Tag: South Carolina Gamecocks Football

3 freshmen to watch for Oklahoma Sooners against South Carolina Gamecocks

Three Oklahoma Sooners Freshmen that will be key against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Oklahoma Sooners return home this week, looking to bounce back after a humbling loss against Texas. OU will host the South Carolina Gamecocks in a game that is suddenly much bigger than previously anticipated.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his coaching staff will once again be relying on plenty of members of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] to play big roles in this game. These true freshmen may not be ready yet, but they’re being asked to step up and help the team get victories in the mighty [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Here are three freshmen to keep your eye on as the Sooners try to take down the Gamecocks.

1. Eli Bowen, DB

One of the few bright spots in the loss against the Longhorns last week was the play of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag]. The undersized cornerback showed plenty of heart and technique on the outside. If it weren’t for him, Texas may have scored even more points than they did.

Bowen will be asked to play extremely well once again, as there’s essentially no margin for error for this OU defense right now. One busted coverage or lost jump ball could spell doom for Oklahoma with the way the offense looks right now.

2. Michael Boganowski, DB

Another young member of OU’s secondary, [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] gets the nod here because of the physicality he brings to the table. No, he won’t start in this game behind the excellent trio of safeties the Sooners have, but if Venables wants his team to be more physical, few on this team lay the hammer like Boganowski.

As Oklahoma tries to win games without the aid of their offense, there’s no substitute for stopping the run and being physical. That’ll be paramount against a Gamecock offense that is also struggling, and depth will certainly play a role, as the Sooners will have to play plenty of snaps on defense.

3. Michael Hawkins Jr., QB

The last spot could go to defensive tackle Jayden Jackson or running back Taylor Tatum, but we’ll include quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] here.

Hawkins will make his third career start in this game, Venables confirmed on Monday night. He did enough to get the win over Auburn before the bye week, but struggled against Texas last week. He certainly isn’t getting any help from anyone calling the offense or the injury situation at wide receiver, but there is definitely room to improve.

The true freshman needs to take care of the ball yes, but he should also be encouraged to sling it and trust what he sees. He’s likely still in the game because of his poise and athletic ability, and because Venables believes he’s the best man for the job. He needs to prove his head coach right by taking a step forward on Saturday against the Gamecocks and by taking a firm hold of the starting gig under center.

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Michael Hawkins Jr. to start at quarterback vs. South Carolina

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables shared Monday night that the Sooners will start Michael Hawkins Jr. vs. South Carolina.

The Oklahoma Sooners aren’t planning to make a change at quarterback ahead of their matchup with the South Carolina Gamecocks. On the Rudy’s Barbecue Coach’s Show, Venables reiterated trust in quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.

Oklahoma was held to three points in the loss to Texas but Venables believes it’s important to give Hawkins more time to show what he can do.

“Mike has shown a lot of really good stuff,” Venables said, “both in his limited time against Tennessee and he had some really good moments where he did some good stuff against Auburn. And even (against Texas), he did some good things and some things where now we see if we can learn from it.”

https://twitter.com/ParkerThune/status/1845984513781907645

Hawkins has had some good moments for the Sooners through two and a half games as the starting quarterback. Oklahoma put a lot on Hawkins’ shoulders on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl, making him responsible on 55 of 72 offensive plays. Hawkins was asked to drop back and throw the ball 40 times and Seth Littrell called 15 designed quarterback runs, according to Pro Football Focus.

Hawkins has a lot of talent, but that’s a lot to ask a true freshman quarterback making just his second collegiate start.

The Sooners have to get more out of the running game and find a way to scheme receivers open in the passing game. Oklahoma’s offense is one of the worst in college football six games into the season. Sure, they’ve played some good defenses in Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas, but it’s not like there will be an easy defense on the schedule in the SEC.

Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley have to find a way to make things easier for their quarterback in the passing game and not put so much on him in the running game either.

Hawkins has the talent to be effective for the Sooners, but he can’t do it all by himself. Few quarterbacks could in the circumstances Oklahoma’s offense is dealing with. So the Sooners coaching staff has to find a way to create more efficiency in the offense.

