The 3-2-1: Three key plays, two game balls, one burning question from South Carolina's 26-7 defeat by Oklahoma
We break down three key plays, two game balls, and one burning question from South Carolina’s embarrassing 26-7 loss to Oklahoma.
Three Key Plays
Two-yard scramble
After Oklahoma marched down the field on its opening possession to take a 7-0 lead, South Carolina looked poised to answer thanks to a 36-yard run by Rahsul Faison on fourth and one. But with first and goal from the nine, the offense managed just three yards on the next three plays, all runs up the middle out of the pistol formation. On fourth down, South Carolina called a pass. LaNorris Sellers was forced to scramble and was tripped up after just two yards.
PBU
Three times on Saturday, Jalon Kilgore got both hands on a pass. Three times it fell incomplete. It’s not fair to put any blame on Kilgore – he did his job and got the stop. But South Carolina can’t win without creating turnovers, and the Gamecocks came up empty.
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Remarkably, South Carolina got the ball at the end of the half with a chance to tie the game or at least cut the deficit to four. But the Gamecocks mismanaged the clock and ran out of time before they could try a field goal attempt.
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Blown out
OU 26, South Carolina 7
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The 3-2-1
Key plays and more
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Two Game Balls
Jalon Kilgore
Officially, Kilgore was only credited with two pass breakups, but I saw the other one. He also had six tackles.
Vicari Swain
Swain averaged 25 yards on his first two punt returns before a meager five yards on his last return. Unfortunately, he only got three chances.
One Burning Question
Can South Carolina salvage this season?
Nobody was blameless on Saturday. The playcalling was timid and uninspired, but so was the play on the field. Injuries are piling up at key positions. When you watch South Carolina side-by-side with other games, the difference in intensity is jarring: a lot of Gamecocks, including some of the supposed team leaders, look like they are just going through the motions.