Oklahoma 23, Mississippi State 15: Third downs and Tyler Sandell's leg

Oklahoma won this one on the downs that matter. Mississippi State converted 1 of 11 third downs at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday, and the Sooners turned their own extended drives into points often enough to win 23-15 and leave Starkville at 4-3.

The Bulldogs ran the ball well, with 166 rushing yards, but could not keep drives alive. Oklahoma went 7 of 16 on third down, held the ball for 33:16 and got 11 points from kicker Tyler Sandell, who made three field goals and two extra points.

How it was won

Sandell opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal at 11:10 of the first quarter. The game stayed 3-0 until 49 seconds before halftime, when John Mateer found Isaiah Sategna III for a 36-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.

Oklahoma needed 76 seconds of the third quarter to add to it. Mateer hit Rocky Beers for 32 yards and a touchdown at 13:44, making it 17-0. Mississippi State answered at 6:55 when S. West threw an 18-yard touchdown to C. Capehart, and K. Ferrie's kick made it 17-7.

From there Sandell took over. His 30-yarder at 3:33 of the third pushed the lead to 20-7, and a 38-yarder at 4:26 of the fourth made it 23-7. Parker Puckett found Sanfrisco Magee for a 42-yard touchdown at 2:10 and hit Magee again for the two-point conversion, but 23-15 was as close as it got.

Mateer was efficient: 22 of 29 for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Sategna did most of the damage on the receiving end, with 8 catches for 164 yards. Beers added 4 for 66. The run game split the work, with Tory Blaylock at 71 yards on 12 carries and Lloyd Avant at 55 on 13, part of 184 rushing yards. Oklahoma finished with 467 total yards and 21 first downs.

Mississippi State had 352 yards and 17 first downs. Fluff Bothwell ran 17 times for 111 yards, and Puckett completed 17 of 24 for 158 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Magee's three catches went for 65 yards. The Bulldogs lost the turnover count 2-1.

Against the number

Oklahoma closed as a 1.5-point favorite and won by eight, so the Sooners covered comfortably. The moneyline was close to a coin flip at the close, Oklahoma -122 and Mississippi State +102, and the favorite delivered.

The total closed at 49.5 and the teams combined for 38, an under by 11.5 points. Two Oklahoma drives ending in short field goals in the second half, and a Mississippi State offense that rarely sustained possessions, kept this one well below the market's expectation. The late Magee touchdown and two-point try did not come close to threatening it. Closing prices and the rest of the board are on the game page.

What's next

Oklahoma has alternated wins and losses all season: wins over UTEP, New Mexico, No. 1 Texas and now Mississippi State, losses at Michigan, at No. 2 Georgia and to No. 15 Kentucky. The Sooners host South Carolina on Saturday, October 31, on SEC Network.

Mississippi State's season has turned the other way. The Bulldogs started 4-0, including SEC wins at South Carolina and over No. 19 Missouri, and have now lost three straight: 56-23 to No. 7 Alabama, 31-0 at No. 22 LSU and this one at home. It does not get easier. They travel to No. 19 Texas on Saturday, October 31.