Oklahoma won the coin toss and gave quarterback Sam Bradford the football immediately. And the Sooners got nice field position, too, with a kick return to the 36.

(Unfortunately for the Sooners, running back DeMarco Murray apparently injured his knee on that return and he did not participate in the opening drive.)

Bradford opened with two quick passes to tight end Jermaine Gresham to earn the initial first down. Then Oklahoma went to the ground with Chris Brown, to the air with a quick pass back to Ryan Broyles, then  back to the ground with Brown, then back to the air Broyles . . . you get the idea.

The Sooners stacked up first down on top of first down. They showed nice balance between running and passing, with Bradford making safe, ball control throws.

Sam, by the way, had no trouble with his left hand – which will require surgical repairs Sunday. His ball security was just fine.

Bradford finally threw a couple of incomplete passes in the red zone to slow the charge. So the Sooners settled for a Jimmy Stevens’ 20-yard field goal — which barely cleared the bar — and a quick 3-0 lead.

Should Mizzou take that sort-of stop as a plus? Sure, because every time OU doesn’t score a TD, it gives the Tigers a chance to outscore the Sooners in this game.

And that is their only hope.

Oklahoma refused to kick off to Jeremy Maclin, but the Sooners gave the Tigers great field position (the MU 39) in the process.

The Tigers showed balance, too, pounding Derrick Washington on the ground and feeding Maclin through the air. Quickly the moved into scoring range.

But on third down, the Sooners blitzed Chase Daniel to put an end to the drive.

Then Jeff Wolfert’s field goal bid from 48 yards fell short. Oklahoma kept its 3-0 lead and got the ball back.

Not good.