NORMAN — For much of the first half on Saturday, the Oklahoma defense simply looked bad against Iowa State. Brent Venables even acknowledged it after the game.

It was odd, because things couldn’t have started any better for the Sooners. Billy Bowman intercepted Rocco Becht’s pass on the third play of the game and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, giving the Sooners an early 7-0 lead.

However, that’s when things fell apart for the Sooners. Over the next four possessions, the Cyclones’ offense recorded 258 total yards and scored 20 points, cutting the OU lead to one midway through the second quarter. During that stretch, Becht threw touchdown passes of 51 and 67 yards.

After a dominant performance in Cincinnati, the Sooners’ defense seemed to resort to the old, bad habits from last season.

“They exposed some things, where we have to get better, technique, fundamentally, eyes, all those things,” Venables said. “We had some adversity.”

Last season, the Sooners might’ve folded. Instead, they responded.

On the Cyclones’ final two possessions of the half, the Sooners forced a three-and-out and an interception courtesy of Gentry Williams. That helped give the Sooners a 40-20 cushion heading into halftime.

In the second half, the Sooners officially put the clamps on. The Cyclones gained just 82 yards of offense, recorded just five first downs and averaged just 2.9 yards per play.

But most importantly, the defense held the Cyclones scoreless over the final 39 minutes, setting the stage for a 50-20 blowout victory.

The main takeaway for Venables is the way the defense responded to that early adversity.

“That's (a sign) that, alright, we're not as bad as we look like,” Venables said. “We're not as bad as it looked. And it was bad. It looked bad, and it was bad in the moment.

“But it was a really strong response, and that ultimately is how all of us are defined. In the football world, that's life happening on the football field. How do you respond? That's the sign of some maturity and accountability and leadership from our players.”

It wasn’t just the way the Sooners responded. The areas where they’ve been good all season showed up in the second half, too. Over the final 30 minutes, the Cyclones recorded just 29 rushing yards on 11 carries (2.6 yards per carry) and also converted just 1 of 7 third-down attempts. It was a huge improvement from the first half, when the Cyclones had 121 rushing yards and went 3 for 8 on third downs.

While it wasn’t always pretty, the Sooners eventually found their identity.

“There’s a lot of growth,” Bowman said. “It all comes from confidence, it all comes through preparation, what we do throughout the week. I just feel like we’re all at a better understanding of what we need to do and how to do it.

“It probably would’ve spiraled about a year ago, but I feel like right now we are playing great complimentary football.”

Responding to that adversity is key, particularly with the challenge that awaits the Sooners next weekend.

The Sooners (5-0) matchup with the Longhorns (5-0), marking the first time both teams are undefeated heading into the Red River Rivalry since 2011. The Longhorns have scored 31 points or more in all five games, which includes a 40-14 win over Kansas on Saturday.

It’s shaping up to be a battle for OU’s defense. But the way the Sooners responded against Iowa State could prove helpful.

“That won't be the last time that we face real on-the-field adversity,” Venables said. “I think there's a lot of opportunity to learn and get better through that.”