Sooners Just Hold off UC

AP

CINCINNATI (AP) - Landry Jones ran an Oklahoma offense, throwing for 370 yards and two touchdowns, and the eighth-ranked Sooners withstood a late Bearcats rally Saturday for a 31-29 win that kept them unbeaten.

Oklahoma (4-0) did a little of everything behind its sophomore quarterback, who completed a career-high 36 passes in 51 attempts with one interception. Ryan Broyles had his seventh straight 100-yard receiving game, looking good on the NFL field where favorite Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco - who wears the same No. 85 - struts his stuff.

Jones' only interception helped Cincinnati (1-3) make a late charge. Zach Collaros followed with a 36-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Woods that cut it to 24-22 with 9:45 left.

Woods then fumbled a punt at Cincinnati's 7, setting up Jones' clinching touchdown pass.

Woods also fumbled at the 5-yard line at the end of a long run-and-catch in the first half, part of a self-destructive showing by the two-time defending Big East champions. Cincinnati is off to its worst start in four years.

Collaros led a touchdown drive in the closing minutes against a defense willing to trade yards for time, throwing his third touchdown pass with 58 seconds left. Broyles recovered the onside kick to seal it. Collaros finished 23 of 38 for 305 yards. He also threw an interception in the end zone - his first this season - and fumbled.

Oklahoma overcame five personal fouls and a missed field goal while improving to 4-0 for the first time in two years. The Sooners next play Texas on Oct. 2.

Oklahoma hit the road for the first time this season, trying to shake out of its troubles away from home. The Sooners have been nearly invincible in Norman, winning 33 in a row, but had been ordinary when out of town, dropping five of their last seven.

Jones broke the streak with an extraordinary performance.

He completed 13 consecutive passes on two early touchdown drives, getting Oklahoma's offense moving in overdrive. Twice, the Bearcats failed to get lined up before Jones called for the snap. His 5-yard touchdown pass to Broyles - uncovered in the back of the end zone - made it 14-3.

Looked awfully familiar to Cincinnati.

Broyles got his stellar career started against the Bearcats. He made his collegiate debut during a 52-26 win over Cincinnati in Oklahoma in 2008, setting a school freshman record with 141 yards on seven catches.

The Sooners moved the ball consistently but self-destructed in the first half as well. Jimmy Stevens missed a field goal, and uncovered receiver Cameron Kenney had a pass slip through his hands in the end zone, forcing the Sooners to settle for a field goal.

Oklahoma's defense had a lot of good moments.

Cincinnati drove to a first-and-goal at the 2 on its opening drive, but had to settle for a field goal, starting some grumbling in the less-than-capacity crowd of 58,253 at Paul Brown Stadium.

Safety Jonathan Nelson had two huge plays in the opening half. He ran down Woods at the end of a 73-yard catch-and-run, punching the ball loose at the 5-yard line. It rolled into the end zone and the Sooners recovered.

Nelson also intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the first half, the first time that Collaros was picked off this season. The two heady plays helped the Sooners take a 17-9 lead into halftime.

Collaros got the offense moving better than it had all season. Woods had a career-high 171 yards on seven catches, and Isaiah Pead ran for 169 yards.