Oklahoma is back home this week with South Carolina coming to Norman, and the Sooners enter a stretch where they need to start stacking results. A win over the Gamecocks would give OU consecutive victories for the first time since last November, and after what has been a disappointing season in Norman, the margin for error keeps shrinking.
If the Sooners are going to handle South Carolina, a few key players have to shape the game. Here are four to keep an eye on.
Reggie Powers III remains one of the most important pieces on Oklahoma’s defense. The starter at the Cheetah spot gives Brent Venables a movable weapon, the kind of player who can be shifted around the field to create problems.
Against Mississippi State last week, Powers lined up much farther from the line of scrimmage than usual and functioned more like a third safety against the Bulldogs’ run-and-shoot attack. He may be used in a similar way again, even though he left the Starkville game with an injury.
South Carolina’s offense shares a lot of traits with Mississippi State’s, and Powers’ ability to handle both the run and the pass at his size makes him a major factor. Last season, Kendal Daniels became one of Oklahoma’s most underrated defensive weapons, and Powers could be headed down that same road.
Taylor Wein is another defender whose role could matter a lot on Saturday. He was moved around often against Mississippi State, and Oklahoma needs that kind of impact again.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is one of the best scramblers in college football, so Wein and the rest of the defensive end group have to keep him from escaping the pocket and hurting OU either on the ground or through the air. Wein’s numbers haven’t matched last season yet, but it was around this same point a year ago that he broke through, especially while R Mason Thomas was sidelined.
If Wein can make that kind of late-season jump again, it would help an already solid Sooner defense create more havoc and turnovers, which would take pressure off the offense.
Tate Sandell is in a very different spot from a year ago, when he won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker. This season has been rougher.
Through seven games, he has missed six field goals, including three misses on six attempts last week in Starkville. He has also missed at least one kick in four games this season.
Oklahoma’s offense has left little room for mistakes against quality opponents, and that means Sandell has to steady himself for the stretch run. With the Sooners looking to score more touchdowns than field goals, he may be called on plenty over the next five weeks, and OU needs to trust him.
John Mateer might have delivered his best game as a decision-maker in an Oklahoma uniform last week, and now the challenge is to build on it. He has shown he can make plays and occasionally produce something spectacular for the Sooners’ offense, but the main issue is still protecting the football.
When Mateer avoids turnovers, Oklahoma has a chance to hang with a lot of teams because of its defense. When he gives the ball away, the Sooners lose the cushion they can lean on.
At the same time, he can’t become hesitant. Last week showed he can throw with confidence and give OU an edge without putting the ball in danger.
That balance is the job now, and it’s the kind of line a starting quarterback at Oklahoma has to walk.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Need Caleb Nitta Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Oklahomas injury situation has quickly turned the lead-up to South Carolina into a test of depth, especially up front. The availability report lists 15 Sooners, and with Ryan Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis ruled out while Heath Ozaeta is expected back, the attention has shifted to the center spot, where Jake Maikkula is questionable after getting hurt.
If Maikkula cant go, Caleb Nitta could be called on earlier than the Sooners would like, and the staff seems comfortable with what they have behind him. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has praised Nittas preparation and intelligence, the sort of trust that matters most when the offensive line is being reshuffled on short notice. For a team already juggling injuries, the biggest concern now is whether Oklahoma can keep the middle of the line steady enough to avoid forcing even more adjustments. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Heads Into South Carolina With Key Spots Still In Flux
Oklahomas depth chart still has a few moving parts heading into Saturdays 3:15 p.m. matchup with South Carolina, with three starters listed as questionable on the latest SEC availability report. Jake Maikkula, Peyton Bowen and Eli Bowen all remain in flux, leaving the Sooners with some uncertainty in the lineup as they prepare for a conference road test on SEC Network.
The report also showed several other Oklahoma players spread across the out, doubtful and probable categories, adding another layer of uncertainty for a team trying to get settled before kickoff. With key spots still up in the air, the Sooners will be watching the availability list closely right up until game time. [Read more 🡒]
Bixby Gets Its Biggest Test Yet With District Title On The Line
Undefeated Bixby and undefeated Broken Arrow are set to meet Friday in a showdown that should feel like more than just a district game. The winner takes the District 6AI-1 title, and with both teams sitting inside the top three of the High School On SI Oklahoma Top 25, the matchup has the kind of weight that usually comes with playoff football in November, not a regular-season finale.
Broken Arrow brings a dangerous offense led by quarterback Shamar Banner, a University of Tulsa commit, while Bixby answers with a roster that includes several Division I commitments of its own. For the Spartans, this is a chance to protect their No. 1 spot and add another statement win to a season that has rolled along without a blemish, but Broken Arrow has every reason to believe it belongs on the same stage. [Read more 🡒]