8A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. 2005
Editor's Note: Every Thursday
Kansas senior sportwriter Daniel
Bark will give updates on the Big
12 Conference.
Texas in spotlight
Early Season Test
The game of the week this weekend will be Texas at Ohio State. The Longhorns will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to do battle with the Buckeyes for the first time in the schools' histories
Texas enters the game ranked second in the coaches poll, and Ohio State enters the game ranked fourth in the country.
texas football coach Mack Brown said Ohio State would be a difficult opponent, but his team would be up for the challenge.
After dropping their first game of the year, the Oklahoma
"This is a fun week in Texas," Brown said. "We are excited about going up to play at Ohio State. Ohio State won 22 of its last 23 home games and has never lost at night, so it will be a challenge. This is a great test for us and a great challenge for the Big 12 and Big 10 Conferences."
Ohio State opened its season last week with a 34-14 win over Miami of Ohio. Texas was also victorious in week one, defeating Louisiana-Lafayette 60-3.
New quarterback in Norman
Sooners made a quarterback change. Junior quarterback Paul Thompson got the starting rod last week, but will be the backup this weekend, when Oklahoma plays host to Tulsa.
Rhett Bormar, a freshman who took a redshirt last season, will start in Thompson's place. Thompson went 11 for 26 in completions, accumulating 109 yards and throwing one interception against TCU last week. Bormar saw limited action.
Sophomore running back Adrian Peterson struggled last week, nushing the ball 22 times for 63 yards. It had been reported that Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain during the TCU game, but Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops said Peterson was fine and walking early in the week.
Smith returns to old form
Missouri senior quarterback Brad Smith was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after he threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-17 win over Arkansas State. Smith also rushed the ball 12 times for 95 yards.
Smith became the third quarterback in NCAA history to have over 6,000 yards passing and over 3,000 rushing yards in his career. Smith ranks second in the Big 12
with 9,895 total yards gained in his career. Former Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury is first with 12,263 yards
Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel said he was pleased with Smith's first game."Brad Smith had been waiting for this game since last January, and there was no guy in our camp who wanted to get back on the field and get respect for the team than Brad," Pinkel said.
Missouri will take on New Mexico at home on Saturday, but will do it without junior linebacker Marcus Bacon. Bacon was suspended indefinitely following an arrest last weekend for driving while intoxicated.
Early wake up call
Kansas State will travel to Huntington, W. Va., to take on Marshall Saturday. The' game will be on ESPN 2 at 9:30 a.m.
Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder said the coaches have been trying to get things accomplished quickly for the early start time. Snyder said this would be the earliest game he had ever coached.
The Wildcats enter the game 1-0 following a 35-21 victory over Florida International last Saturday.
-Daniel Berk
MLB
Suspension cut in half for coach
Duncan served the final game of his two-game ban in the finale of a three-game series with the Cubs last night. He missed Friday's game as well.
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan had a four-game suspension for his part in a scuffle with Pirates hitting coach Gerald Perry cut in half yesterday.
tion in the commissioner's office, heard Duncan's appeal. Duncan said he was suspended "for getting punched."
"I still think it's excessive, but I appreciate them reconsidering and listening to what I had to say," Duncan said.
John McHale Jr., executive vice president of administra-
Duncan also was unhappy that a $1,000 fine was not reduced.
"I thought it was an awfully big fine for what involvement I had," Duncan said. "I thought it was an excessive fine. Realistically, if you equate players' salaries vs. coaches' salaries, it's pretty significant."
The Associated Press
BIG 12 FOOTBALL Missouri linebacker faces DUI charges
Missouri officials cited disciplinary reasons for the suspension. Bacon was the Tigers' leading tackler with eight tackles in Saturday's win.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri linebacker Marcus Cuson has been suspended indefinitely following his weekend arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Spokesman Chad Moller said there was no timetable for Bacon's return.
The Associated Press
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