RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)-- After another slow start, Texas turned to
one of its fastest -- and newest -- players for help.
|  |
| Texas receiver Roy Williams had five receptions for 175 yards and a TD to help the Longhorns drill Oklahoma St. |
Roy Williams was more than happy to oblige Saturday.
Williams' 96-yard touchdown catch on third-and-14 broke open a
close game in the third quarter as No. 13 Texas scored four
second-half touchdowns in a 42-7 victory over Oklahoma State.
"That's why I came to Texas," said Williams, who set a Texas
freshman receiving record with 175 yards on five catches. "I knew
I was going to get opportunities like I had today."
The Longhorns (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) were leading 10-7 and backed up
to their own end zone when Williams broke behind the secondary.
Major Applewhite laid out a soft pass down the sideline that
Williams hauled in over his right shoulder.
"I thought I had overthrown Roy, then the ball disappeared
behind the defensive back. The next thing I heard was the roar of
the crowd and I knew they weren't going to catch him," Applewhite
said.
The play tied for the second-longest play in Texas history, just
a yard shy of Applewhite's 97-yard scoring toss to Wane McGarity in
1998.
It also sparked Texas' best offensive performance of the season.
Applewhite passed for 291 yards and three touchdowns and the
Longhorns rushed for 205 yards against the nation's toughest run
defense.
After Williams' catch made it 17-7, Applewhite threw scoring
passes of 21 yards to Artie Ellis and 2 yards to Montrell Flowers.
Texas also got three field goals of 44, 20 and 36 yards from Kris
Stockton.
Kenny Hayter rushed for 122 yards, Texas' first 100-rusher since
last season, on the day the school retired former Heisman Trophy
winner Ricky Williams' No. 34.
"I told them they needed to play with the spirit Ricky Williams
did when he was here," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I was proud
of them."
It didn't begin so easily. With Chris Simms getting the start in
Brown's system of rotating quarterbacks, the Longhorns failed to
score an offensive touchdown in the first quarter for the seventh
straight game. Texas trailed 7-3 when a blocked punt led to a
9-yard touchdown run by Oklahoma State's Reggie White.
Oklahoma State had a chance to pad its lead when it stuffed a
fake punt by the Longhorns but the Texas defense refused to give
any ground. After two short runs and an incomplete pass, the
Cowboys were forced to punt.
Oklahoma State had four possessions start inside Texas territory
but converted them into just one touchdown. White led the Cowboys
with 104 yards rushing, most of them coming on a 69-yard run in the
first quarter.
Williams' touchdown seemed to take the life out of the Cowboys.
"You go into at halftime thinking you should be tied," said
Oklahoma State coach Bob Simmons. "You come out in the third
quarter and the one thing you can't give up is a long pass and
that's what happened."
After that play, Texas started pounding the ball with Hayter up
the middle and into the heart of the defense. Texas had 140 yards
rushing in the second half against a defense that came in giving up
just 30.3 yards on the ground, No. 1 in the nation.
"We completely dominated the second half," Brown said. "It
was nice to see the running game break out."
Oklahoma State also botched some scoring opportunities. Seth
Condley missed a 32-yard field goal and had a 38-yard attempt
blocked in the first half. A first-quarter interception return to
inside the Texas 10 was negated by a personal foul.
Roy Williams hauls in Major Applewhite's pass and goes 96 yards for a Texas touchdown.