OU's Peterson breaks freshman rushing mark

Top freshman rushers in I-A history Rk. Player Year Yards 1 Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma 2004 1,925 2 Ron Dayne, Wisconsin 1996 1,863 3 Jamario Thomas, N. Texas 2004 1,801 4 Chance Kretschmer, Nevada 2001 1,732 5 Herschel Walker, Georgia 1980 1,616 6 Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh 1973 1,586 7 Alex Smith, Indiana 1994 1,475 8 Anthony Davis, Wisconsin 2001 1,466 9 Michael Hart, Michigan 2004 1,455 10 Marshall Faulk, San Diego St. 1991 1,429 11 Jamal Lewis, Tennessee 1997 1,364 12 Emmitt Smith, Florida 1987 1,341

MIAMI (AP) -- Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson broke the NCAA record for rushing yards by a freshman Tuesday with an 8-yard run on the second play of the second quarter of the Orange Bowl against Southern California.

Peterson needed 21 yards entering the game to surpass the record of 1,863 yards rushing set by Wisconsin's Ron Dayne in 1996, and it took nine carries for him to get them. After the run, Peterson had 1,869 yards on the season.

Earlier in the season, Peterson tied the NCAA mark by reaching 1,000 yards in his seventh career game. Florida's Emmitt Smith established the record in 1987 and San Diego State's Marshall Faulk matched it in 1991.

Peterson had at least 100 yards rushing in all but one of the Sooners' 12 games this season. He had 58 yards on a season-low 15 carries a week after dislocating his left shoulder against Texas A&M.