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Kickoff time announced for Oklahoma vs. South Carolina, rest of SEC week 8 slate

Oklahoma vs. South Carolina kickoff window announced for Week 8 along with Georgia at Texas.

As the Oklahoma Sooners gear up for their Week 7 matchup with the Texas Longhorns, the SEC released the kickoff times for the Week 8 slate of games.

The Sooners and Gamecocks have been given the flexible timeslot as of right now and will either kickoff at 11:00 a.m. or 11:45 a.m. CT at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The broadcast channel is still up in the air, and either ESPN or SEC Network is slated for the game.

A lot will depend on how the Oklahoma Sooners perform against the Texas Longhorns this Saturday in the Cotton Bowl.

Beyond Oklahoma vs. South Carolina, the Week 8 schedule has a chance to be as good as Week 7. Alabama will play at Tennessee, and LSU will play at Arkansas in a pair of underrated rivalries. The day will be capped off by Georgia at Texas in a primetime matchup that could feature a pair of top-five teams.

It’d be a shame if Oklahoma were to spoil what could be a top five affair.

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Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s updated Power Rankings?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s conference power rankings for week 2?

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off of a 48-point week one win over an overmatched Temple Owls team. Led by a dominant defensive effort, the Sooners earned a bump in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

But that isn’t the only place the Sooners saw a bump. Locked On SEC’s Chris Gordy has been covering the SEC for a long time and has a good feel for the conference as a whole. He has the Sooners ranked No. 7 in the conference.

The Sooners moved up one spot after LSU’s loss to the USC Trojans on Sunday night.

They’re right behind the Tennessee Volunteers, who the Sooners will see in the SEC debut on September 21. The following week, Oklahoma will go on the road to take on the Auburn Tigers for their much anticipated first-ever SEC road trip. Aside from Auburn, the only team the Sooners play this year that is ranked behind them is South Carolina.

The Gamecocks struggled with Old Dominion in week one. Even though they got the win, it was so unimpressive that they came in at No. 16 in Gordy’s power rankings.

No surprise who sits at the top of the SEC power rankings, with Georgia coming in at No. 1 in both of the major national polls. Texas is No. 2 in the conference. SEC and national analysts are very high on the Longhorns heading into the season. But given the turnover on offense, they still have a ton to prove, in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/LockedOnSEC/status/1831036984087007634

We’re higher on the Sooners in the SEC early in the season. Oklahoma is my No. 4 team in the conference behind Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. Though there are a lot of OU doubters out there, this is a team with a defense to make a ton of noise in the SEC despite it being their first year in the league.

But the Sooners will get their opportunity to prove it in the coming weeks.

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Oklahoma’s defense one of the best in the SEC heading into 2024

The SP+ Rankings like Oklahoma more than the AP Top 25 or US LBM Coaches Poll, but how do they compare to the SEC?

The Oklahoma Sooners are just over two weeks away from beginning the 2024 college football season. The US LBM Coaches Poll has been out for a week, and the AP Top 25 was released on Monday. In both, the Sooners were voted the No. 16 team in the nation and eighth among SEC teams.

While the human voters may had the Sooners eighth, the computers like Oklahoma a bit better. They’re No. 8 in ESPN’s Football Power Index and come in at No. 13 overall and seventh in the SEC in the final ESPN SP+ rankings ahead of the 2024 season.

Here’s a look at how the SEC compares in the final SP+ rankings.

SEC Rank Team Overall Offense Defense Special Teams
1 Georgia 1 3 5 7
2 Alabama 4 7 8 2
3 Texas 5 4 12 17
4 Ole Miss 8 6 16 26
5 LSU 10 2 38 83
6 Missouri 11 8 19 45
7 Oklahoma 13 17 13 95
8 Texas A&M 14 11 24 73
9 Tennessee 15 14 20 52
10 Kentucky 22 28 31 39
11 Florida 23 18 41 9
12 Auburn 25 38 25 27
13 South Carolina 35 59 30 12
14 Arkansas 44 39 53 6
15 Mississippi State 55 67 52 50
16 Vanderbilt 89 68 104 72

By comparison, the Oklahoma Sooners’ defense rates more favorably than the offense. OU’s defense comes in as the fourth-best unit in the SEC, according to the SP+ ratings. Offensively, however, the Sooners are considered the ninth-best offense in the conference.

