BIG EIGHT ROUNDUP : Oklahoma Intercepts North Texas

As expected, Oklahoma opened its season with a rout.

But it was the No. 9 Sooners’ defense that provided most of the breaks in a 40-2 victory over North Texas Saturday at Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma intercepted six passes and blocked a punt to shut down a North Texas offense that had only three returning starters, all sophomores.

The defense’s effort offset the performance of the Sooner offense, which gained 361 yards but sputtered repeatedly.

“In the first game there are always some crazy things that can happen, and they did today,” Oklahoma Coach Gary Gibbs said. “I thought our defense dominated the game.”

Mike McKinley had two one-yard touchdown runs and Cale Gundy passed for another touchdown for Oklahoma.

North Texas sacked Gundy three times and stuffed several Oklahoma running plays. On Oklahoma’s first possession, the Eagles sacked Gundy for a 13-yard loss on the first play. They followed that by recovering Ted Long’s fumble at the 37-yard line.

North Texas held Oklahoma scoreless until early in the second quarter, when Ernest Williams scored from the three.

Tomur Barnes blocked the extra-point attempt by Brad Riddell, and Keith Wilkerson picked up the ball at the 30-yard-line and ran untouched down the sideline for a safety.

Gundy completed eight of 15 passes for 85 yards and was intercepted once.

Kansas 23, Tulsa 17--Tony Sands rushed for 157 yards and passed Gale Sayers on Kansas’ all-time rushing list in the victory at Lawrence, Kan.

Sands, a 5-foot-6 senior, had a 57-yard touchdown run that gave Kansas the lead in the second quarter.

Sands’ career total of 2,677 rushing yards eclipsed the 2,675 Sayers compiled while twice winning All-American honors in the mid-1960s. Sands, who had 179 yards in Kansas’ season-opening victory over Toledo, needs 398 yards to pass Laverne Smith as Kansas’ all-time leading rusher.

Dan Eichloff kicked field goals of 26, 48 and 24 yards for Kansas.

Tulsa, which began its season with victories over Southwest Missouri State and Oklahoma State, tied the score at, 10-10, with 5:21 left in the first half.

Steve Ford stepped in front of Kenny Drayton to intercept a pass from Chip Hilleary and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.

Kansas State 41, Idaho State 7--Michael Smith became Kansas State’s all-time leading receiver, helping the Wildcats (2-0) to the victory at Manhattan, Kan.

Smith’s second catch broke the school record of 128 catches set by Dave Jones in 1966-68.

Smith’s first catch continued a Wildcat drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown run by quarterback Paul Watson.

Watson and Smith connected again on a 51-yard pass play in the second quarter that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Curtis Madden, making the score 14-0 at the half.

Idaho State (1-1) was plagued by turnovers.

Trevor Cavanaugh had four passes intercepted, three of which led to Wildcat touchdowns.

Thomas Randolph intercepted a Cavanaugh pass in the third quarter--one play after Kansas State’s Watson fumbled--to set up the Wildcats’ third touchdown, a 22-yard pass from Jason Smargiasso to Andre Coleman.

Smargiasso and Coleman connected again on a nine-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.