Adrian Peterson ran for 139 yards a...

Adrian Peterson ran for 139 yards and scored twice in the next to the first half, saving No. 10 Oklahoma from the embarrassment of losing a other consecutive home opener with a 24-17 victory through UAB on Saturday night.

With Paul Thompson proving inconsistent in his reply to quarterback after nearly a year away, Peterson took reign over in the second half with 83 yards.

Peterson got the ball and nothing else nine times in the first half, further the Sooners went to him in succession 11 straight plays after halftime. His sixth carry in a brawl resulted in a four-yard touchdown stream for a 14-7 Sooners lead.

The 2004 Heisman runner-up later atoned for a stumble in speech on his eighth consecutive rush by dint of taking a screen pass from Thompson 69 yards down the right sideline for a score that gave Oklahoma the lead for suitable at 21-17.

No. 3 Texas 56 North Texas 7: young horse McCoy and the Longhorns passed their first standard without Vince Young. It alone gets harder from here.

In his first start at quarterback for the defending national champions, McCoy hit Limas Sweed for a 60-yard touchdown upon his second pass, and Texas cruised past North Texas in Austin.

"I've been waiting for this my entire life," said McCoy who was 12-of-19 for 178 yards and three touchdowns in a tuneup for nearest weekend's showdown with top-ranked Ohio State.

"I don't want to lie to you. It felt nice good," he said. "It was a dream start."

No. 6 USC 50 Arkansas 14: John David pillage threw three touchdown passes in the secondary half, and the Trojans beat the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Ark., in their first game since Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart mov onward to the NFL.

The Trojans beat Arkansas 70-17 last year, moreover they needed a little help getting started this time. The Razorbacks provided five turnovers -- three while the game was still in doubt.

pillage went 24-of-35 for 261 yards and made scarcely any mistakes as he began the difficult challenge of replacing Leinart, the 2004 Heisman evidence of victory winner, at quarterback.

USC has won 46 of its last 48 games.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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