No. 15 Oklahoma smacks Iowa State, 52-16

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 15 Sooners beat Iowa State 52-16 in front of 85,595 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Two of Mayfield's touchdown throws went for more than 70 yards as he connected with Dimitri Flowers for a 75-yard touchdown early in the first quarter and Sterling Shepard for a 74-yard score late in the third.

The Sooners (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) started with a bang offensively, struggled during the second quarter and then turned it back on in the second half to win for their fourth consecutive game.

Since losing to Texas on Oct. 10, the Sooners have outscored their last four opponents 232-50.

But that streak has been against the teams at the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

That stretch is over.

The Sooners take on No. 6 Baylor next week before facing TCU and Oklahoma State to close out the regular season.

For Iowa State (3-6, 2-4) it was a return to struggles a week after shutting out Texas.

The Cyclones couldn't find much running room against the Oklahoma defense, rushing for just 114 yards.

Mike Warren, the Big 12's second-leading rusher, had just 43 yards on the ground.

Outside of the second quarter, the Sooners didn't have much problem moving the ball.

Oklahoma scored five touchdowns on drives that lasted less than a minute.

The Sooners' offense got off to a quick start with some trickery after Iowa State took a 3-0 lead on the game's first drive.

On Oklahoma's first play, Baker Mayfield handed the ball to Samaje Perine, who flipped it to wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who gave the ball back to Mayfield.

Mayfield then heaved a pass downfield to a wide-open Flowers, who took it 75 yards for a touchdown.

As he waited for the ball to land in Flowers' hands, Mayfield backpedaled all the way into the end zone and raised his arms triumphantly in anticipation of the touchdown.

That was just a start of the offensive deluge for the Sooners early.

By the end of the first quarter, Oklahoma led 21-3 thanks to three quick TDs.

Mayfield hit Dede Westbrook for a 27-yard scoring pass on the first play of the Sooners' third drive, set up by Dakota Austin's interception.

The Sooners' next drive wasn't quite as quick but it was just as effective, going 40 yards in five plays, ending on Mayfield's 17-yard TD scramble off a broken play on third and 9.

Oklahoma's defense was just as impressive early, stopping quarterback Joel Lanning and the rest of the Iowa State offense after some early jitters.

The Cyclones twice converted on third down on the opening drive before settling for a field goal. But after that, Iowa State went five consecutive drives without picking up a first down.

But the Sooners' offense stalled after its initial outburst, managing just 64 yards in the second quarter, and Iowa State kicker Cole Netten hit field goals of 45 and 51 yards in the second quarter to cut the Oklahoma lead to 21-9 at the break.

Iowa State hosts Oklahoma State next.