Oklahoma and South Carolina both enter Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game in Columbia, S.C., with a need to bounce back.
The 14th-ranked Sooners (5-1, 1-1 SEC) are coming off their first loss of the season, a 23-6 loss to Texas, where quarterback John Mateer struggled for the first time all season.
Mateer, who was coming off a surgery to repair a broken thumb just 17 days before the loss to the Longhorns, threw three interceptions.
“Decision making,” Mateer said of where he needed to improve most. “Taking another breath and really seeing the field, knowing the situation, not guessing and doing too much. That’s what came up and I’m obviously not happy about it. Nobody is, nobody should be.”
South Carolina is coming off a 20-10 loss to LSU, the Gamecocks’ third loss in their last four games.
After that game, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer fired offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley. Shawn Elliott will take over as the interim line coach for the rest of the season.
“Too many self-inflicted mistakes that keep showing up and felt the best thing was to see if we can get a new spark and have a new voice in there,” Beamer said.
The Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3) have been one of the most-penalized teams in FBS, averaging 9.17 penalties per game.
The offensive line has played a significant role in that.
South Carolina was called for six pre-snap penalties in last week’s loss, with five coming from the offensive line.
Last year’s game between the teams was over shortly after it began.
The Gamecocks forced three turnovers in the first six minutes, scoring two defensive touchdowns and setting up a quick score on a short field with the other to quickly jump ahead 21-0 en route to a 35-9 victory.
LaNorris Sellers threw for 175 yards and a touchdown in that game, though he didn’t need to do much as South Carolina built a quick, big lead.
Both teams have struggled on the ground this season, with Oklahoma averaging 122.3 rushing yards per game and South Carolina averaging just 115.3.
Freshman Tory Blaylock is the Sooners’ leading rusher, averaging 48.3 yards per game.
“I think it’s just the whole unit,” Blaylock said. “I’m not the type to point fingers. If anything, I’d just point the finger back to myself. I’ve got to create explosive plays.”
There’s a big difference in the rushing defenses, though.
Oklahoma is 10th nationally, holding opponents to just 84.8 yards per game on the ground. South Carolina is 73rd, allowing an average of 147 yards per game. Missouri ran for 285 yards in its Sept. 20 win over South Carolina.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said he wasn’t concerned about his team letting the loss to Texas linger.
“This is a group that knows how to punch back and dust themselves off and go right back at it,” Venables said. “It’s a group of competitors, both coaches and players. … You come right back and you do it again.”
