Big 12 squads plagued by lack of offense

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ Three games into his tenure at Colorado, coach Dan Hawkins has yet to see the Buffaloes win -- or even score in the second half. <br/><br/>He's not the only Big 12 coach who

Monday, September 18th 2006, 8:48 am

By: News On 6

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ Three games into his tenure at Colorado, coach Dan Hawkins has yet to see the Buffaloes win -- or even score in the second half.

He's not the only Big 12 coach who watched his offense struggle this weekend.

Colorado fell to oh-and-three Saturday with a 21-to-three loss at home to Arizona State. The Buffaloes have now lost seven straight dating back to last season.

It hasn't been the start the former Boise State coach expected when he took over for Gary Barnett after last season. Colorado has scored 23 points in three games, its worst offensive stretch to open a season since 1964.

Iowa State, which will face Texas this weekend, fell to in-state rival Iowa 27-to-17 Saturday.

Texas Tech scored just three points in its 12-to-3 loss at T-C-U -- after scoring 70 in its last meeting with the Horned Frogs. And Nebraska put up just 10 points in falling to U-S-C, 28-to-10.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was in a different predicament. It wasn't the Sooners offense he was mad at. He was mad at officials for disputed calls on an onside kick and pass-interference penalty that led to Oklahoma's 34-to-33 loss to Oregon.

Of course, the news wasn't all bad. Texas rebounded from its loss to Ohio State by holding Rice to minus-12 yards rushing in a 52-to-7 win.