Missouri breaks through at Lincoln

Missouri’s misery in Lincoln, Neb., is over.

Chase Daniel threw three touchdown passes, Derrick Washington ran for 139 yards and scored three times and the fourth-ranked Tigers beat overmatched Nebraska 52-17 on Saturday night for their first road win against the Cornhuskers in 30 years.

“That wasn’t just about the 2008 football team,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “It’s about 30 years of fans from around the world and a lot of former Missouri players. It’s pretty good to get a win at one of the toughest places to play in the country.”

The 35-point defeat was the Huskers’ most lopsided home loss in 53 years and fifth-worst in Lincoln in the program’s 119-year history.

“I’m not used to losing. I’m not used to getting beat soundly. It’s my fault,” said first-year Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. “Damn right, yes, I’m embarrassed. I apologized to the team. I apologize to the state of Nebraska. I apologize to everyone associated with Nebraska football.

“It’s my responsibility. I was hired to do a job and I didn’t do the job tonight. Anything else need to be said?”

Missouri scored the first four times it had the ball, then went up 31-7 on Brock Christopher’s 16-yard interception return late in the second quarter.

Missouri (1-0 Big 12) is unbeaten through five games for the third year in a row. Nebraska (3-2, 0-1) is winless in 10 straight against opponents ranked in the Top 10.

This victory was a long time coming. The Tigers hadn’t won in Lincoln since 1978, when they upset second-ranked Nebraska 35-31 to deny the Huskers a national title shot.

Missouri ended two long road losing streaks on its march to the Big 12 North title last year — winning at Colorado for the first time since 1997 and at Kansas State for the first time since 1989.

(1) Oklahoma 49, Baylor 17: Sam Bradford threw for 379 yards with two touchdowns, DeMarco Murray ran for two scores and four other Sooners got into the end zone as Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) romped to a victory over the Bears (2-3, 0-1) in Waco, Texas.

Bradford threw a 53-yard TD to Manuel Johnson only 70 seconds into the game for the Sooners, who built a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Sooners have never lost to Baylor, winning all 18 games in the series.

(5) Texas 38, Colorado 14: Chris Ogbonnaya scored two touchdowns and saved another to lead the Longhorns (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) over the Buffaloes (3-2, 0-1) in Boulder, Colo.

Ogbonnaya scored on a 65-yard dump-off and a 13-yard gallop through the befuddled Buffs’ defense, then saved a score when he chased down cornerback Jalil Brown at the Texas 16 after a rare interception of Colt McCoy, who was picked off twice.

(6) Penn State 20, Purdue 6: Evan Royster ran for 141 yards and a touchdown, and the Nittany Lions (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) beat the Boilermakers (2-3, 0-1) in West Lafayette, Ind.

Penn State’s Joe Paterno chose to coach from the press box because of a lingering right hip injury. The 81-year-old Paterno was hurt while performing an onside kick during practice on Aug. 28. It was the first time this season he didn’t start a game on the sideline.

(7) Texas Tech 58, Kansas State 28: Graham Harrell threw six touchdown passes and shattered the Texas Tech record for career yards passing, leading the Red Raiders (5-0, 1-0) past the Wildcats (3-2, 0-1) in a Big 12 opener in Manhattan, Kan.

Lyle Leong snared three of the scoring passes from Harrell, who was 38 for 51 for 454 yards.

(12) Florida 38, Arkansas 7: Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes, and Jeffrey Demps ran for 103 yards and two long TDs to help the Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) rout the Razorbacks (2-3, 0-2) in Fayetteville, Ark.

(16) Kansas 35, Iowa State 33: Todd Reesing threw for 319 yards and three TDs, and the Jayhawks (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) stormed back from a 20-point deficit to beat the Cyclones (2-3, 0-1) in Ames, Iowa.

Kerry Meier caught seven passes for 125 yards and two TDs for the Jayhawks, who tied the third-biggest comeback in school history by outscoring the Cyclones 35-13 in the second half.

(20) Virginia Tech 27, Western Kentucky 13: Darren Evans ran for two touchdowns and quarterback Tyrod Taylor passed for a score to lead the Hokies (5-1) over the Hilltoppers in Blacksburg, Va.

(21) Oklahoma State 56, Texas A&M 28: Dez Bryant caught three passes for touchdowns and scored another on a punt return, and the Cowboys (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) took advantage of five first-half turnovers in rolling over the Aggies (2-3, 0-1) in Stillwater, Okla.

The Cowboys set a school record by surpassing 50 points for the fourth straight game. Ugo Chinasa and Patrick Lavine each scored on interception returns as Oklahoma State snapped a four-game losing streak to Texas A&M.

North Carolina 38, (24) Connecticut 12: Shawn Draughn rushed for a career-high 109 yards and a touchdown, defensive lineman Marvin Austin returned an interception 23 yards for another score and the Tar Heels (4-1) routed the Huskies (5-1) in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Bruce Carter blocked three punts, Matt Merletti fell on one of them for a TD and Draughn’s 39-yard TD run started the game-breaking sequence that gave the Tar Heels their first win over a ranked team in three years.