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Minus Peterson, Oklahoma beats Colorado

Oct 22, 2006 - 2:13 AM NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- Allen Patrick is no Adrian Peterson, but he helped Oklahoma win its first game without the superstar running back.

Making his first career start, Patrick rushed 35 times for 110 yards and a touchdown as the 20th-ranked Sooners defeated lowly Colorado, 24-3, in a Big 12 Conference matchup.

Paul Thompson completed 17-of-26 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown for the Sooners (5-2, 2-2 Big 12 South), who have won five straight meetings with the Buffaloes.

Last weekend, Oklahoma cruised past Iowa State, 34-9, as Peterson rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns. But the junior Heisman Trophy candidate broke his left collarbone diving into the end zone at the end of a 53-yard run and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season at a minimum.

Thompson opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown toss to Manuel Johnson midway through the first quarter and Garrett Hartley made it 10-0 with a 46-yard field goal with four seconds to play in the period.

Neither team scored again until Patrick's two-yard run with 10:26 left in the contest. The TD capped a 12-play, 54-yard drive after Colorado's Stephone Robinson fumbled a punt return and Oklahoma's Joe Jon Finley recovered.

Patrick became the first back to run for 100 yards against the Buffaloes, who entered the game seventh in the nation in rushing defense at 77.4 yards per game.

"I am really proud of Allen Patrick," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "I thought he ran the ball really tough, really well."

Patrick said Peterson had given him some tips during the game.

"He gave me pointers when I needed them," Patrick said. "He kept telling me to cut to the outside and then things started happening."

Buffaloes linebacker Thaddaeus Washington was impressed with Patrick.

"He was pretty good," Washington said. "They've got good athletes, and when one goes down another one steps up. They've always got an athlete that's coming, no matter what."

Oklahoma's Chris Brown capped the scoring with a four-yard run with 17 seconds to play. It was the freshman's first appearance of the season.

Bernard Jackson went just 3-of-14 for 39 yards for Colorado (1-7, 1-2 North), which mustered just five first downs and 113 total yards. "I was really pleased how they (the defense) played the entire night," Stoops said. "Very solid in our positioning, adjusting, being physical in tackling and containing the quarterback as well."

The Buffaloes were coming off their first win under coach Dan Hawkins, a 30-6 home triumph over Texas Tech.

"OU is talented on defense and they do a very good job," Hawkins said. "You know that you have your work cut out for you coming in."