Iowa State’s Davis Goes Over 2,000 a Second Time

Iowa State’s Troy Davis became the first Division I-A player with two 2,000-yard rushing seasons Saturday in the Cyclones’ 35-20 loss to No. 14 Kansas State in a Big 12 Conference game at Manhattan, Kan.

Davis, a junior, ran 48 times for 225 yards to increase his total to 2,185 this season--175 more than he had in 1995.

Davis became the second Big 12 back this season to rush for 2,000 yards, joining behind Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech. Other 2,000-yard rushers in Division I-A are Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders (2,628 in 1988, USC’s Marcus Allen (2,342 in 1981), Nebraska’s Mike Rozier (2,148 in 1983) and Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam (2,055 in 1994).

Davis also became the sixth player to win consecutive national rushing titles, joining Arizona’s Art Lupino (1954-55), New Mexico State’s Jim Pilot (1961-62), USC’s O.J. Simpson (1967-68), Cornell’s Ed Marinaro (1970-71) and San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk (1991-92).

Davis’ 36-yard run late in the second quarter set up Iowa State’s first score, his one-yard run. But the Cyclones (2-9 overall, 1-7 in the Big 12) did little else until Davis scored on another one-yard run with 4:45 left to play.

Mike Lawrence rushed for a school-record 252 yards and three touchdowns for the Kansas State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12), which appears headed for the Cotton Bowl and its first-ever appearance in a New Year’s Day bowl.

Texas Tech 22, Oklahoma 12-- Quarterback Zebbie Lethridge ran for two touchdowns and threw for another at Norman, Okla. as the Red Raiders (7-4, 5-3) overcame Byron Hanspard’s lowest rushing output of the season.

Hanspard came in as the nation’s leading rusher with an even 2,000 yards, but had only 84 in 28 carries and as a result lost the nation’s rushing title to Iowa State’s Davis. Hanspard’s previous low rushing game this season was 107 yards against Nebraska.

Hanspard’s longest run was for a 39-yarder in the fourth quarter that helped set up a clinching one-yard sneak by Lethridge. Before that, he had 40 yards in 24 carries.

Oklahoma (3-8, 3-5) finished with the most losses in school history.

Missouri 42, Kansas 25--Brock Olivo ran for three touchdowns and the Tigers (5-6, 3-5) had a season-high 412 yards rushing at Columbia, Mo.in finishing with their best record in nine years.

Olivo ran for 166 yards in 26 carries to move to become Missouri’s third-leading career rusher with 2,348 yards.

June Henley set a career rushing record of 3,841 yards for Kansas (4-7, 2-6) by getting 82 in 24 carries.

Oklahoma State 37, Baylor 17--David Thompson rushed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in 41 carries at Stillwater, Okla. to finish his career as the Cowboys’ third-leading rusher.

Thompson’s 4,318 yards rushing left him behind Thurman Thomas (4,595 from 1984-87) and Terry Miller (4,582 from 1974-77). Barry Sanders has Oklahoma State’s single-game record of 332 in 1988.

Oklahoma State finished 5-6 and 2-6. Baylor was 4-7 and 1-7.