COLLEGE FOOTBALL / WEEK 3 : BIG 12 : Win for Texas, Boos for Simms

The only question the crowd at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, N.J., needed an answer to was: “Where’s Chris Simms?”

Texas was about to run off the final minutes of a tougher-than-expected 38-21 victory over Rutgers on Saturday night when Simms, the New Jersey prep star from Franklin Lakes, N.J., and son of former Giant quarterback Phil Simms, finally trotted onto the field with 5:48 left.

He was booed. He handed off. He was booed again. He dropped back to pass, fumbled, but Texas recovered. He was booed again.

“There was really nothing I could do about the reaction by the crowd,” said Simms after playing the final two series in relief of Major Applewhite, who threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns. “I was anxious to get home. It was nice to see old faces.”

For the Longhorns (2-1), it was just nice to win, even though the victory was not overpowering.

Texas turned two botched punts into touchdowns as it built a 28-6 halftime lead. But the Scarlet Knights (0-2) fought back with two touchdowns in the second half to keep the score respectable.

Applewhite completed 19 of 32 passes, and has 913 yards and six touchdowns this season.

Colorado 63, San Jose State 35--Mike Moschetti passed for a school-record 465 yards and Cortlen Johnson ran for three touchdowns as the Buffaloes redeemed themselves with a victory over the Spartans at Boulder, Colo.

Embarrassed by in-state rival Colorado State, 41-14, in their opener the previous Saturday, the Buffaloes wasted no time taking control against San Jose State (0-2). They scored on their first four possessions to race to a 28-0 lead just 11:12 into the game.

Moschetti, who completed 25 of 32 passes, broke the Colorado passing record of 457 yards set by Koy Detmer against Missouri in 1996. With 34 yards rushing, Moschetti had 499 total yards to break that mark as well, the same 457 by Detmer.

No. 17 Kansas State 40, Temple 0--Frank Murphy, a senior running back who suffered a broken foot a month before the season started and then beat out David Allen for a starting spot, ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns in 13 carries to lead the Wildcats over the Owls at Manhattan, Kan.

Murphy scored on runs of 31 and seven yards as Kansas State (1-0) used a 23-point second quarter to take a 26-0 halftime lead.

“He’s been running well for each of the last four or five days,” Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder said. “He deserves something good to happen to him, for him, because he works so hard.”

Texas Tech 38, Louisiana Lafayette 17--James Easterling shored up the Red Raiders’ hobbled rushing attack, running for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over the Ragin’ Cajuns at Lafayette, La.

The Red Raiders (1-1) held Louisiana Lafayette (0-2), formerly Southwestern Louisiana, to 54 yards rushing and 94 yards passing.

Oklahoma 49, Indiana State 0--Josh Heupel set school records with five touchdown passes and 31 completions at Norman, Okla., as the Sooners gave Bob Stoops a resounding victory over the Sycamores in his debut as head coach.

Oklahoma State 46, Tulsa 9--First-time starter B.J. Tiger threw for 162 yards and ran for 70 as the Cowboys (2-0) got revenge on the Golden Hurricane at Stillwater, Okla.

Tulsa upset Oklahoma State, 35-20, a year ago.