Nebraska Really Finds Itself Ahead of the Game, 59-0

If No. 1 Nebraska was looking past Baylor to next week’s game third-ranked Oklahoma, it didn’t show on the field.

The Cornhuskers, 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big 12 Conference, scored on their first nine possessions and went on to a 59-0 victory Saturday at Lincoln, Neb.

“We really dominated from the start and really just didn’t make any mistakes. I think our offense can do that to anyone,” said Dan Alexander, who rushed for 104 yards and scored twice in Nebraska’s record 38-point first quarter.

Nebraska’s 38 points in the quarter topped the 35 set three times, most recently against Iowa State in 1997. The Huskers outgained the Bears (2-5, 0-4)--189 yards to one--and didn’t start a possession in their own territory.

It was Nebraska’s most one-sided win since a 69-7 victory over Oklahoma in 1997. The Sooners get their first rematch since the blowout when the Huskers visit Oklahoma next week.

“I know a lot of people were thinking about Oklahoma coming into this. I’m glad to get this one out of the way,” center Dominic Raiola said. “We look at every game the same, but this one [Oklahoma] is one of those with something extra.”

After sputtering with inconsistency in the first five games, the Huskers have outscored their last two opponents 115-3.

“We’ve stuck to basic Nebraska running the ball up the middle football,” Alexander said. “When it comes to the hard games, we’ll be able to put in some plays that you haven’t seen the last couple of weeks.”

Starting quarterback Eric Crouch played only the first quarter, running five times for 46 yards and a touchdown. He was two for six in passing for 23 yards.

No. 10 Kansas State 28, Texas Tech 23--Jonathan Beasley broke a Kansas State record with his 15th rushing touchdown of the season and threw for another score as the Wildcats held off the Red Raiders at Manhattan, Kan.

Shaud Williams scored for the Red Raiders (5-3, 1-3) on a four-yard run with 31 seconds left, but Dyshod Carter ended any hopes of an upset by recovering the onside kick for Kansas State at the Texas Tech 47.

Beasley, who shared the record with Bill Butler (1971) and Michael Bishop (1998), broke it with a one-yard run early in the second quarter to give Kansas State (7-1, 3-1) a 7-0 lead.

Texas 46, Missouri 12--Hodges Mitchell ran for 151 yards and a touchdown and Major Applewhite set a school record for career touchdown passes in the Longhorns’ rain-soaked victory over the Tigers at Austin, Tex.

Applewhite’s three scoring passes gave the junior 55 for his career, breaking the mark of 53 set by James Brown from 1994-97.

Mitchell broke the game open for Texas (5-2, 3-1) with big runs on a 99-yard drive in the third quarter.

Texas led 17-12 when Missouri (2-5, 1-3) downed a punt on the Longhorns’ 1. With Mitchell either running or catching the ball on six of the next seven plays, the Longhorns finished the long drive on Mitchell’s 41-yard burst up the middle. He started the drive with a 30-yard run.

Texas A&M; 30, Iowa State 7--Mark Farris passed for two touchdowns and ran for another and Terence Kitchens helped the Aggies along with three field goals in a dominating victory at Ames, Iowa.

Farris, a 25-year-old sophomore, completed 16 of 27 passes for 248 yards, including touchdown throws of 76 yards to Dwain Goyens and 15 yards to Chris Taylor. But Farris was outshone by a defense that stifled the nation’s 12th-best offense. The Aggies (5-2, 3-1) held Iowa State (5-2, 2-2) to 239 yards--207 below its season average.

Kansas 23, Colorado 15--David Winbush had 181 yards in total offense and Joe Garcia kicked three field goals in leading the Jayhawks to a victory over the reeling Buffaloes at Lawrence, Kan.

The loss assured Colorado (1-6, 1-3) of its second losing season since 1984. Kansas (4-3, 2-2) won its second in a row and kept its bowl hopes alive.

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* NEXT SATURDAY: No. 1 Nebraska at No. 3 Oklahoma, 9 a.m. TV: TBA.