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AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Victor Ike ran for three one-yard touchdowns and Major Applewhite threw for three scores as 16th-ranked Texas rebounded from a season-opening loss and humiliated Stanford, 69-17. It was Texas' highest point total since a 71-14 rout of Oklahoma State on October 5, 1996. The Longhorns scored at least one touchdown in every quarter, entering the end zone four times in the second period en route to a 48-10 halftime lead. Ike's first scoring run with 10:45 left in the first quarter gave Texas a 14-0 lead and he scored twice in a 9:24 span of the second. Applewhite hooked up with Kwame Cavil on two TDs. Prized quarterback recruit Chris Simms even took part with a one-yard scoring strike to running back Chris Robertson in the fourth quarter. Simms is the son of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, who was in the crowd wearing a Texas cowboy hat. The Longhorns opened the season on August 28 and had three punts blocked in a 23-20 loss to North Carolina State in the Black Coaches Association Classic. "I'm really proud the way the team responded and bounced back this week," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "They worked hard in practice this week because it's not fun to lose. "Texas responded very well to their defeat last weekend," Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham said. "They played a good game. They have experience and made the right plays today. They did a good job throwing the ball." Applewhite completed 17-of-27 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. One of the scores came just 2:17 in the game when he found Montrell Flowers for 54 yards. Ike scored for the first time two minutes later. Todd Husak found DeRonnie Pitts for a 37-yard TD to get Stanford on the board, but Applewhite and Cavil hooked up on a 78-yard score moments later as Texas regained a two-touchdown advantage. Cavil hauled in six passes for 180 yards and Simms was 3-of-7 for 27 yards. "I was really impressed with his performance," Brown said of Simms. "It's important for the progress of the team that the younger guys play. He's very mature and if I need him to play, he'll be more ready than he was before." In addition to Ike's two second-quarter TD runs, Applewhite and Cavil combined for a six-yard score and Beau Trahan went in from four yards with less than a minute to play in the half, making it 48-7. "This is Texas football," Cavil said. "This is how we want to play every week. We didn't get to show Texas football last week, but this week we did, and it's a great win." Hodges Mitchell's five-yard TD run for Texas was the only scoring in the third quarter and Simms' toss to Robertson made it 62-10. "It's important to open strong and then be able to continue throughout the game," Brown added. "It's especially hard to stay focused when you go up 48-10 and the fans did a good job of staying with us, too." After Kerry Carter scored on a 24-yard run for Stanford, Robertson broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown 9:15 into the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. For the Cardinal, Husak completed 15-of-39 for 205 yards without an interception. Carter totaled 69 yards on nine rushes. "It's tough when you get behind, you always need to start off on a good note," said Pitts. "When you start off like that, it's hard to pick back up."
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