Oklahoma knocks off Missouri

NORMAN, Okla. -- A matchup between two of the nation’s top passers came down to who could run the ball down the stretch. Chris Brown proved to be the man for Oklahoma.

Brown ran for three second-half touchdowns, Curtis Lofton returned a fumble for a score and the No. 6 Sooners knocked No. 11 Missouri from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 41-31 victory Saturday night.

“The fourth quarter, that’s all we preach around here,” said Brown, Oklahoma’s third-leading rusher behind DeMarco Murray and Allen Patrick. “The difference from this year and last year, we’re more of a fourth-quarter team. We can go the distance and get the job done.”

Brown put the Sooners (6-1, 2-1 Big 12) ahead to stay with his one-yard touchdown run with 12:26 remaining, and Lofton scooped up a botched handoff and returned it 15 yards for a score 46 seconds later as Oklahoma kept the Tigers from entering the national-title picture.

Brown, who finished with 67 yards in 13 carries, secured the win with a 23-yard touchdown run with 2:39 remaining.

“I thought Chris Brown was sensational in the fourth quarter,” Sooners Coach Bob Stoops said. “Everybody has their opinions on who should be playing. I think Chris showed tonight why he deserves his snaps as well.”

Missouri (5-1, 1-1) has lost 17 straight games in Norman dating to 1966.