Landry Jones' 4 TDs lift Oklahoma past K-State 42-30

By MURRAY EVANS, Associated Press Writer Comments 8
Published: October 31, 2009

NORMAN — Landry Jones passed for 294 yards and four touchdowns and DeMarco Murray scored three times to help No. 22 Oklahoma hold off Kansas State for a 42-30 win Saturday night.

Landry Jones rushes by Kansas State defensive end Prizell Brown during the first quarter of Oklahoma's 42-30 victory over Kansas State. AP PHOTO

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Jones was making his fifth career start and first since Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford announced his career with the Sooners was over because of a shoulder injury.

The redshirt freshman completed 26 of 37 passes as Oklahoma (5-3, 3-1 Big 12) jumped to a quick 21-0 lead and hung on while Kansas State (5-4, 3-2) twice closed to within five points in the second half.

Two of Murray's touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, on a 6-yard reception and a 3-yard run that helped the Sooners hang onto the lead.

Oklahoma stopped Kansas State on downs at the K-State 41 with 4:10 left and Oklahoma's Quinton Carter intercepted a pass from Grant Gregory at the Sooners 2 with 42 seconds left.

The Wildcats' Brandon Banks returned a fourth-quarter kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, the fifth time he's scored on a kickoff return in his career and the fourth time this season — both Big 12 records. He also caught nine passes for 156 yards.

Kansas State remained atop the conference's North Division despite the loss.

DeJuan Miller, who had 11 catches all season entering the game, led the Sooners with nine for 94 yards, while Broyles had eight for 91 yards. Oklahoma has won 28 straight home games, the longest active streak in the Bowl Subdivision. Kansas State hasn't won at Oklahoma since 1997.

Early on, it looked as if the Sooners would run away from the Wildcats, as Oklahoma needed just four plays to score on each of its first two possessions. Jones hit Broyles for a 15-yard touchdown 73 seconds into the game, and his 23-yard scoring pass to Miller made it 14-0. Oklahoma scored again on its next possession, as Jones and Broyles connected on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 4:40 still left in the first quarter.

Keithen Valentine's 2-yard touchdown run made it 21-6 in the second quarter, but Oklahoma's Adrian Taylor blocked the extra-point kick. A 44-yard run by Oklahoma's Chris Brown to the Kansas State 5 set up a 1-yard scoring run by Murray, who returned after a one-game absence because of an ankle injury.

Valentine's 14-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play and a 2-point conversion early in the third quarter made it 28-17.

After Oklahoma went 3-and-out, the Wildcats went on a 75-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 41-yard halfback pass from Daniel Thomas to Banks.

Kansas State planned to try another 2-point conversion, but opted for a kick after a delay-of-game penalty. Oklahoma's Auston English blocked the attempt, leaving the Sooners up 28-23.

A holding penalty wiped out a 38-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Broyles, and a subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Broyles gave Oklahoma a first-and-45 late in the third quarter, but the Sooners picked up the first down, thanks to an 18-yard reception by Murray and a 25-yard catch-and-run by Broyles.

Murray closed the drive with a 6-yard touchdown catch, but Banks returned the ensuing kickoff for a score, making it 35-30 with 11:18 left.

Thomas, who entered the game as the Big 12's leading rusher, carried 16 times for 88 yards. Gregory completed 19 of 30 passes for 174 yards.