Oct 182 min read

Oklahoma Set to Battle South Carolina for the First Time

Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2) hosts South Carolina (3-3, 1-3) for a Southeastern Conference matchup at 12:45 p.m. EST on Oct. 19 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. This will be the first game ever played between these two programs.

The Stakes

Oklahoma is coming off a "home" loss to rival No. 1 Texas (6-0, 2-0) by a score of 34-3 in the Red River Rivalry. While head coach Brent Venables has his defense humming, the OU offense has left more to be desired in their first year in the SEC.

The Sooners are 1-2 in conference play and desperately need to win to prove they can compete in their new conference. There was much excitement when the blue-blood Sooners were announced to join the SEC, but they have not lived up to the hype thus far. A loss against South Carolina will be a major setback and put the Sooners on a path toward a disappointing inaugural season in the SEC.

The Gamecocks are coming off a disappointing road loss to No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1) in a back-and-forth battle by a score of 27-25. Coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks look to avoid a fourth conference loss in their first trip to Norman. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Gamecocks following their matchup with the Sooners, and a loss in Norman will make it very difficult for South Carolina to reach bowl eligibility.

Key Players: Oklahoma

QB Michael Hawkins Jr.

Hawkins has been the starter for the Sooners since Jackson Arnold was benched against No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1) in the fourth game of the season. Hawkins provided a spark for this offense but it hasn't caught fire. Hawkins hasn't played badly but if Oklahoma is going to turn its season around, he'll need to do more.

DB Robert Spears-Jennings

Spears-Jennings is a menace for opposing offenses. The safety has accumulated 40 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks and an interception on the year. Spears-Jennings is good in coverage against the pass, excels at rushing the passer and can wreak havoc against the running game.

Key Players: South Carolina

RB Raheim 'Rocket' Sanders

Sanders comes into this game averaging 5.4 yards a carry in SEC play. South Carolina may look to ride the veteran against an OU defense that has forced a conference-best 14 turnovers. Sanders has carried the ball 81 times without a fumble this season.

DB Jalon Kilgore

Kilgore leads the Gamecock defense with 3 interceptions on the year. The Gamecocks are second in the SEC at forcing turnovers and the majority have come via interception. Kilgore is a ball hawk with 3 passes deflected to go with his interceptions.

Trends to Watch

Both defenses excel at taking the ball away from the opposing offense, with Oklahoma having 14 and South Carolina having 12 takeaways on the season. Oklahoma's offense has given the ball away 7 times compared to 12 for South Carolina. It's safe to assume that turnovers will have a major role in the outcome of this game.