BIG EIGHT ROUNDUP : Oklahoma Struggles in Victory Over Texas Tech

Oklahoma, playing its home opener after two tough games on the road, managed only two touchdowns and a field goal Saturday in defeating Texas Tech, 17-11, at Norman, Okla.

Texas Tech (1-2) had lost to Oklahoma by scores of 41-10 and 34-9 in the last two seasons. But the Red Raiders, despite being outgained nearly two to one, hung in all afternoon and nearly spoiled the 21st-ranked Sooners’ return to a grass field.

Oklahoma (2-1) was saved in part by two career-best performances. Sophomore tailback Jerald Moore, lining up much of the time at fullback, scored both touchdowns and finished with 106 yards in 23 carries, and defensive end Cedric Jones had five sacks and was in on 10 tackles.

“It was a fourth-quarter ballgame just like we thought it would be,” said Oklahoma Coach Gary Gibbs, whose team won its opener at Syracuse, 30-29, but lost at Texas A&M;, 36-14.

“We kept turning them back. I looked up at Cedric Jones and he was everywhere. Without the defense stepping up, we would have been nowhere.”

The Sooners outgained the Red Raiders, 390 yards to 201--Texas Tech had only 29 yards rushing--and controlled the ball for 11 more minutes, but 11 penalties and three lost fumbles helped to keep the score close.

Baylor 14, Oklahoma State 10--Freshman Jeff Watson passed for two second-half touchdowns at Waco, Tex., to help the Bears (3-0) remain unbeaten going into Saturday night’s game against USC at the Coliseum.

Watson connected with John Stanley on an 81-yard pass to tie the score at 7-7 in the third quarter.

Lawson Vaughn’s 20-yard field goal regained the lead for Oklahoma State, but Watson came right back to combine with 267-pound tight end Damon Rhynes on a 70-yard touchdown pass play with 11:51 to play.

It was the longest pass against Oklahoma State (1-1) since 1974.

Missouri 16, Houston 0--The Tigers ended a 17-game road losing streak as Joe Freeman and Lamont Frazier each scored second-quarter touchdowns at Houston to give Coach Larry Smith his first victory at Missouri.

Missouri (1-2) last won a road game in 1990 with a 31-21 victory over Big Eight rival Kansas. It hadn’t won a nonconference road game since 1981, a streak of 16 consecutive losses.

Houston (0-3) trailed at halftime, 14-0, as Missouri scored twice in the final 34 seconds of the half on a 29-yard run by Freeman and a seven-yard pass from Jeff Handy to Frazier.

Kansas State 27, Rice 18--Former Cal State Fullerton quarterback Chad May passed for one touchdown and ran for one, helping the Wildcats to their 22nd consecutive nonconference victory at Manhattan, Kan.

Kansas State (2-0) committed two turnovers in the first quarter as Rice (0-2) took a 10-3 lead in its second game under Coach Ken Hatfield.

Texas Christian 31, Kansas 21--Max Knake passed for four touchdowns at Forth Worth, Tex.

The junior quarterback, who completed 19 of 29 passes for 299 yards, had scoring passes of 28, 53, 50 and three yards as the Horned Frogs (2-1) upset the Jayhawks (2-1) before 37,313, the second-largest crowd to witness a TCU nonconference home opener.

Trailing, 21-17, Knake threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Oliver with 7:21 left.

Western Michigan 23, Iowa State 19--Jay McDonagh passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Broncos (3-0) over the Cyclones (0-3) in a nonconference game at Ames, Iowa.