Oklahoma didn’t exactly put on an offensive exhibition Saturday afternoon in Starkville, but the Sooners did enough to earn a hard-fought 23-15 victory over Mississippi State.
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For Brent Venables and his team, the result was especially welcome following their loss to Kentucky the previous week. Oklahoma needed to demonstrate that it could handle a conference road opponent, and while the performance wasn’t always pretty, the Sooners accomplished their objective.
Quarterback John Mateer threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His ability to protect the football proved important in a contest where scoring opportunities were difficult to manufacture.
The Sooners also received an outstanding defensive performance from Owen Heinecke, who recorded 10 tackles, including two for losses, and forced a fumble.
The game’s first half was a struggle for both offenses. Oklahoma led just 3-0 before a sequence late in the second quarter changed the complexion of the contest.
Mississippi State was threatening to score when Oklahoma recovered a fumble near its own goal line. Instead of allowing the Bulldogs to take control, the Sooners responded with an impressive 96-yard touchdown drive.
That possession gave Oklahoma a 10-0 halftime advantage and provided some much-needed offensive momentum.
The Sooners built on that lead after intermission, scoring another touchdown and eventually extending their advantage to 20-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Mississippi State refused to surrender. The Bulldogs produced eight fourth-quarter points, cutting the deficit to 23-15 with 2:10 remaining.
Unfortunately for the home team, there wasn’t enough time to complete the comeback.
Oklahoma successfully protected its lead, leaning on a ground attack that finished with 184 rushing yards. The Sooners’ ability to run the football helped them manage the clock and prevent Mississippi State from getting another meaningful opportunity.
The defeat was particularly frustrating for Mississippi State because the Bulldogs had opportunities to make this a much different contest. The red-zone fumble was especially costly, representing a potential scoring opportunity that instead became a long Oklahoma touchdown drive.
Oklahoma improved to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in SEC play. Mississippi State dropped to 4-3 and 2-3 in the conference after suffering its third consecutive defeat.
Neither team played flawlessly, but Oklahoma demonstrated a valuable quality: the ability to win a game without producing its best performance.
For Mississippi State, the immediate priority is correcting the mistakes that have prevented the Bulldogs from finishing competitive games.
