AMES, Iowa – The Oklahoma offense was doing just enough to have you believing it was going to be a banner afternoon until little mistakes kept creeping up.

So the offense got a little bit of help from the special teams as kicker Zach Schmit and punter Michael Turk were sensational in helping the Sooners to a 27-13 win at Iowa State on Saturday afternoon.

With the score 3-3 early in the second quarter, it was time for Turk and Schmit to connect in another way compared to what they usually do.

OU was stopped at the goalline and faced a fourth-and-goal at the ISU 2 yard line. Schmit lined up for the field goal. Turk caught the snap, flipped it forward to Schmit, who ran between the tackles for the touchdown.

“It’s all based off scheme of the opposing team’s field goal block,” Schmit said. “So Coach Nunez did a great job of drawing the scheme up, and we practiced it through the bye week and through this week and told ourselves pretty much that if we had that chance, we were going to take it. They gave us the exact look that we wanted, it was right there by the goal line.

“Everything fell into place. Kasey Kelleher had a great snap, Turk with a great toss. Pretty much just the blockers do the rest of the work for me. I walked in, it was like the Red Sea parting. The blockers did a great job, the scheme was amazing. It was pretty much just me jogging into the end zone.”

Technically, Turk was credited with a 2-yard touchdown pass.

“We have a good chemistry,” Turk said. “And it's really helpful to work on that throughout the week. That play is really about timing. He needs to catch it running forward because every second counted there, every split second counted for getting through the hole quick.”

After the touchdown connection, the two did what they usually do. Schmit was described by head coach Brent Venables as an assassin, connecting on two field goals.

Turk might have been even better, averaging 49.3 yards per punt on six kicks, including back-to-back 60-yarders in the fourth quarter.

“That last one I knew it was important just because he time of the game,” Turk said. “So I'm happy that I executed there. But I was thankful just to start out the day well with – it's not as flashy of a punt – but the very first one where it's just a 48-yard fair catch with good hang time and the returner fair catches it. I feel like that was a good way to start out.”

Gabriel plays the patient game

You knew it coming in. The Sooners weren’t going to be able to put up 700 yards on the ISU defense. Pick their spots, execute and be content.

Some calls they might want back, some throws, but it was a pretty steady performance by quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

He completed 15 of 26 passes for 148 yards with a touchdown.

“You have to be patient. You have to take care of the football,” Gabriel said. “You have to find a way. I think that’s what we did today. A lot to clean up. There are a lot of throws I want back. Execute and make competitive plays. I’ll never be mad with the win.”

After turning it over three times vs. Kansas, Gabriel was back to playing clean football in Ames.

Gray steps up again

Every single week it feels like running back Eric Gray is doing something special to help put OU in the best position possible.

He did it again vs. ISU. Gray finished with 20 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown, sealing the deal with the score in the final minutes.

“We heard it all week,” Gray said. “We heard all week how good the Iowa State defense was. For me, it was stick to my keys. There's going to be opportunities in there. I saw opportunities on film that other offenses didn't take advantage of. I was like 'We have to make sure that if we see this look, we have to take advantage of it.' Ultimately, I did that today.”

Gray was the walking wounded in the second half. He left in the third quarter, gutted out the fourth quarter and was gimpy during postgame.

He said he’ll be OK, that he just needed to stretch everything out. He’s become the workhorse for the Sooners, so it will be imperative he can rest up and be ready vs. Baylor.

Farooq still on fire

Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby loves the weapon he has in the versatility of wide receiver Jalil Farooq, and Lebby isn’t afraid to get creative with it.

Farooq led the team with four catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 26 yards on two carries.

“I feel like my role has evolved by me just being a playmaker,” Farooq said. “Just taking advantage of any opportunity I have — me getting handoffs, me catching and running, anything that I can do to help the team, that’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what the coaches are using me for, a role player, so that’s what I need to be.”

Bowman returns; no Barnes, Guyton

He didn’t start, but safety Billy Bowman returned for the Sooners. He was making his first appearance since leaving in the first quarter of OU’s loss at TCU four weeks ago.

Bowman had two tackles and seemed to get and look more comfortable with each snap.

OU was without running back Jovantae Barnes and offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. Venables said Barnes had a slight hamstring pull late in the week and was a late scratch. Guyton was attending a family funeral.