ESPN.com - Instant analysis: Oklahoma 35, ISU 20

ESPN.com: Oklahoma Sooners

Saturday, November 3, 2012
Instant analysis: Oklahoma 35, ISU 20

By Jake Trotter

AMES, Iowa -- After a sluggish first quarter, the Sooners finally got rolling offensively to cruise to a 35-20 win over Iowa State on the road.

It was over when: Oklahoma free safety Tony Jefferson picked off Steele Jantz inside the OU 20-yard line with 3:14 left in the game to finish off a mild Iowa State rally. The interception was the Sooners' only forced turnover of the day.

Game ball goes to: OU running back Brennan Clay, who rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 24 carries in relief of hobbled starter Damien Williams. Clay also dashed for an 18-yard touchdown late in the third quarter that put the Sooners up two scores.

Stat of the game: The Sooners gashed Iowa State on third down, converting 9 of 14 attempts. Landry Jones completed two of his touchdown passes on third-and-9.

Turning point: After picking off Jones, Iowa State pulled to within 7-6 on an Edwin Arceo 51-yard field goal. The Sooners seemed to content to run out the last minute of the first half, handing the ball off twice. But then Jones completed back-to-back bombs, including a 21-yard touchdown lob to Kenny Stills 14 seconds before halftime.

Unsung hero: Sooners wide receiver Justin Brown came through with two of the biggest plays of the game. Brown hauled in a 40-yard catch near the end of the first half to set up the Stills touchdown. He also snagged a tipped pass in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown to cap OU’s opening drive of the third quarter.

What it means: The Sooners remain on Kansas State’s heels in the Big 12 title race, though still need a lot of help. Iowa State missed a chance to become bowl eligible for the second straight season, but still has three more opportunities to get there.