Oklahoma football: Four downs as Sooners make it two in a row

Needing two more wins to become bowl eligible in a season like few others, the Oklahoma football team narrowed the need to one with a 27-13 win over Iowa State on Saturday.

The Sooners scored first on a 41-yard field goal by Zach Schmit and never trailed from that point forward. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense rolled up 332 yards of offense against the country’s 10th-best defense, while the Sooner defense came up with big plays when it needed them most, holding the Cyclones’ point production to just two field goals and a touchdown.

It was the third fewest points given up by the Oklahoma defense this season and the fewest points allowed to five Big 12 opponents.

Oklahoma has had trouble all season getting third-down stops. The Sooners were up for the task on Saturday, allowing just 7 of 20 third-down conversions. The OU defense came into the game with Iowa State ranked 112th in the country in third-down defense.

The road win at Iowa State is the Sooners’ 25th in the last 26 games played in Ames, Iowa. Oklahoma is now 79-7-2 all-time against Iowa State. That is the highest winning percentage by a any Power Five team against another opponent with a minimum 50 games in the series.

Here is a quick-read breakdown of the game in four downs:

First down

Eric Gray was the key figure in the Oklahoma offense against a really, really good Iowa State defense. The Sooner senior running back continued to pound the rock, gaining 101 rushing yards against a Cyclone defensive front that ranked 15th in the country and first in the Big 12 in stopping the run. Iowa State had allowed teams just a little over 100 yards a game through seven games. Gray collected that many by himself as the Sooners rushed for 189 yard in the game.

Second down

Oklahoma broke a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter, scoring a touchdown on a fourth-down play that will go down as the play of the game. Zach Schmit lined up for a short field-goal try after the Sooners were stopped short of the end zone on a 3rd-and-goal possession. Instead of making attempting the kick, however, Schmit took a short pitch from holder Michael Turk ran it untouched into the end zone, completly footling the Iowa State defense.

That gave the Sooners a 10-3 lead that they never squandered from that point forward. The Sooners added a 34-yard field goal by Schmit six minutes later to give OU a 13-6 lead at halftime To that point in the game Schmit had accounted for all 13 of the Sooners’ points.

Third down

If Zach Schmit’s touchdown run on a fake field goal was the play of the game, a close second was in interception of Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers by OU linebacker Danny Stutsman. Oklahoma led 20-13 with under five minutes to go in the game, when Stutsman picked off the pass on the OU 33-yard line and ran it back to the two-yard line. Two plays later, Eric Gray ran it in for a Sooner touchdown, which essentially sealed the Oklahoma win.

Stutsman’s interception was the third of the day picked off by the Oklahoma defense. Defensive backs Woodi Washington and Justin Broiles intercepted Iowa State passes earlier in the game.

Fourth down

The Oklahoma defense recorded just one sack but was credited with seven tackles for loss for a total of 27 yards.

Marvin Mims and Brayden Willis, usually main cogs in the Oklahoma passing game were virtual no-shows on Saturday at Iowa State. But sophomore wide receiver picked up the slack with four receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown. His 41-yard catch and run in the third quarter widened the Sooners’ halftime advantage to 20-6. Mims and Willis caught four passes between them for a combined 30 yards.

The OU defense allowed 374 yards of total offense to Iowa State, the fewest the Sooners have allowed to a Big 12 opponent this season.

Dillon Gabriel finished with 15 for 26 passing for 148 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Overtime

Oklahoma improves to 5-3 on the season and 2-3 in the Big 12. Next up is a home game against Baylor next Saturday.