Symons Throws for Eight TDs

B.J. Symons threw a Big 12-record eight touchdown passes and piled up more than 500 yards passing for the third straight game as Texas Tech beat Texas A&M;, 59-28, Saturday night at Lubbock, Texas.

Symons, who was 34 for 46 for 505 yards, broke the conference mark of seven touchdowns set by A&M;’s Dustin Long last year in Tech’s 48-47 overtime win in College Station. Symons, who went to the bench with 11:48 remaining, had touchdown passes of 17, 19, 48, 13, 14, 15, 8 and 16 yards.

It’s the second straight week Symons has shattered a Big 12 record. Last week he passed for 661 in a 49-45 win over Mississippi, breaking the mark of 586 he set the week before in a 49-21 loss to North Carolina State.

Tech (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) jumped to an early 14-0 lead and never trailed in a game in which A&M; (2-3, 0-1) allowed the most points in school history. The previous high was 57 points by Texas in 1977.

It was the third straight loss for the Aggies, who didn’t score until Courtney Lewis’ three-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

Tech has now won five straight games in Lubbock and seven of the last nine.

The margin of victory was the second-largest by Tech in the two rivals’ 62-game series. The highest occurred in 1954 when the Red Raiders went to College Station and beat Paul “Bear” Bryant’s 1954 Aggie team, 41-9.

Symons fell short of the NCAA three-game record for passing yards. Houston’s David Klingler threw for 1,798 yards in three consecutive games spanning the 1990-91 season. Symons fell short by 47 yards.

Baylor 42, Colorado 30 -- Aaron Karas threw three touchdown passes and the Baylor defense provided a fumble return for a score and a goal-line stop that prevented a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter, helping the Bears stun the Buffaloes at Waco, Texas.

Rashad Armstrong ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns, including a 55-yarder that sealed one of the most surprising outcomes in the eight-year history of the Big 12.

Baylor (3-2, 1-0) has won three in a row for the first time since going 3-0 in 1996, which came before its first Big 12 game ever. The Bears were 4-52 in conference games, having lost seven in a row and 37 of 38.

Colorado (2-3, 0-1) has lost three in a row.

After a scoreless first quarter, Karas led Baylor to touchdowns on four of its next five possessions; the only non-scoring drive began 59 seconds before halftime, with no timeouts.

Then the defense put Baylor ahead for good. Derrick Cash sacked Erik Greenberg, forcing a fumble that Jamaal Harper returned seven yards for a touchdown that put the Bears up, 28-23.

No. 12 Nebraska 30, Troy State 0 -- Quarterback Jammal Lord ran for two touchdowns as the Cornhuskers overcame a slow start to beat the Trojans at Lincoln, Neb.

The Cornhuskers (5-0) broke open a 10-0 game with two touchdowns in the third quarter.

Lord hit tight end Matt Herian on a 77-yard pass before Cory Ross ran in from three yards. Then Lord scored on a six-yard run to push Nebraska’s lead to 23-0.

Joe Dailey threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Herian in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

Lord led the Huskers with 72 yards in 14 carries, and completed seven of 12 passes for 135 yards, with an interception.

Oklahoma State 49, Louisiana Lafayette 3 -- Darrent Williams returned two punts for touchdowns and reserve Vernand Morency ran for 189 yards and two scores as the Cowboys (4-1) routed the Ragin’ Cajuns (0-6) at Stillwater, Okla.

Oklahoma State scored 49 unanswered points after Louisiana-Lafayette led, 3-0, on a field goal following an early fumble recovery.