COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Jerrod Johnson tied a Texas A&M quarterback record with three rushing touchdowns and threw three touchdown passes to lead the Aggies to a 56-19 victory over Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday night.
Johnson completed 23 of 29 passes for 290 yards against the Blazers' 118th-ranked pass defense as the Aggies improved to 3-0 for the third time in four years. A total of nine Aggies caught passes a week after leading receiver Jeff Fuller broke his right leg.
Bradley Stephens and Cyrus Gray added touchdown runs for the Aggies, who converted 14 of 17 third downs and finished with 544 yards. Texas A&M came in leading the nation in total offense (589.5 yards per game).
Joe Webb rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown for the Blazers (1-3), who mustered 303 yards and went 3 for 14 on third-down conversions.
In other Big 12 Conference games, Brandon Banks became the 12th player in NCAA history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in a game and Kansas State rolled to a 49-7 victory over outmanned Tennessee Tech in Manhattan, Kan. Banks also had 90 yards receiving and 29 yards on two punt returns against the Golden Eagles (1-2). The Wildcats (2-2) held Tennessee Tech to 107 yards of offense. ... Colt McCoy and No. 2 Texas got the fast start they had been missing in recent weeks, rolling to a 40-point lead by halftime before cruising to a 64-7 victory over Texas-El Paso in Austin. McCoy passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns, two to Dan Buckner. The Longhorns (4-0) also harassed UTEP quarterback Trevor Vittatoe into five turnovers. ... Todd Reesing threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 20 Kansas to a 35-28 victory over Southern Mississippi in Lawrence, Kan. Reesing was 30 for 41 and hit Kerry Meier, who had 10 catches for 141 yards, on a pair of touchdown passes.
...Robert Griffin threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns before halftime then watched after that as Baylor beat Northwestern State 68-13 in Waco, Texas, in the Bears' highest-scoring game in 67 years. After Griffin helped push Baylor (2-1) to its highest-scoring first half in 15 years, Jason Lamb (25 yards) and Chance Casey (66 yards) returned interceptions for touchdowns. ... Alexander Robinson rushed for 127 yards and scored three touchdowns to help Iowa State beat Army 31-10 in Ames, Iowa, for its second consecutive victory. Austen Arnaud added 175 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Cyclones (3-1), who have surpassed their two-victory total from 2008. ... Keith Toston ran for 84 yards and three first-half touchdowns, and No. 16 Oklahoma State overpowered GramblingState 56-6 in Stillwater, Okla. All-America receiver Dez Bryant and All-Big 12 tailback Kendall Hunter watched from the sideline as the Cowboys (3-1) piled up 587 yards of total offense against their only Football Championship Subdivision opponent this season. ... Zac Lee passed for 238 yards and a touchdown, Roy Helu Jr. scored twice and No. 25 Nebraska celebrated its 300th consecutive sellout with a 55-0 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in Lincoln, Neb. The Cornhuskers (3-1) beat an opponent from the Sun Belt Conference for the third time this season. Nebraska outscored Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and Lafayette by a combined 142-12.
CONFERENCE USA Marshall stops Memphis
MEMPHIS - Darius Marshall ran for three touchdowns to help Marshall hold off Memphis 27-16 in the Conference USA opener for both teams on Saturday.
Marshall had 25 carries for 203 yards for the Thundering Herd (3-1, 1-0), and also completed a pass for 27 yards.
With the Tigers (1-3, 0-1) leading 7-3 after the opening quarter, Marshall ran for touchdowns of 2 and 69 yards to take a 17-7 lead late in the second.
Matt Reagan kicked a 20-yard field goal to end the first half, then started the second with a 22-yarder to bring Memphis back within 17-13. Marshall ran it in from 5 yards out to give the Herd a 24-13 advantage to start the fourth. Craig Ratanamorn kicked an 18-yard field goal to seal the victory for Marshall.
Tyler Bass was 17 for 34 passing for 232 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for the Tigers. He also rushed for 64 yards on 14 carries.
In other Conference USA games, Andre Anderson rushed for four touchdowns and Tulane beat McNeese State 42-32 in New Orleans. Anderson carried 28 times for 199 yards and scored on runs of 2, 11, 63 and 2 yards for the Green Wave (1-2). Derrick Fourroux gained 102 yards on 20 carries for the Cowboys (3-1). ... Dwayne Harris scored two touchdowns to help East Carolina defeat Central Florida 19-14 in Greenville, N.C. Harris was a threat all over the field for the Pirates (2-2, 1-0), making 10 catches for 121 yards. Brett Hodges, who threw one touchdown pass and four interceptions, was 21 for 34 for 266 yards for Central Florida (2-2, 0-2). ... G.J. Kinne threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns in two quarters as Tulsa beat Sam Houston State 56-3 in Tulsa.Tulsa (3-1) amassed 517 yards of total offense against the outmanned Bearkats (1-2) of the Southland Conference. Kinne completed 12 of 15 passes, including touchdown tosses of 30 yards to Slick Shelley (Fort Smith Southside), 63 yards to Damaris Johnson and 16 and 34 yards to Trae Johnson. Wide receiver A.J. Whitmore (Nashville) scored on a 5-yard run, culminated by a leap over the left pylon.
Sports, Pages 36 on 09/27/2009