NORMAN — There was at the least no suspense Saturday for OU followers.
By a couple of minutes after midday, the end result had nearly been determined.
The Sooners turned the ball over on back-to-back-to-back possessions to start out the sport, South Carolina took benefit and the one actual query transferring ahead was the rating.
It wound up being 35-9 in favor of the Gamecocks, placing OU’s bowl streak of 25 consecutive seasons in actual peril.
OU’s 29-point halftime deficit was its worst at dwelling since trailing Texas A&M 34-0 in 1997.
The Sooners now should not solely beat Maine however win one among their 4 remaining SEC video games — all towards opponents ranked within the prime 16 — to develop into bowl eligible. OU has video games remaining towards No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 16 Missouri, No. 7 Alabama and No. 8 LSU. Solely a type of video games is at dwelling — the matchup with the Crimson Tide on Nov. 23.
Listed here are 5 fast takeaways from the loss:
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Disastrous begin dooms Sooners
OU’s offense hasn’t been any good all season.
However at the least since Michael Hawkins Jr. had taken over at quarterback, exterior of the back-to-back turnovers late within the first half towards Texas, the Sooners had largely protected the soccer.
And Hawkins hadn’t actually put passes in a lot hazard of being picked off.
That modified early on towards the Gamecocks.
Hawkins’ cross was picked off by Nick Emmanwori on the primary pay of the sport, establishing a South Carolina landing drive.
After that, the Gamecocks’ protection simply did it itself.
South Carolina scored defensive touchdowns on the following two drives — a 36-yard fumble return by defensive sort out Tonka Hemingway after a Hawkins fumble after which a 65-yard interception return by Emmanwori.
OU trailed 21-0 simply 5:20 into the sport.
The Sooners turned the primary SEC staff to show the ball over on the sport’s first three possessions since Florida within the 2020 Cotton Bowl — towards OU.
OU hadn’t given up three first-quarter touchdowns at dwelling since 2017 vs. Texas Tech.
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Jackson Arnold takes over
When Emmanwori returned the interception the boos beginning raining down at Gaylord Household — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
One of many greatest cheers in the course of the recreation got here a couple of moments later when Jackson Arnold jogged onto the sphere to interchange Hawkins.
No less than Arnold didn’t flip the ball over.
The Sooners punted on three of their first 4 drives with Arnold behind heart, with the one drive not ending in a punt ending on an unsuccessful pretend punt.
Arnold’s first three passes had been incomplete and his first completion went for a lack of 4 yards on a display screen cross to Zion Ragins that was snuffed out.
Arnold completed 18 of 36 for 225 yards and a landing because the Sooners threw for a season-high 238 yards.
OU quarterbacks had been sacked 9 instances for 77 yards in losses, but the Sooners outgained South Carolina 291-254.
Extra:Oklahoma soccer suffers ‘pitiful’ loss to South Carolina: How social media reacted
OU’s teaching shaken up
OU offensive coordinator Seth Littrell has taken loads of warmth for the Sooners’ offensive woes up to now this season.
Earlier within the week, Sooners coach Brent Venables mentioned he didn’t need to make teaching adjustments in the course of the season.
However at the least some issues had been modified Saturday when it got here to the teaching workers.
Tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley, who is often on the sphere for video games, was as an alternative within the coaches’ sales space within the press field, sitting subsequent to Littrell.
Offensive analyst Kevin John began the sport within the field earlier than returning to the sphere after the disastrous begin.
Extra:OU soccer vs South Carolina recap: Gamecocks smash Sooners in Shane Beamer’s return
Sooners make lineup adjustments
Even earlier than the quarterback adjustments, OU made some personnel adjustments.
Per week after making his season debut, Troy Everett began for the primary time this season, changing Branson Hickman at heart.
Everett suffered a knee damage within the spring, main the Sooners so as to add Hickman out of the switch portal from SMU.
Everett turned the third participant to start out at heart for OU this season.
The Sooners additionally made an opportunity at kicker, with Zach Schmit changing Tyler Keltner.
Schmit had made two subject objectives towards Auburn when Keltner was injured, however Keltner returned final week vs. Texas.
Although Keltner was apparently wholesome Saturday, it was Schmit who dealt with kicking duties.
The redshirt senior made a 44-yard subject objective within the second quarter to place the Sooners on the board.
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Deion Burks out but once more, Jacob Jordan flashes
The Sooners had been as soon as once more with out their 5 prime receivers.
Deion Burks, OU’s main receiver up to now this season, was listed as a game-time determination within the last SEC availability report earlier than the sport, and went via some warmups however didn’t play.
Burks was damage within the Sept. 21 loss to Tennessee.
Freshman walk-on Jacob Jordan, who had but to make a catch getting into the sport, had six catches for 86 yards.
The primary three of Jordan’s catches got here throughout a four-play stretch on one second-quarter drive.
Jordan added back-to-back catches within the fourth quarter.
OU at Ole Miss
KICKOFF: 11 a.m. Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. (TBD)