Oklahoma-South Carolina GameDay Preview: X-Factors

The Sooners may need these X-Factors when they host the Gamecocks Saturday: No Hangover ... Avoid the Boo Birds ... Help the Offense ... Momentum-Killers ... Stay Focused ... Find an Identity.

Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) and running back Jovantae Barnes / John Reed-Imagn Images

No Texas Hangover

Earlier in the week, I wrote about how Oklahoma has pretty much fallen apart after the Texas game in two years under Brent Venables. While his predecessors Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley actually coached some of their best football in the second half of the season and always — always — avoided a letdown after the Red River Rivalry (OU is 24-1 in games immediately following their return from Dallas, with the only loss coming in 2014), Venables’ teams — 2-0 the week after Texas — were 7-7 post-Texas for the second half of the  2022 and 2023 seasons. Forget Texas, and play like the future of the program depends on it. Because it might. 

— John E. Hoover

Avoid the Boo Birds

The Sooners have to start fast against South Carolina for a number of reasons. Digging out of an early hole is a bad recipe for a struggling offense, but there’s another factor that could make things awkward in Norman. Oklahoma fans are used to historic offenses. They’ve got one this year — historically bad. The groans and boo’s were audible in OU’s loss to Tennessee, and patience is running thin around the fanbase. Brent Venables pointed out this week that South Carolina has struggled on the road under Shane Beamer in the past. If OU doesn’t put some points on the board early, it could be the home team in crimson that draws the ire of the crowd, not the visitors, which won’t help a young group that is struggling to move the football. 

— Ryan Chapman 

Turnovers to Help Offense

The defense is the offense's best asset right now for the Sooners. Long drives will be difficult for OU to produce against this defense, or any defense for that matter right now. If the Sooners score enough points to win this one, it's because the defense put them in position to, stole the momentum at times and maybe even put points on the board itself. 

— Dekota Gregory

Momentum-Killing Turnovers

The scoreboard and response to Oklahoma’s (admittedly miserable) 34-3 loss to Texas on Saturday concealed one truth: For about a quarter-and-a-half, the Sooners’ offense was serviceable. The same was true for the Sooners defense. Michael Hawkins’ fumble turned a 14-3 deficit (which could have just as easily been 14-10) into a three-score football game, and while Taylor Tatum’s fumble on the very next offensive snap didn’t yield a Longhorns score, it also ensured the Sooners wouldn’t. Good on Venables for affirming his trust in both, but let that not bury the fact that turnovers are king in college football. Every play is meaningful, but they’re especially meaningful when you can see the end zone over the horizon. Avoiding these perils could have as dramatic an effect on Saturday’s outcome.

— Bryce McKinnis

Defense Staying Focused

Oklahoma’s defense didn’t play its best game in Dallas, but that was partly due to the offense’s dysfunction. The defense came away with three stops in a row in the first quarter, giving the offense solid field position all three times. The Sooners’ offense was only able to manage three points total. After a pair of OU fumbles, the defense turned sloppy. It felt like the unit got dejected and lost control of the game from that point on. It’s clear what this Oklahoma defense is capable of — they have shown flashes all season long. For OU to have a chance against South Carolina, and down the stretch, the defensive unit can’t be bothered by what the offense does, or doesn’t do. Oklahoma’s defense must stay focused throughout the course of the game and can’t get discouraged by the other side of the ball coughing up great opportunities.

— Ross Lovelace

Finding an Identity on Offense

Oklahoma hasn't had much success on offense in 2024 outside of a 51-point performance against Temple to start the season. Virtually every position group on the offensive side of the ball has struggled, and Seth Littrell's play calling has resulted in former OU players (Daniel Brooks and Zack Sanchez, just to name a few) and fans alike questioning whether the Sooners' offensive coordinator is fit for the job. In order to move the ball against a solid South Carolina defense, Oklahoma will have to find some sort of offensive identity in practice leading up to its matchup with the Gamecocks.

— Randall Sweet