STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- Jeremy Smith rushed for three first-half touchdowns and Josh Stewart returned a punt 67 yards for a score as No. 12 Oklahoma State rolled over Lamar, 59-3, on Saturday night.
The game capped a long week for the Cowboys, which was the subject of a Sports Illustrated series that detailed alleged misconduct in the football program dating to 2001. Oklahoma State officials have contacted the NCAA and launched their own investigation.
For one night, it was all about football in front of a record crowd of 59,061 that turned out for a home opener that turned into a rout quickly.
Caleb Berry led the offense for Lamar (1-2), throwing for 114 yards on 18 of 38 passing.
Oklahoma State (3-0) has now scored a total of 115 points in its last two games as it heads into a bye week that precedes their Big 12 Conference opener Sept. 28 at West Virginia.
One week after a near-perfect performance in which he completed 24 of 27 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns, J.W. Walsh looked considerably more human. With 17 of 30 passing, for 181 yards and one touchdown, Walsh left the game midway through the third quarter.
Walsh's one touchdown was the result of a spectacular lunging catch by Blake Jackson in the end zone with 8:23 left in the third quarter, which made it 45-3. Two other sure TD passes were incomplete, ruled pass interference penalties on the defense.
Oklahoma State enjoyed an outstanding day on special teams, as Stewart totaled 114 yards on three punt returns, including his TD early in the third quarter that gave the Cowboys a 38-3 lead.
Oklahoma State's offense clicked from the very start, scoring touchdowns on each of its first three possessions to take a 21-0 lead before the end of the opening quarter.
The Cowboys needed to punt just once and held a 31-0 lead when Lamar forced Oklahoma State's first turnover of the season late in the second quarter. Branden Thomas picked off Walsh's deep throw and returned it 25 yards to the OSU 30-yard-line. That led to Lamar's first points of the game, a Justin Stout 44-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Lamar's best chance for a touchdown came early in the fourth quarter when they pushed all the way to the OSU 6-yard line. On a fourth-and-three, the Cardinals opted to go for it, but Berry's pass sailed over Kevin Johnson's head in the end zone.
