Despite losing 39-26 to Oklahoma on Saturday, the Iowa State football team had plenty to be proud of.

Sophomore running back sensation Troy Davis became the first sophomore in major college history to break the 1,000-yard barrier in the first five games of the season.

The only other backs to reach 1,000 yards in the fifth game of a season were seniors Marcus Allen and Ricky Bell of Southern California, Ed Marinaro of Cornell and juniors Ernest Anderson and Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State.

“It is a good feeling, but it’s not a good feeling when you lose with it — it’s bad,” Davis said.

Davis racked up only 89 yards rushing against the nation’s No. 1 rushing defense, but needed only 88 to break the 1,000-yard mark.

“I wasn’t keeping up with the yards, really,” Davis said.

Davis also continues to lead the nation in rushing with an average of 200.2 yards per game and has taken over the top spot in all-purpose running with 245.2 yards a game, which includes rushing, receiving and kick return yardage. He had 204 all-purpose yards against Oklahoma, including 66 on kickoff returns and 49 on receptions.

The Oklahoma defense showed why they are the nation’s top rushing defense. The Sooners held ISU to 104 total yards on the ground.

“They’re the best,” Davis said. “They stopped me for like 90 yards — that’s a defense for you, they’re good.”

ISU’s defense also had a fine showing. The Cyclones kept the Sooners out of the endzone until the second quarter and sophomore safety Kevin Hudson scored a touchdown on a blocked punt to take a 26-23 lead in the fourth quarter.

“The first thing I was thinking was, ‘don’t fall on it,'” Hudson said. “I saw the endzone right there and I thought, ‘I can get this one in, I know I can.'”

Junior inside linebacker Tim Sanders led the Cyclone defense with 26 tackles.

The Cyclone team captain said Oklahoma made the plays on third downs in the fourth quarter and ISU didn’t.

“It wasn’t their success; it was our failure,” Sanders said. “They’re a good football team — beatable though.”

Offensive tackle Tim Kohn said the Cyclone’s offense gained confidence from their play against the No. 1 rushing defense in the nation. “Oklahoma’s probably going to be the best we’ll see,” Kohn said. “Nebraska and K. State and Colorado — those will probably be close, but at least we know that we can move the ball.”

Two ISU turnovers in the fourth quarter may have been the deciding factor in the outcome of the game. Davis fumbled on a kick return with 11:40 left in the game and quarterback Todd Doxzon had a pass intercepted with 7:06 remaining.

“Turnovers hurt us a lot. I went out there and caught a return and it was a turnover so it really hurt us a lot — big time,” Davis said. “Somebody hit me from the side and it just came out — nobody’s perfect, though.”