point total in its five seasons under coach Jim Walden.

Pedersen completed 10 of 14 passes for 68 yards and rushed for 64 yards in 11 carries.