The ISU football team lost to Oklahoma 35-20 on Saturday, Nov. 3, in front of the third-largest crowd ever (56,585) at Jack Trice Stadium.

Iowa State (5-4, 2-4 Big 12) scored the most points against Oklahoma (6-2, 4-1) in the Bob Stoops era of OU football.

“We started the first half with a couple key turnovers and then lost seven valuable points at the end of the first half,” said ISU coach Paul Rhoads after the game. “[I] didn’t feel we lost momentum. … But it’s the seven points that was more concerning.”

Iowa State kept Oklahoma scoreless in the first quarter but was out-gained on offense 119-47. Overall, Oklahoma out-gained Iowa State 593-290 in total offensive yardage.

“I’m not quite sure what it is,” said receiver Quenton Bundrage when asked of the offensive struggles. “It could be anything from protection breaking down, receivers running wrong routes, running backs not picking up the blitz.”

Oklahoma chipped away at the ISU defense, dominating the time of possession by more than 13 minutes. A 90-yard, 12-play drive by the OU offense led to the first score of the game — a 20-yard touchdown pass from Landry Jones to Sterling Shepard off a flag route into the corner of the end zone.

The defense had a tough outing in the first game without All-American linebacker Jake Knott since 2009, allowing 593 yards — the most it has allowed at home all season.

“We knew that we needed to get off the field on third downs and that we needed to stop them, and we knew we were going to stop them,” said linebacker Jevohn Miller. “As a defense, I think it’s positive that we don’t usually get down on each other. We just move on, go to the next play, go to the next drive.”

ISU quarterback Steele Jantz struggled in the first quarter, going 2-for-8 for 39 yards. Jantz would go on to finish 20-of-40 for 191 yards and one interception.

In the second quarter, Jantz wasn’t able to lead the team into the end zone after a huge 47-yard interception return by Durrell Givens to the OU 15-yard line. Iowa State instead settled for a 27-yard field goal by Edwin Arceo to drive the score to 7-3.

Givens notched another interception and now leads the team in total takeaways this season with eight (five fumble recoveries, three interceptions).

The third quarter began with a 75-yard OU drive that resulted in a pass deflection by Jeremy Reeves landing in the hands of Justin Brown in the end zone to give the Sooners a 21-6 advantage.

Iowa State retaliated, however, with a 19-yard touchdown run on the reverse to Jarvis West to inch the Cyclones to within eight in the middle of the third quarter.

The Cyclones fought back after another OU score, but failed to get anything going as Jantz threw a pick in the fourth while trailing 35-20 to cue the exodus of fans from the stadium.

Oklahoma is now 15-0 all time in Jack Trice Stadium.

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