For the first time in nine games, the ISU football team found it takes more than winning the turnover battle to win in the Big 12.

In the first half of their 35-20 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, the Cyclones (5-4, 2-4 Big 12) gave themselves a chance by creating turnovers. On two consecutive drives, Durrell Givens intercepted passes from OU quarterback Landry Jones.

The first came where Givens covered a large amount of ground from the middle of the field to beat the receiver on a go-route. The second occurred when ISU linebacker Jeremiah George tipped a pass Givens dove to cradle inches off the ground.

“The first one was a big-time play,” said coach Paul Rhoads after the game. “I don’t know who told me years ago — [defensive backs] should be able to cover a third of the distance a ball is thrown when it’s in the air, and he might have got a little more than that to stretch out and make that pick. That was him doing his job and doing it very, very well.”

On both offensive series after the turnovers, however, the Cyclones didn’t convert. Both drives started in OU territory, but neither covered more than 20 yards, and Iowa State was forced to settle for two Edwin Arceo field goals — one from 27 yards and another a career-high 51.

“We didn’t come away with two big field goals, we came away with field goals,” Rhoads said. “We didn’t come away with two big touchdowns.”

The Sooners’ offense had a dominant performance after exploding for more than 590 yards of offense and possessing the ball for nearly 13 minutes more than Iowa State.

The entire OU offense was efficient in gaining big chunks of yards through the air and on the ground. Jones completed 32-of-45 passing attempts, eclipsing the 400-yard mark while throwing four touchdown passes, all of which were for 20 yards or more.

“I told him after the game I’m glad he’s graduating,” Rhoads said of Landry Jones. “He’s a heck of a football player and really runs that offense and runs that show. He did it today.”

Equally as productive on the ground, OU’s Brennan Clay filled in for an injured Damian Williams, rushing for 157 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries while averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

A big advantage for Oklahoma (6-2, 4-1) was conquering the possession battle and its efficiency on third downs. The Sooners finished the game converting on nine of their 14 attempts and had completed nine of 12 at one point in the second half.

“Our third-down defense percentage was terrible,” said ISU linebacker A.J. Klein. “We can’t give up over 70 percent on third down. We can’t allow it. To win games, we need to keep that below 50.”

Jones crippled the ISU defense — which played without All-American linebacker Jake Knott for the first time in 34 games — by extending drives and keeping the defense on the field. On third downs alone, he completed six-of-seven passes while throwing for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

“It’s always frustrating not being able to stop a team on third down,” Givens said. “Third down, we call that the ‘money’ down. If you don’t get them off, then you don’t get paid.”

Expressions aside, Rhoads said he believes his football team — especially his defense — executed well but was just beaten by a very good Sooners team.

“That’s a good football team,” Rhoads said. “That’s a fine Oklahoma football team.”