SOUTHWEST ROUNDUP : Texas Prepares for Colorado With Victory

Lovell Pinkney returned from a two-game suspension and made a spectacular touchdown catch, igniting No. 15 Texas to a 34-18 victory over Texas Christian on Saturday night in a Southwestern Conference game at Fort Worth.

The favored Longhorns, 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SWC, took no chances in their conference opener against the Horned Frogs (2-2, 0-1), who upset them, 23-14, in Amon Carter Stadium two years ago when Texas was No. 18.

Texas’ victory sets up a battle of unbeatens next Saturday at Austin featuring Texas and No. 7 Colorado, which beat Michigan, 27-26.

Shea Morenz was 16 of 28 for 169 yards and two touchdowns and Priest Anthony Holmes scored on two short runs as the Longhorns overpowered the Frogs to continue their best start since 1985.

Texas jumped ahead, 14-0, behind two quick touchdowns late in the first quarter.

Pinkney, who had been suspended for improper use of a rental car and missed a game while being investigated for a flight he took to Los Angeles, scored the first one by outjumping two Horned Frogs defenders to catch a 24-yard touchdown pass from Morenz.

On the ensuing kickoff, TCU’s Matt Moore had trouble handling a bouncing ball and Taje Allen of Texas recovered at the 21. A pass-interference call set up a one-yard touchdown run by Holmes, who also scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter.

Texas led at halftime, 24-3.

Texas lost wide receiver Mike Adams with a knee injury in the third period. Trainers said they thought it was a sprain.

A crowd of 44,821, third-largest in Amon Carter history, attended what could be the last TCU-Texas game in the stadium. The Frogs join the Western Athletic Conference in 1996 and Texas goes to the Big 12 that season.

No. 12 Texas A&M; 41, Southern Mississippi 17--Leeland McElroy highlighted a game of big plays with a 100-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff as the Aggies (3-0) won at College Station, Tex.

It was the Aggies’ 22nd victory in a row at Kyle Field, the nation’s longest current home winning streak after Washington defeated Miami, 38-20, at the Orange Bowl on Saturday, ending the Hurricanes’ record run at 58 in a row.

Texas A&M; jumped to a 27-10 halftime lead over the Golden Eagles (2-2) behind such big plays as McElroy’s run, a 57-yard touchdown pass from Corey Pullig to Ryan Mathews on a fake end-around and a 61-yard field goal by freshman Kyle Bryant.

Southern Mississippi’s touchdowns came on a 26-yard touchdown pass, Tommy Waters to Fred Brock, and on a five-yard run by Ronald Jones with 8:39 to play.

The Aggies got a scare near the end of the first half when quarterback Corey Pullig suffered a twisted right knee and left the game. He returned in the third quarter and completed a 40-yard pass to Mathews that set up Thomas’ second touchdown, a one-yard dive with 2:40 left in the quarter.

Texas Tech 35, Southern Methodist 7--Zebbie Lethridge passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead the Red Raiders (2-2, 1-0) to an SWC victory at Lubbock, Tex.

SMU (1-3, 0-1) was hampered by injuries, the worst being the pulled hamstring that sidelined quarterback Ramon Flanigan in the second quarter. Flanigan, who led the SWC with 271 yards of offense per game, accounted for only 47 before leaving.

Lethridge, a redshirt freshman, rushed for 73 yards in his first collegiate start and completed 14 of 26 passes for 148 yards.