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          Big 12 Blog

          Oklahoma's playoff hopes take blow with stunning loss to Iowa State

          • Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff WriterOct 7, 2017, 07:40 PM
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              Jake Trotter covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011 covering college football. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him on Twitter @Jake_Trotter.
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          NORMAN, Okla. -- Behind a third-string quarterback and an iron-man linebacker, Iowa State pulled off the upset of the season on Saturday, stunning third-ranked Oklahoma in Norman 38-31.

          The Cyclones also turned the Big 12 race, shook up the College Football Playoff conversation and sent the Sooners spiraling into the Red River Showdown.

          With 2:19 to play, Kyle Kempt tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard, who leapt over a pair of Sooners defenders to come down with the game-winning reception.

          Kempt and Joel Lanning, who played on both sides of the ball, were key for Iowa State, which came into the game a 31-point underdog after losing starting QB Jacob Park, who took a leave of absence for "personal health issues.”

          Kempt, a walk-on who had not attempted a pass for the Cyclones this season, got the start in Park’s place. And flanking him was Lanning, Iowa State’s starting inside linebacker, who doubled as a situational quarterback on Saturday.

          Both delivered incredible performances to topple the Sooners.

          Kempt threw for 343 yards, including the touchdown to Lazard on a third down.

          Lanning totaled 78 snaps -- 57 on defense, 13 on offense and eight on special teams. He also came up with a fumble recovery, which ended an Oklahoma drive inside the Iowa State 10-yard line in the third quarter. Off the turnover, the Cyclones drove 94 yards to tie the game 24-24.

          Lanning finished with 25 yards passing, 35 yards rushing, eight tackles, a sack and the fumble recovery.

          After knocking off Ohio State during the nonconference schedule, Oklahoma was in the driver’s seat to make the playoff. Moving forward, the Sooners’ playoff hopes will be dubious at best. And they will have a long road just to get into the Big 12 title game, as they still must face Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia, on top of the trip to Dallas against Texas next weekend.

          Baker Mayfield had a chance to tie the score on Oklahoma’s final drive. But on a fourth down, he scrambled around, unable to find an open receiver. His desperation pass was tipped to the turf, giving Iowa State just its sixth victory in the series.