All Is Clear for Oklahoma and Texas

The preliminaries are out of the way. Now No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas can get it on in the Red River Shootout next Saturday.

The Sooners (4-0) defeated Texas Tech, 28-13, in a Big 12 Conference opener at Norman, Okla., while the Longhorns (4-0) were brushing aside Baylor, 44-14, in the rain at Austin, Texas, on Saturday.

Texas fans couldn’t help themselves in the closing moments of the victory over the Bears (2-2), chanting in waves, “Beat O.U!”

The Sooners have defeated the Longhorns four years in a row, but Coach Mack Brown didn’t want to discuss Saturday’s game in Dallas. Instead, he wanted his players to enjoy their first conference victory, as well as a milestone for tailback Cedric Benson.

Benson ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns, moving past Earl Campbell into second place on the Texas career rushing chart -- trailing only Ricky Williams.

“They really owe it to themselves to enjoy it for a day after they win,” Brown said. “I told them I’m not talking about the next opponent until Monday.”

Vince Young threw two touchdown passes.

“No comment about O.U,” Young said. “We’re not even thinking about it. We had a great win and we’re having fun.”

Heisman Trophy winner Jason White will give Texas all it can handle, but the Longhorns also will have to contend with freshman running back Adrian Peterson, who ran for 146 yards and a touchdown against the Red Raiders (3-2).

The Sooners had to shut down Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie, who completed 36 of 55 passes for 369 yards. He was intercepted three times and also fumbled.

No. 25 Oklahoma State 36, Iowa State 7 -- Vernand Morency rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns and Jason Ricks kicked three field goals to lead the Cowboys past the Cyclones in a conference opener at Stillwater, Okla.

The Cowboys, plus-13 in turnover margin, forced four Cyclone (2-2) fumbles and used stingy defense to set up short scoring drives as they improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1997.

Texas A&M; 42, Kansas State 30 -- Courtney Lewis ran for three touchdowns and the Aggies (3-1) won their third in a row under Coach Dennis Franchione for the first time in stopping the Wildcats (2-2) at College Station, Texas.

Nebraska 14, Kansas 8 -- Cory Ross ran for 107 yards and two scores and the Cornhuskers (3-1, 1-0) survived four turnovers and two missed field goals to beat the Jayhawks (2-3, 0-2) at Lincoln, Neb. It was the 36th consecutive year Nebraska has defeated Kansas. Only Notre Dame’s 40-game win streak against Navy is longer in Division I-A.

Missouri 17, Colorado 9 -- The Tigers (3-1) survived costly penalties and three missed field-goal attempts to defeat the Buffaloes (3-1) in a conference opener at Columbia, Mo.