Scouting Ole Miss Football's Next Opponent: How Did Oklahoma Fare in Week 8?

The Oklahoma Sooners were hit in the mouth on Saturday afternoon by the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kobie McKinzie (11) chases after South Carolina Gamecocks running back Raheim Sanders (5) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 18 Ole Miss Rebels are on a bye this week, but that gives the team and fans alike to scout a bit around the Southeastern Conference, including the Oklahoma Sooners who will be coming to Oxford next weekend.

So, how did the Sooners fare on Saturday against the South Carolina Gamecocks? In short, the game was over in the first quarter, and not in a good way for the boys from Norman.

Oklahoma actually outgained South Carolina's offense 291-254 on the day, but four turnovers sank any hope it had of gaining the win in front of its home crowd. Gamecock running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders started the scoring in the first quarter with a three-yard touchdown run, but a 36-yard scoop-and-score and a 65-yard pick-six had the Sooners down 21-0 with 9:40 left in the first frame.

Michael Hawkins Jr., the young quarterback who replaced Jackson Arnold earlier this season, was benched for Arnold who wound up playing the majority of the game. He finished the day 18-of-36 passing for 225 yards and a touchdown.

Arnold's 54-yard passing score to Brenen Thompson was too little, too late as the Sooners were already down 32-3 when this play came with 7:33 left in the third quarter.

On the Carolina side of the box score, it was actually a rather pedestrian day on offense. Both Sanders and quarterback LaNorris Sellers only registered 2.2 yards per carry in the win, and Sellers was 16-of-24 passing for 175 yards and a score. Again, the biggest factor in this game was the four turnovers from the Sooners compared to none for the Gamecocks.

Ole Miss will welcome Oklahoma to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium next Saturday, and it will need to take advantage of a Sooner team that is coming off a lackluster performance at home. Oklahoma is now 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play, and if the Rebels want to try and backdoor their way into the College Football Playoff, they need to start stacking wins, beginning in Week 9.

Kickoff between the Rebels and Sooners is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Oct. 26, and the game will be televised on ABC or ESPN.

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