Oklahoma rolls over Iowa State

Posted 8:14AM on Sunday 20th October 2002 ( 22 years ago )

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - Oklahoma delivered a brutal blow of reality to Iowa State. Quentin Griffin and Kejuan Jones each ran for two touchdown and No. 2 Oklahoma dealt a setback to Seneca Wallace's Heisman Trophy hopes in beating the ninth-ranked Cyclones 49-3 Saturday. Oklahoma (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) outgained Iowa State 225-4 in building a 35-0 halftime lead against a team that had been averaging 432 yards and 39 points a game. Iowa State (6-2, 3-1), in the top 10 for the first time, had been enjoying a dream season until running into a quick, swarming Oklahoma defense that frustrated the Cyclones at every turn on a dreary, rainy afternoon. A victory would have vaulted the upstart Cyclones into the national championship picture. Instead, they fell to 1-35-1 against Oklahoma since 1962 and are now 0-47-2 against teams ranked in the top 5. Oklahoma set the tone by blocking a punt for a touchdown on the game's fourth play and was so tough to crack that Iowa State couldn't score after recovering a fumble at the Sooners' 1-yard line late in the first half. Wallace, who had emerged as a leading contender for the Heisman with his sharp passing and elusive running, had the worst day of his two-year career at Iowa State. The Big 12's leader in passing efficiency, Wallace seemed to have trouble with the wet football, bouncing throws short of his receivers and overthrowing them on other plays. Though he often had more than enough time to throw, Wallace didn't complete his second pass until the 13:00 mark in the third quarter and finished 4-of-22 for 43 yards and three interceptions. In a miserable first half, Wallace was 1-for-12 for zero yards and two interceptions. Iowa State wound up with 60 total yards, the fourth lowest total in school history and the fewest since getting 53 in a 44-0 loss to Nebraska in 1944. With Wallace and the offense struggling, Oklahoma had excellent field position and took advantage. Nate Hybl bounced back from his four interceptions against Texas a week ago with a solid performance and Griffin and Jones wore down the Cyclones with their power running, mostly off tackle. Griffin carried 22 times for 111 yards and scored on first-half runs of 15 and 4 yards. On his first touchdown, the 5-foot-7 senior squirted out of a mass of bodies in the middle the field, slipped Ellis Hobbs' attempted tackle at the 7 and dove into the end zone to make it 14-0. Jones added 86 yards on 25 carries and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs. Hybl was 14-of-24 for 168 yards with no interceptions and a 22-yard touchdown toss to Brandon Jones, who made a leaping catch between two defenders at the goal line for a 42-3 lead. Things went so well for Oklahoma - and so badly for Iowa State - that when Derrick Strait fumbled after making a leaping interception off Wallace, teammate Tommie Harris recovered at the Iowa State 20. Four play later, after Griffin broke three tackles on a 13-yard run, Jones bulled in from the 1 to make it 35-0 with 7:11 left in the half. Strait set up Oklahoma's first touchdown when he raced in from the left side to block Tony Yelk's punt less than minute into the game. The ball rolled into the end zone and was on its end spinning when Iowa State's Anthony Forrest ran toward it. But instead of kicking it out of the end zone or falling on it for a safety, he ran right past it and Oklahoma's Terrance Sims dove on the ball for a touchdown. Many more celebrations by the Sooners would follow.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/10/188706