COLUMBIA, Missouri — It's a rock fight at Faurot Field.

The Sooners lead Missouri 9-3 at halftime thanks to Zach Schmit, who's made all three of his field goals. That includes a 56-yard attempt at the end of the first half, which he made with ease.

That's been a much-needed boost considering OU's offense, and Missouri's, have been disastrous. The two teams combined for 210 total yards and 12 first downs in the first half.

Here's a look at what's happened so far:

Turnovers have been the primary issue for the Sooners in conference play. Coming into Saturday, the Sooners had turned the ball over 11 times in five SEC games and held a turnover margin of -7.

Those issues have popped up again, and they're the primary reason why the Sooners haven't seized control.

The first turnover came on the second drive of the game. Jackson Arnold picked up 12 yards on the ground on what appeared to be a nice run, but he instead lost a fumble around midfield. The second turnover came on a muffed punt from Peyton Bowen, which was recovered by Missouri at the OU 28-yard line. That led to a Mizzou field goal.

That's been combined with the Sooners' struggles in the red zones. The Sooners had the ball inside the 10-yard line but went backwards 12 yards and were forced to kick a field goal. On another drive, the Sooners attempted a jet sweep to Bauer Sharp inside the red zone for a loss of four, which helped force another field goal.

The main saving grace for the Sooners' has been the ineptitude of Missouri's offense. With Brady Cook out, Drew Pyne made his first start at quarterback for the Tigers, and the results have been disastrous. The Tigers gained 64 yards and four first downs on their six first-half possessions, and with their only score coming after Bowen's muffed punt. Pyne has completed six of 11 passes for 23 yards.

Farooq and Burks were listed as "probable" on Thursday and Friday, and then were left off Saturday's availability report to indicate they were active.

But the question remained: How much would either of them see the field?

Answer? A lot.

Both of them were on the field on the opening snap of the game, then proceeded to play nearly every snap of the first half. Farooq announced his return with a seven-yard reception late in the first quarter, his first catch since his 47-yarder in the season opener. Burks made his first grab since Week 4 on a short reception early in the second quarter.

However, the Sooners' offensive woes have kept them from making a bigger impact. The two receivers have combined for three catches for 18 yards. However, that is more than half of OU's total offensive passing output — Arnold has completed eight of 13 passes for 43 yards.

The Sooners' offense was a disaster, particularly to start the game. The first drive resulted in one first down before punting, and Jackson Arnold lost a fumble on the second drive after a nice run up the middle. After two first downs on the third drive, the Sooners appeared to stall out again around midfield.

Luke Elzinga was sent out to punt the ball. Instead, OU coach Brent Venables called an audible. Elzinga caught the ball and took off running before eventually attempting a jump pass to Bauer Sharp, who picked up 43 yards on his way to the Mizzou 10-yard line.

The Sooners still had to settle for a field goal, but that play could end up having the biggest impact in a game where both offenses are anemic. The Sooners finished with 122 total yards, while the Tigers finished with 86.

Ironically, Elzinga has as many passing yards as Arnold and more passing yards than Pyne. The Sooners' most valuable players have been Elzinga and Schmit, and it's not close.