Perkins a punt-return machine

Oklahoma’s Antonio Perkins tied the NCAA record for punt return touchdowns Saturday night with a 41-yarder in the No. 2 Sooners’ 63-13 victory over the Houston Cougars in Norman, Okla.

Perkins caught a line-drive punt from J.J. Wyatt, headed up the right side of the field, shed two tacklers at the 25 and cut across the field on his way into the end zone. The score gave Oklahoma a 42-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

Wes Welker also returned eight punts for touchdowns in his career at Texas Tech.

Perkins, a senior cornerback, also holds the records for punt return TDs in a single game and a season. He returned three punts for touchdowns last Sept. 20 against UCLA, and finished the year with four.

Tough day for Bruins’ Cable

The UCLA Bruins made it through the game without suffering a significant injury to any of their players.

Strong safety Jarrad Page did not play in the second half after suffering cramps, and long snapper Riley Jondle suffered from heat exhaustion.

That was about the extent of their problems on the field.

On the sideline, it was another matter.

Bruins offensive coordinator Tom Cable suffered a partially torn calf muscle when he jumped while celebrating the Bruins’ second touchdown, a 47-yard run by Maurice Drew.

“I thought someone kicked me in the leg, but it’s something else,” said Cable, who was limping considerably after the game. “That’s what happens to bad athletes, all right?”

Illini quarterback hurt

Illinois starting quarterback Jon Beutjer was knocked out of the game with UCLA just before halftime on a hit delivered by defensive end Justin Hickman.

Rolling to his right, Beutjer got rid of the football just as Hickman got a clean and open shot at him in the area near the UCLA sideline.

“I didn’t waste it,” Hickman said. “I was in pursuit of the quarterback and he went to throw the ball and he left himself exposed and I took the shot. I was trying to crush him and I did.”

It was announced that Beutjer left the game because of a rib injury. He could end up being out for a while.

“They’re going to do a scan on him,” Illini coach Ron Turner said. “It was a shot to the sternum, so they don’t know the extent of it until they do some scans.”

Anything but overtime

North Carolina Central’s 26-23 victory over Delaware State on Saturday featured six lead changes, five of them in the fourth quarter. It took the Eagles 23 seconds to drive 66 yards in four plays for the winning score — Adrian Warren’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Torey Ross with 11 seconds left.

•Todd Mortensen threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Langdon with 2 seconds to play, capping a wild fourth quarter in San Diego’s 37-31 win over Holy Cross. The teams combined for four touchdowns in the final three minutes.