Sooners bounce back, cruise past South Carolina 26–7
After a disappointing 23–6 loss to Texas in Dallas, the Sooners needed to bounce back — and their opportunity to do so came in Columbia against South Carolina, the only unranked opponent remaining on their schedule.
Winning on the road in the SEC isn’t easy, but on Saturday, Oklahoma made it look that way. The run game, which was nearly nonexistent in the Cotton Bowl, came alive as Tory Blaylock rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown, helping propel the Sooners to a 26–7 win over the Gamecocks. The victory moved Oklahoma to 6–1 overall and 2–1 in SEC play.
Here’s a recap of how the Sooners handled business on the road:
First Quarter
The Sooners came out hot offensively, especially on the ground. Blaylock broke off a pair of 18-yard runs on the opening drive — one coming on a 2nd-and-20 to set up a manageable third down, and the other an 18-yard touchdown run to give Oklahoma a 7–0 lead. It was a surgical opening series, as Blaylock finished the drive with four carries for 45 yards and a score, while John Mateer went 4-of-5 for 35 yards through the air.
South Carolina answered with a strong start on the ground as Rahsul Faison ripped off a 36-yard run to set up first-and-goal. But the Sooners’ defense came up big — Kendal Daniels made a key tackle for loss on third down, and Taylor Wein followed with the stop on fourth, forcing a turnover on downs.
Oklahoma’s next drive featured another strong Blaylock run to get the offense out of its own territory, but the Sooners stalled and were forced to punt. The defense responded quickly, forcing a three-and-out to end the quarter.
Second Quarter
Oklahoma picked up right where it left off in the run game, this time behind Xavier Robinson. The freshman back totaled 44 yards on the drive, including a 10-yard touchdown run to extend the Sooners’ lead to 14–0 early in the second quarter.
Gracen Halton made an impact on the next defensive possession, sacking the quarterback to help force another three-and-out. However, Oklahoma’s offense was unable to capitalize, going three-and-out on its next series.
South Carolina finally gained momentum late in the half. The Gamecocks marched down the field and reached first-and-goal at the two-yard line, aided by back-to-back pass interference penalties on Eli Bowen and Jaydan Hardy. It took four attempts, but the Gamecocks eventually found the end zone as Nyck Harbor hauled in a two-yard touchdown reception, cutting the Sooners’ lead to 14–7 heading into halftime.
Halftime Recap
At the break, Mateer completed 13 of 19 passes for 97 yards. On the ground, Blaylock led the way with 13 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Robinson added 49 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Defensively, Wein recorded two tackles for loss, continuing his strong start.
One notable stat: Oklahoma was penalized eight times for 73 yards in the first half, while South Carolina had zero penalties.
Third quarter
To open the third quarter, South Carolina stayed committed to running the ball up the middle against the Oklahoma defense but continued to find no success, going three-and-out to start the half. On the following drive, the Sooners moved the ball down the field, but Mateer’s pass on third down was nearly intercepted, forcing Oklahoma to settle for a field goal attempt.
Tate Sandell, whose career long is 55 yards, matched that mark as he drilled a 55-yarder to give the Sooners a 17–7 lead. After another strong defensive stand, South Carolina got desperate and attempted a fake punt — but Wein was ready, intercepting the pass to give Oklahoma great field position and a chance to deliver the knockout punch.
That they did. Mateer connected with Sategna for a 20-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24–7 in the third quarter. The Sooners’ defense continued to dominate, shutting down LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks’ offense. Reggie Powers delivered a massive hit to stall another South Carolina drive, and Oklahoma once again got off the field on third down.
Fourth quarter
In the fourth quarter, South Carolina once again couldn’t get anything going against Oklahoma’s defense. Despite LaNorris Sellers making a few nice plays to extend the drive, the Gamecocks were forced to go for it on 4th and long and came up short.
The Sooners then got the ball back and faced a 4th and long of their own, electing to run a pooch punt with Mateer that Elijah Thomas downed at the one-yard line. Everything was going right for Oklahoma, and it continued as Markus Strong broke through and forced a safety, extending the Sooners’ lead to 26-7.
Final stats
– John Mateer: 18-of-26 for 150 yards and a passing touchdown; 8 rushes for 14 yards
– Tory Blaylock: 19 carries for a career-high 101 yards and a rushing touchdown; 1 reception for 5 yards
– Xavier Robinson: 11 carries for 58 yards and a rushing touchdown; 1 reception for 8 yards
– Isaiah Sategna: 7 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown
– Javonnie Gibson: 5 receptions for 24 yards
– Robert Spears-Jennings: Team-high 8 tackles
– Kendal Daniels: 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for loss
– R. Mason Thomas: 4 tackles and 1.5 sacks
– Taylor Wein: 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and an interception
Oklahoma will return home on Saturday, October 25, for a matchup with No. 5 Ole Miss. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ABC.