Sanders Scores 5 in 62-14 Rout : Heisman Winner Leads Oklahoma State Over Wyoming: 222 Yards

SAN DIEGO —  All through a Heisman Trophy season in which he broke or tied 24 National Collegiate Athletic Assn. records, Barry Sanders was never accused of being greedy.

So when Oklahoma State Coach Pat Jones approached him at the start of the fourth quarter and asked him if he wanted back in on a 62-14 rout of Wyoming in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Friday night, it only seemed right that the humble Sanders declined.

“Coach Jones asked me if I wanted some more,” Sanders said. “I told him I’d rather not.”

That was the best news Wyoming had heard all night. Because by then, Sanders had plenty, even by his prolific standards: 5 touchdowns, 222 yards rushing, 29 carries and the first pass completion of his college career.

His touchdowns came on runs of 33, 2, 67, 1 and 10 yards.

The 67-yard run, the 5 touchdowns and 29 carries were Holiday Bowl records. Sanders could have broken another record--the 225 yards by Craig James of Southern Methodist in 1980--had he elected to return with Oklahoma State leading, 45-14.

“They told me that I was 2 or 3 yards away, but it didn’t mean anything to me at all,” Sanders said. “I’m just glad we won the game.”

It came as no surprise to Jones that after 2,850 yards and 44 touchdowns, Sanders was quite ready to call it quits on his junior season.

“He had no desire to go back in and get the record,” Jones said. “That typifies the kind of person he is.”

As for what kind of football player he is, that was left for the sellout crowd of 60,718 to marvel at.

“Sanders was everything that he was advertised--strong, quick, fast,” Wyoming Coach Paul Roach said. “He’d be terrific even on asphalt.”

Outdone by Sanders but not unnoticed were Oklahoma State quarterback Mike Gundy and wide receiver Hart Lee Dykes.

Gundy completed 20 of 24 passes for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also was on the receiving end of Sanders’ 17-yard pass that set up Sanders’ fourth touchdown run.

Dykes, a senior All-American, caught 10 passes for a bowl-record 163 yards and 1 touchdown.

Theirs was the best of what was a record-setting offensive night for a 11-year-old bowl known for big scores. Among the bowl records broken by Oklahoma State were points (62) and total offensive yards (698).

Sanders wasted no time making his presence known. He scored his first touchdown on the first series of the game--a 33-yard run on which he was barely touched. He dashed through a huge hole on the right side between the guard and tackle and easily outraced Wyoming free safety Darryl Harris into the end zone with 10:13 left in the first quarter.

It was the ninth time in 12 games that Oklahoma State, the nation’s leading offensive team with an average of 47.5 points a game, had scored on its first possession.

Sanders ran for his second touchdown--a 2-yarder with 1:29 left in the first half. Cary Blanchard added a 33-yard field goal 1 second before halftime. And Brent Parker caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Gundy to end the first possession of the second half and give Oklahoma State a 24-7 lead.

Wyoming came back to draw within 24-14, but Sanders answered with a Holiday Bowl-record 67-yard touchdown run on Oklahoma State’s next play, and the rout was in full stride.

Sanders finished his night by scoring on Oklahoma State’s next two possessions on runs of 1 and 10 yards for a 45-14 third-quarter lead.

It was the 11th time in 12 games that Oklahoma State had scored more than 40 points.

Even the much-trampled Oklahoma State defense had something to brag about after this one. After allowing an average of 454.5 yards in total offense during the regular season, Oklahoma State held Wyoming to 204.

Oklahoma State finished at 10-2, Wyoming at 11-2.