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    • OU Football Bowl eligibility now in doubt after loss to South Carolina
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    OU Football Bowl eligibility now in doubt after loss to South Carolina

    Seren Anwen Posted on

    NORMAN — For OU fans, at least there was no tension on Saturday.

    A few minutes after midday the result was practically decided.

    The Sooners turned the ball over one after the other early in the game, South Carolina took advantage and the only real question going forward was the score.

    The final score was 35-9 in favor of the Gamecocks, putting OU’s bowl streak of 25 consecutive seasons in real jeopardy.

    OU’s 29-point halftime deficit was its worst at home since Texas A&M’s 34-0 deficit in 1997.

    The Sooners must now not only beat Maine, but also win one of their four remaining SEC games – all against opponents ranked in the top 16 – to become bowl eligible. OU still has games against No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 16 Missouri, No. 7 Alabama and No. 8 LSU. Only one of those games is at home – the matchup with the Crimson Tide on November 23rd.

    Here are five quick takeaways from the loss:

    l: OU football’s problems could last for years. Be in the SEC basement? It is possible

    Disastrous start to failure for Sooners

    OU’s offense hasn’t been good all season.

    But since Michael Hawkins Jr. took over as quarterback, the Sooners had largely protected the football, aside from the consecutive turnovers late in the first half against Texas.

    And Hawkins hadn’t really put the passes at risk of being intercepted.

    That changed early against the Gamecocks.

    Hawkins’ pass was intercepted by Nick Emmanwori on the first play of the game, setting up a touchdown drive for South Carolina.

    After that, the Gamecocks defense made it easy.

    South Carolina scored defensive touchdowns on its next two drives – a 36-yard fumble return by defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway after a Hawkins fumble and then a 65-yard interception return by Emmanwori.

    OU trailed 21-0 just 5:20 into the game.

    The Sooners became the first SEC team to turn the ball over on the game’s first three possessions since Florida in the 2020 Cotton Bowl – against OU.

    OU hadn’t given up three first-quarter touchdowns at home since 2017 against Texas Tech.

    More: Is OU football ready for the SEC? Nick Saban says Sooners ‘aren’t built that way’

    Jackson Arnold takes over

    When Emmanwori returned the interception, the crowd began to boo at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

    One of the biggest cheers of the game came moments later when Jackson Arnold took the field to replace Hawkins.

    At least Arnold didn’t turn the ball over.

    The Sooners fumbled on three of their first four drives with Arnold behind center, with the only drive that didn’t end in a punt ending in an unsuccessful fake punt.

    Arnold’s first three passes were incomplete and his first completion resulted in a loss of 4 yards on a screen pass to Zion Ragins that was deflected.

    Arnold finished 18 of 36 for 225 yards and a touchdown as the Sooners rushed for a season-high 238 yards.

    OU quarterbacks were sacked nine times for losses of 77 yards, but the Sooners outscored South Carolina 291-254.

    More: Oklahoma football suffers ‘miserable’ loss to South Carolina: How social media reacted

    OU’s coaching is in disarray

    OU offensive coordinator Seth Littrell has grumbled a lot about the Sooners’ offensive woes so far this season.

    Earlier in the week, Sooners coach Brent Venables said he didn’t want to make any coaching changes during the season.

    But at least with the coaching staff a lot changed on Saturday.

    Tight ends coach and assistant offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley, who is usually on the field for games, instead sat in the press box next to Littrell in the dugout.

    Offensive analyst Kevin John started the game in the penalty area before returning to the field after the disastrous start.

    More: OU Football vs. South Carolina recap: Gamecocks beat Sooners in Shane Beamer’s return

    Sooners make lineup changes

    Even before the quarterback change, OU made some personnel changes.

    A week after his season debut, Troy Everett made his first start of the season, replacing Branson Hickman at center.

    Everett suffered a knee injury in the spring, prompting the Sooners to take Hickman out of the transfer portal from SMU.

    Everett became the third player to start at center for OU this season.

    The Sooners also had a chance at kicker, with Zach Schmit replacing Tyler Keltner.

    Schmit had made two field goals against Auburn when Keltner was injured, but Keltner returned last week against Texas.

    Although Keltner appeared to be healthy on Saturday, it was Schmit who took over the kicking duties.

    The redshirt senior hit a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter to give the Sooners the lead.

    More: Why many OU football players will forever cherish the memory of Bobby Proctor

    Deion Burks is eliminated again, Jacob Jordan flashes

    The Sooners were once again without their top five receivers.

    Deion Burks, OU’s best receiver so far this season, was listed as a game-time decision on the final SEC availability report before the game and completed some warmups but did not play.

    Burks was injured in the September 21 loss to Tennessee.

    Freshman Jacob Jordan, who had not made a catch early in the game, had six catches for 86 yards.

    Jordan’s first three catches during a four-game stretch came on a second-quarter drive.

    Jordan added back-to-back catches in the fourth quarter.

    OU at Ole Miss

    START: 11 a.m. Saturday at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. (TBD)

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    Seren Anwen
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