Norman, Okla. ? Oklahoma was in a run-out-the-clock situation with a first down at its own 12-yard-line with 1:05 to play in the first half at Iowa State.

But rather than take a surprising 7-0 lead to the house, Cyclones coach Gene Chizik twice called a timeout in the last minute, after first railing at officials who had inadvertently allowed 12 seconds to lapse off the game clock.

“Yeah, I noticed that,” Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said this week. “They knew that we had put the ball on the ground a lot and wanted to see if we were going to mess up again.”

Good strategy. Back in the first quarter, Iowa State linebacker Alvin Bowen had poked the ball out of the clutches of Sooners running back Allen Patrick and teammate Rashawn Parker recovered at the OU 35, leading to the Cyclones’ only touchdown in an eventual 17-7 loss.

Not an isolated incident.

“You can see on tape that teams are coming after the ball,” Patrick said.

Ball protection was the overriding theme at OU during the off week, and remains especially pertinent as the Sooners (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) tune up for Saturday night’s visit by Texas A&M (6-3, 3-2).

The Aggies have recovered a conference-leading 12 fumbles this season. OU has lost 10. Coincidently, only Iowa State has lost more (11).

“I’ll bet (A&M) coaches have had them working on that all week,” Kelly said. “They’re going to come after it.

“Fumbling the ball, you can’t do that and win – especially these next four games. With the goals we have set for the end of the season, if we keep playing like we have, we’re not going to reach them.”

Indeed, coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday, “taking care of the football is the biggest issue,” when asked about his No. 1 concern involving OU’s final four regular-season games.

Backs are not the only culprits. Two interceptions off the hands of receiver Juaquin Iglesias and a muffed punt by Reggie Smith were major contributors to OU’s only loss at Colorado.

“Forty percent of the points our defense has yielded have come off our miscues – interceptions, fumbles and kicking game,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said.