LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rich Brooks knows Kentucky's young and inexperienced offense isn't going to scare anybody.

The way the Wildcats' defense played against Louisville, it might not have to.

Kentucky returned two Louisville fumbles for touchdowns and set up another score with an interception in the Wildcats' 27-2 victory yesterday in the Governor's Cup.

"We thought we had a good defense and we do," Brooks said. "Our defense took it upon themselves to score points. Our defense kept making play after play after play."

Kentucky forced five turnovers and stuffed Louisville's retooled offense, playing with the kind of tenacity Brooks said the Wildcats would need early in the season while the offense found its footing.

Kentucky held Louisville, which averaged 416.5 yards per game a year ago, to just 205 yards and the Cardinals failed to score a touchdown for the first time since a shutout loss to Florida State in 2000.

"We were able to come out and execute everything we wanted to," Kentucky linebacker Micah Johnson said. "I was expecting us to have a great performance and we did. I just wasn't expecting all of those turnovers."

Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe was hoping for a fresh start after a disappointing debut last season. Instead, the Cardinals appear to have plenty of work ahead if they want to climb back toward the top of the Big East.

"You've got to take good care of the football," Kragthorpe said. "We just didn't do a good enough job on offense. Our defense gave us opportunities but we didn't take advantage."

COLORADO ROLLS PAST COLORADO STATE, 38-17

DENVER — Josh Smith had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as the Buffaloes beat the Rams last night at Invesco Field in the season-opener for both teams.

Many fans surely tuned in expecting to see Smith's nephew, Darrell Scott, the Buffaloes' highly touted freshman tailback who was considered by several scouting services as the best back in the nation last year.

Scott gained 50 yards on a dozen carries and leaped over the pile for a 1-yard TD to cap the scoring in the closing minutes. But this night belonged to his uncle as the speedy sophomore racked up 189 total yards.

OHIO STATE

NO WORD YET ON STAR RUNNING BACK WELLS

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Beanie watch is on for the Buckeyes.

A day after Ohio State star Chris "Beanie" Wells fell back in a heap with an injured right foot, the second-ranked Buckeyes could do nothing but hope that their Heisman Trophy contender would be quick to recover.

Wells went down early in the third quarter of a 43-0 victory Saturday against overmatched Youngstown State.

Ohio State spokeswoman Shelly Poe sent an e-mail to reporters yesterday, restating that Wells had no broken bones.

"It's not likely that there will be any update until probably (today) after some initial treatments and therapy," she wrote.

Coach Jim Tressel said Saturday team doctors told him the X-rays were negative and the injury was not turf toe.

ELSEWHERE

Georgia: Defensive tackle Jeff Owens will have knee surgery and miss the rest of the season, making the senior the second starting lineman lost by the top-ranked Bulldogs in the past month. Owens tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Saturday's 45-21 win over Georgia Southern. Coach Mark Richt said yesterday that Owens will have season-ending surgery. Georgia lost starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant from its offensive line during preseason practice.

Oregon: Offensive tackle Fenuki Tupou missed the Ducks' season-opening win over Washington because he accepted a meal and received $100 from the representative of a professional sport management firm, the university said yesterday. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound senior served the one-game, NCAA-imposed suspension Saturday after reporting his actions to the athletic department earlier in the week and turning the money over to its compliance office, said Dave Williford, a department spokesman.

Texas: Defensive tackle Lamarr Houston was suspended for Saturday's game at Texas El-Paso after his arrest on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge a few hours after the Longhorns beat Florida Atlantic, 52-10. "We've talked with Lamarr and his family and decided that he will not be making the trip to El Paso to play in this week's game," coach Mack Brown said last night. "He asked to apologize to the team and did so at our team meeting earlier today. The issue will be handled within the team and any further action will be addressed at the appropriate time."