Nebraska Is at a Loss, 70-10

Nebraska has never looked this bad.

Texas Tech handed the Cornhuskers the worst loss in their storied 114-year history Saturday night at Lubbock, Texas, with Sonny Cumbie passing for 436 yards and five touchdowns in a stunning 70-10 Big 12 Conference victory.

Tech (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) forced seven turnovers in its first victory in eight tries against Nebraska (3-2, 1-1), which set school records for points given up and margin of defeat.

Before Saturday, the most points scored against Nebraska came in a 62-36 loss to Colorado in 2001. Nebraska’s largest previous margin of defeat was 54, set in a 54-0 loss to Minnesota in 1943 and matched in a 54-0 loss to Indiana in 1944 and a 61-7 loss to Minnesota in 1945.

It was a numbing low for a program that won two national championships in the 1970s under Bob Devaney and three more in the 1990s under Tom Osborne. Nebraska had nine victories or more for 33 consecutive seasons and spent 54 weeks in a row ranked in the top 10 before going 7-7 in 2002 under Frank Solich.

Solich replaced the retired Osborne in 1998 but was fired after last season despite a 58-19 record in six seasons. He was replaced by Bill Callahan, who brought in an offense that emphasizes the short pass. It backfired Saturday, as the Cornhuskers had five interceptions.

Nebraska scored to make it 21-10 at halftime, and Callahan thought his team had a chance.

“I thought we had Tech right where we wanted them,” he said. “I also felt the game was in reach as we made it a two-possession game and we had a chance to come back, but it just turned into a catch-up game.”

Five of Tech’s last six possessions began in Nebraska territory: at the 41, 14, eight, six and 12.

“I never saw anything like it,” Texas Tech defensive end Adell Duckett said. “The last nine minutes took forever. Everyone got involved, it was good stuff.”

Texas Tech has scored 70 points in its two home games. The Red Raiders defeated Texas Christian, 70-35, on Sept. 18 after trailing by 21.

No. 22 Oklahoma State 42, Colorado 14 -- Vernand Morency ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns and Donovan Woods threw for three more scores as the Cowboys routed the Buffaloes at Boulder, Colo.

Oklahoma State (5-0, 2-0) established its powerful running game on the third play when Morency raced 58 yards for a touchdown. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven consecutive games.

Colorado (3-2, 0-2) lost its second game in a row.

Kansas 31, Kansas State 28 -- John Randle ran 43 yards for a touchdown with 3:16 left at Lawrence, Kan., and the Jayhawks ended a bitter 11-year losing streak to the rival Wildcats.

Thousands of Kansas fans surged onto the field, and the goalposts came down in a celebration of a victory over Kansas State, which humiliated the Jayhawks (3-3, 1-2) by a combined score of 106-6 the two previous seasons.

In their last nine games, Kansas State, the defending Big 12 champions, won by an average of nearly 40 points.

Kansas State (2-3, 0-2) pulled within three points with 2:06 left when Dylan Meier passed eight yards to Brian Casey for a touchdown.

But Charles Gordon recovered the ensuing onside kick with 2:06 remaining and the Wildcats never got the ball back.

Texas A&M; 34, Iowa State 3 -- Reggie McNeal passed for 222 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score at Ames, Iowa, to lead the Aggies (4-1, 2-0) to their fourth consecutive victory. It was the 12th consecutive conference loss for Iowa State (2-3, 0-2), which has lost those games by an average of 33 points.

Missouri 30, Baylor 10 -- Brad Smith passed for three touchdowns and the Tigers (4-1, 2-0) rode the strong play of their defense in a victory over the Bears (2-3, 0-2) at Waco, Texas.