College football

Big 12: Cyclones close in on North title

By wire services
Published November 21, 2004

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Iowa State scored three touchdowns during the final 31/2 minutes to beat Kansas State 37-23 on Saturday.

Stevie Hicks ran for a career-high 156 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown. The Cyclones, who won their fourth in a row and ended a 10-year losing streak against the Wildcats, will win their first division title by beating Missouri on Saturday.

"When you are down, you can only dream about things like this," Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer said. "You just keep believing, keep playing together, and good things will happen."

The Wildcats, conference champions a year ago, finished with their worst record and first losing season since 4-7 in 1992. Darren Sproles scored a touchdown and ran for 167 yards to finish his career with 4,979.

Quarterback Allen Webb's second touchdown, a 1-yard run, put Kansas State up 23-9 on the third play of the fourth. But Nik Moser blocked Joe Rheem's extra point, and the momentum shifted.

Meyer's 1-yard keeper with 10:29 left got the Cyclones within 23-16. His 3-yard pass to Todd Miller, set up by Todd Blythe's 51-yard catch to the Wildcats 9, tied it with 3:24 left.

Kansas State caught a break when the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds. But Webb fumbled two plays later, and Tim Dobbins recovered at the Wildcats 35.

Hicks carried for 15 yards to the 20 then broke up the middle on the next play for a 30-23 lead. On the first snap of Kansas State's next drive, LaMarcus Hicks returned an interception 40 yards to make it 37-23.

"We just took it for granted," Kansas State defensive tackle Jermaine Berry said. "There were a couple of minutes left, and the next thing I knew, I was putting my head down in tears."

WACO, Texas - Adrian Peterson ran for 240 yards and three second-half touchdowns as Oklahoma crushed Baylor 35-0.

The Sooners, who completed their 19th undefeated regular season and third under coach Bob Stoops, outgained Baylor 501-156.

They also won their 23rd consecutive regular-season game after losing last season only in the conference title game and Sugar Bowl.

Peterson, who had 32 carries, tied the NCAA freshman record of Wisconsin's Anthony Davis with his 10th 100-yard game. It came a week after he was held to 58 by Nebraska to end his freshman record of nine straight.

Up only 14-0 at halftime, Oklahoma scored on its first three possessions of the second half. Peterson ran for 49 yards on the first play of the half. He added 14 on the next play and capped the 80-yard, five-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown.

Peterson started the next Oklahoma drive with a 14-yard run and had a 28-yarder one play before scoring from a yard out. Then he carried seven times for 25 yards during a drive that lasted 7:23. He made it 35-0 with another 1-yard run.

The Tigers, who have lost five in a row, didn't reach Jayhawks territory until 1:18 left in the first half. Meanwhile, Clark Green, a graduate of Robinson High in Tampa who gained 118 yards on 32 carries, scored on a 12-yard run 6:56 in.

Brandon Rideau caught an 8-yard touchdown 5:04 into the second quarter. And Rideau's 24-yard catch set up Austine Nwabuisi's 1-yard run for a 21-0 lead with 3:42 left in the half.

[Last modified November 21, 2004, 00:17:09]