South Carolina Gamecocks at Oklahoma Sooners
· NCAA - FootballSouth Carolina's 2 early defensive scores fuel 35-9 rout of Oklahoma
South Carolina had nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss and held the Sooners to 291 total yards.
The Gamecocks (4-3, 2/3 Southeastern Conference) got a win for their coach, former Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer. He said returning was important, but the recovery after a 27-25 loss at then-No. 7 Alabama a week earlier was even more satisfying.
“Just so happy for our players," Beamer said. "To come off the heartbreak of last week and respond like we did today was really freaking awesome to watch. I think there was very much a mentality with our players after last week of enough’s enough, and we know what kind of team we can be. We’ve been banging on the door. It’s time to kick the door down. And we certainly kicked the door down today.”
The Gamecocks scored 22 points off four Oklahoma turnovers without committing a turnover.
Jackson Arnold passed for 225 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma after replacing Michael Hawkins Jr. in the first quarter. Jacob Jordan added six catches for 86 yards for the Sooners (4-3, 1-3). This marks the second time since 1999 that Oklahoma has lost consecutive home games.
“What we put out there today as a football team is nothing remotely close to the standard here at the University of Oklahoma, certainly not what we planned for today," Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. "My job as a head coach is to evaluate everything and figure it out and find a way to put us in a better position to be successful.”
Oklahoma got behind early after three quick turnovers that got Hawkins benched. He threw an interception on Oklahoma's first offensive play, and the Gamecocks scored a touchdown on the possession. On Oklahoma's next possession, Hawkins fumbled while being sacked by Demetrius Knight Jr, and Tonka Hemingway returned it 64 yards for a touchdown.
On Oklahoma's third possession, Hawkins was hit as he threw, and Nick Emmanwori intercepted the errant throw and returned it 65 yards for a score to make it 21-0 just over five minutes into the game. Hawkins turned the ball over on three of his nine plays before he was replaced.
South Carolina led 32-3 at halftime after holding the Sooners to 109 yards.
The defense closed it out in the second half, giving the Gamecocks a confidence boost.
“We can go toe-to-toe with anybody in this country," Beamer said. "I mean, if you’re one of the better teams in the SEC, you’re one of the better teams in the entire nation. And our record may not say it. And we know that every week is a grind in this league. But we’ve shown that we can go toe-to-toe with the best in this league.”
Oklahoma: The Sooners couldn't protect their quarterbacks, a constant theme throughout the season. Oklahoma had open receivers at times, but no time to throw to them. South Carolina had nine sacks by nine different players. Oklahoma's defense was up to the task, holding the Gamecocks to 254 yards.
Oklahoma: Visits No. 18 Ole Miss on Saturday.
How To Watch
How can I watch South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Oklahoma Sooners?
- TV Channel: Gamecocks at Sooners 2021 College Football, week 8, is broadcasted on SEC Network.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Matchup Prediction
Scoring Summary
TD | 1st Period 12:33 | Raheim Sanders 3 Yd Run (Alex Herrera Kick) | |
TD | 1st Period 11:21 | Tonka Hemingway 36 Yd Fumble Return (Alex Herrera Kick) | |
TD | 1st Period 9:40 | Nick Emmanwori 65 Yd Interception Return (Alex Herrera Kick) | |
FG | 2nd Period 12:05 | Alex Herrera 39 Yd Field Goal | |
FG | 2nd Period 5:17 | Zach Schmit 44 Yd Field Goal | |
TD | 2nd Period 1:54 | Joshua Simon 33 Yd pass from LaNorris Sellers (Maurice Brown II Run for Two-Point Conversion) | |
TD | 3rd Period 7:33 | Brenen Thompson 54 Yd pass from Jackson Arnold (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed) | |
FG | 4th Period 7:48 | Alex Herrera 33 Yd Field Goal |
Statistics
SC | OU | |
---|---|---|
15 | 1st Downs | 19 |
6-18 | 3rd down efficiency | 6-19 |
0-1 | 4th down efficiency | 1-5 |
254 | Total Yards | 291 |
180 | Passing | 238 |
17/27 | Comp/Att | 22/42 |
6.7 | Yards per pass | 5.7 |
74 | Rushing | 53 |
41 | Rushing Attempts | 41 |
1.8 | Yards per rush | 1.3 |
6-42 | Penalties | 3-27 |
0 | Turnovers | 4 |
0 | Fumbles lost | 2 |
0 | Interceptions thrown | 2 |
31:47 | Possession | 28:13 |
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