Every game is a must-win game during a college football season. Even with the expanded playoff, there still isn’t much margin for error for teams that have aspirations of playing for a national championship.
Though the expectations for 2024 may have changed, given the product on the field in the first six games, the expectations for Oklahoma Football never change. This is a program that expects to compete for conference and national titles.
And perhaps that’s unrealistic, but it’s the reality. And that’s why this game against South Carolina is important.
Oklahoma’s two losses in 2024 are to a pair of teams ranked inside the top 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll; No. 1 Texas and No. 10 Tennessee. They also boast two of the top five scoring defenses in the nation with the Longhorns at No. 1 and the Volunteers at No. 4. They’re allowing 6.3 and 10.6 points per game this season.
South Carolina is allowing 20.3 points per game and ranks 37th in the nation in scoring defense. But they’ve played some of the better offenses in the conference in LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss, a trio of schools that Oklahoma will play later in the year.
Though statistically, the Gamecocks rank lower than the teams the Sooners have struggled with, they boast a talented group of defenders throughout the defense. A lot of the focus will be on their defensive line, and for good reason: the Gamecocks have legit NFL talent in the back seven as well.
The defense is allowing just 299 yards per game, 107 rushing yards per game, and 189.5 passing yards per game. They allow opposing quarterbacks to complete just 56% of its passes and rushing attacks to gain just 3.1 yards per carry.
Not exactly the best week to expect an offensive explosion. But the Sooners have to find some answers.
If there was ever a game where the Sooners needed to pull it all together, it’s this game. Starting with South Carolina, the Sooners have a tough road over their final six games.
While the Oklahoma Sooners have a really good defense, they can’t do it all. Perhaps they can come up with a defensive score, but you can’t expect that week to week.
[autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and Joe Jon Finley need to find some answers to the Sooners offensive struggles. Saturday against South Carolina provides a tough test. But if OU can generate a few touchdown drives, it might be the springboard they need to finish 2024 season on a high note.
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