No. 5 Oklahoma came a long way on Saturday in putting its name firmly in the College Football Playoff race.
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The Sooners survived a furious Oklahoma State push to keep things close, and held on for the 62-52 win.
An interception by quarterback Baker Mayfield gave Oklahoma State the ball with just over two minutes remaining in the game, and a controversial targeting call allowed the Cowboys a do-over after an interception. The ball bounced off the Ok. State's Dillon Stoner's facemask and into the hands of Oklahoma, but a targeting call on Will Johnson before the ball could hit Tre Brown's hands gave the ball back to the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State failed its 4th-and-8 attempt, giving the ball back to the Sooners with just a minute remaining in the game and Oklahoma put the game away for good.
After combining for 76 points in the first half, Oklahoma settled in and forced two critical turnovers to swing the momentum and take a 10-point lead in the third quarter:
Oklahoma State furiously drove the field to open the fourth, cutting the deficit to just three. But Mayfield was electric, connecting on a 77-yard touchdown pass to keep pace.
Mayfield finished with nearly 600 yards passing, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Mason Rudolph added 437 yards passing, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
No. 3 Notre Dame rolled over Wake Forest, No. 4 Clemson survived a road scare against No. 20 N.C. State and No. 1 Georgia beat down South Carolina.
In the Big Ten, No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State both fell in embarrassing losses, giving the Sooners some breathing room in their continued pursuit of a spot in the Final Four.
