Unless someone is playing a video game, a first-and-45 situation usually ends in either disaster or a punt.

This was not the case for the Sooners Saturday evening in their 42-30 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats, and the conversion probably saved the game from turning into a narrow defeat.

“Our thought was that it was kind of bad, but could we get to three?” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “We got lucky and got seven out of it. So that was a big deal.”

With seconds remaining in the third quarter and most of the momentum being on the Wildcats’ side, the Sooners were penalized for 25 yards on a first-down play, which appeared to be a touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Landry Jones to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Broyles.

“I’m displeased, of course, with the penalties to put us in the position,” head coach Bob Stoops said.

After a draw play and a dump-off pass to junior running back DeMarco Murray for 18 yards, OU was left with a third-and-24 situation that set the scene for the play of the game.

Jones connected with Broyles well short of the first down marker, but Broyles sidestepped four defenders and tip-toed the sideline for 25 yards and a back-breaking first down.

“I thought he had a chance,” Stoops said. “As soon as he caught it I started yelling to make them miss, and sure enough he does.”

Broyles said he knew the importance of picking up the first down at that point of the game based on how the offense was becoming stagnant during the second half.

“I knew we needed a first down, and I did whatever I could,” Broyles said. “I saw the first down marker, and I knew I needed to get there.”

Six plays later, the Sooners found the end zone when Jones found Murray open for a six-yard score that gave OU a 35-23 lead.

The first-and-forever conversion was not important just because it led to a touchdown, but also because it proved the offense’s resiliency when faced with adversity.

“[I am] excited in the way we were able to overcome it when we really had to,” Stoops said.

Before that drive, the Wildcats’ defense held the Sooners scoreless since the first half while the offense quietly turned a 19-point deficit to a five-point deficit.

“They made some plays, too,” Stoops said regarding why it was difficult to prevent Kansas State from mounting a comeback.

In the end, the game did not come down to that set of three plays, but OU could have been talking about rebounding from a tough loss if Kansas State could have come up with a stop at that point of the game.

Broyles, among other players and coaches, said he had never converted a first down from 45 yards out, but he was glad the offense was able to when it needed to.

“Never in my life,” Broyles said. “I’m glad we did, though. We needed it.”