Austin, Texas ? Cedric Benson was doing what he used to do: smashing through the line of scrimmage against Rice, he chewed up yardage in chunks and ran through tackles to score.

It was the Benson of old for the No. 14 Texas Longhorns (3-1), who are more than happy to give him a hearty “Welcome Back.”

The junior tailback had been all but missing from the Texas offense in the first two games. He was on the field but was mostly an afterthought as the running game struggled in a win over New Mexico State and a loss to Arkansas.

After rolling up 2,346 yards in his first two seasons, some publications touted him as a contender for the Heisman Trophy and the Doak Walker Award. But after rushing for just 67 yards in the first two games, questions of “What’s wrong with Cedric?” were everywhere in Austin.

His coaches said Benson was “trying too hard” to find space, or the offensive line needed to hold blocks a second longer.

He silenced some of the questions with 130 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against Rice. He carried six times for 48 yards on Texas’ first scoring drive and later added a 59-yard TD reception.

“This was a confidence builder, no doubt, for me and those guys. I knew those guys were going to come along,” Benson said.

“Cedric ran like the old Cedric,” said quarterback Chance Mock. “He put his head down and ran through the holes.”

It was the kind of result Benson and the Longhorns expected after he bulked up in the offseason and cut short his summer minor league baseball commitment with the Los Angeles Dodgers to concentrate on football.

That the breakout performance came against the lowly Owls matters little. Benson’s teammates say it was important psychologically to get him 100 yards for the first time since October 2002 and revive a dormant running game overall.

“It was important for the offensive line. I know it was important for Cedric,” said senior left guard Tillman Holloway. “I saw the chemistry out there. … Cedric was all over the place.”

The same back who looked tentative against New Mexico State and Arkansas ran with authority against Rice as Holloway and the linemen plowed over defenders.

Benson clearly enjoyed having room to run.

“It felt good to finally get a chance to run in the open field,” Benson said, noting there is more work to be done. “We’re still stacking bricks.”

Benson’s outing gave Texas its most balanced attack of the season. The Longhorns had 164 yards rushing and 165 passing.

That kind of balance will be needed again tonight against Tulane (3-1). The Longhorns will want to eat up yardage and the game clock to keep the Green Wave’s explosive offense off the field.

Tulane averages 35.8 points with a wide open attack led by senior quarterback J.P. Losman, the nation’s leading passer with 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Holloway said Texas won’t relax its running attack now that it found success