Backs back for OU, ISU

Oklahoma, which travels Saturday to Nebraska, and Iowa State both expect their featured running backs to return from injury this week.

Adrian Peterson, the Heisman runner-up as a freshman last year, has struggled with a slow-healing ankle injury this season. He did not play in the Sooners’ 37-30 victory in double overtime Saturday against Baylor and had just six yards on eight carries in the two games before that.

“He is much further along than he was a week ago, having rested,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. “We feel he’ll be a lot closer, coming into this game, and we’re going to work toward playing him. Now, it’s Monday, and can I be definitive about that? I can’t.”

Stevie Hicks, who rushed for 1,062 yards in 2004, has been slowed all season by injury — Iowa State coach Dan McCarney won’t discuss details — and hasn’t played since the Cyclones’ 28-21 victory over Army on Sept. 23.

“We could have used him Saturday, from an emergency standpoint,” McCarney said. “I wanted to give him some more rest, and the doctors agreed.”

Less disappointment?

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said the 16th-ranked Red Raiders might have an easier time of bouncing back from Saturday’s 52-17 loss to No. 2 Texas than if they had lost a squeaker to the Longhorns.

“It shouldn’t be easier, but I think it might be,” Leach said. “I can’t specifically tell you why, but I think maybe when the margin of error is closer, there’s a little more second-guessing.”

Weekly honors

¢ Missouri quarterback Brad Smith, the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to throw and run for 230 yards in a game, was chosen the Big 12’s offensive player of the week Monday. It was the second weekly honor of the season for Smith, who ran for 246 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 234 yards and one score in the Tigers’ 41-24 victory Saturday over Nebraska.

¢ Iowa State cornerback LaMarcus Hicks, who had two interceptions in the Cyclones’ victory over Oklahoma State, was the conference’s defensive player of the week. He is also a two-time winner of the weekly honor.

¢ The week’s top special teams player was Oklahoma kicker Garrett Hartley, who hit all three of his field goal attempts — including a 32-yarder to force the second overtime — in the Sooners’ victory over Baylor.