It’s reasonable to expect more out of the defense. There’s a lot more experience and proven production on that unit led by Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, Ethan Downs, Woodi Washington and incoming defensive tackle transfer Damonic Williams.

The offense has talent, but aside from Gavin Sawchuk, Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Andrel Anthony and their offensive line transfers, there’s not a lot of experience or production.

With former five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold taking the reins, there is a great deal of potential for the offense. He has a big arm and fantastic athleticism. He’s got a lot to prove but has the talent to be among the best in college football.

Beyond Arnold, the Sooners have much to prove on special teams. The SP+ ratings consider the Sooners to be the worst team in the SEC on special teams entering the season. The only spot that feels solidified is the punting duties with Luke Elzinga. Elzinga was the best part of Oklahoma’s special teams unit in 2023. OU’s kicking situation is unsettled and they have to get more out of the return game this season if they want to be a contender.

Oklahoma made the move to bring in Doug Deakin, who led some of the best special teams units in the nation during his time at San Diego State. If he can work that same magic in Norman, it’ll go a long way to helping the Sooners become a contender in 2024.

OU will have to be good in all three phases of the game to navigate their schedule and make a run for a College Football Playoff berth this season. Given the strength of the SEC and that OU will play five teams ranked higher than it in SP+ ratings, there’s no room to be average or bad in any phase of the game.

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4-star UGA recruiting target moves up commitment date

Four-star in-state safety recruit moves up commitment date after visiting South Carolina

Four-star safety recruit Lagonza Hayward has moved up his commitment date. The talented class of 2025 safety prospect plans to announce his commitment on July 27. He was scheduled to commit in August.

Hayward’s top four schools are Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. Hayward, who is ranked as the No. 6 safety in the country, is no longer considering Alabama, Florida State and USC.

The four-star safety plays high school football for Toombs County High School in Lyons, Georgia. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety is the No. 82 recruit in the nation and the No. 11 player in Georgia. Hayward is a key recruiting target for head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Hayward visited Georgia on May 31. The Toombs County standout also checked out South Carolina. He has official visits with Florida and Tennessee over the next couple of weeks.

Georgia football has been hot in recruiting recently. The Bulldogs have the No. 2 class of 2025 in the SEC. Georgia has four commitments in recent weeks and is building a strong foundation in the 2025 cycle.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 football schedule

With game times announced, here’s a look at the Oklahoma Sooners full 2024 football schedule.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ full 2024 schedule has been released by the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], which means its time to make those travel arrangements for a full slate of destination games in OU’s first season in the SEC.

In a welcome change from what had been a glaring issue in their final years in the Big 12, the Oklahoma Sooners have only two games scheduled for the early television window. Their home game against South Carolina on Oct. 19 and their road trip to The Grove to face Ole Miss both fall in the early television window with kickoff times slated for 11 a.m. CT or noon. The other 10 games will be late afternoon or prime-time starts for the Sooners.

The SEC and their broadcast partners will utilize flex scheduling for games against Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama and LSU. When the Volunteers return to Norman, it’ll mark the return of national championship-winning quarterback and former offensive coordinator [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag]. It will also be Oklahoma’s first SEC conference tilt.

Late-season games against Missouri, Alabama and LSU could have implications for the SEC title game and the College Football Playoff. Each has the potential to be a top-15 matchup.

There’s a potential for Oklahoma to play as many as six night games. Their first two weeks against Temple and Houston are already slated to kick off in the evening.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 football schedule

Date Opponent TV Time
Aug. 30 Temple ESPN 6 p.m. CT
Sept. 7 Houston SEC Network 6:45 p.m. CT
Sept. 14 Tulane ESPN or ESPN2 2:30 p.m. CT
Sept. 21 Tennessee TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Auburn TBA 2:30-3:30 p.m. CT
Oct. 5 BYE WEEK —
Oct. 12 vs. Texas (Dallas) ABC or ESPN 2:30 p.m. CT
Oct. 19 South Carolina TBA 11-Noon CT
Oct. 26 at Ole Miss TBA 11-Noon CT
Nov. 2 Maine ESPN+/SECN+ 1:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 9 at Missouri TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 16 BYE WEEK —
Nov. 23 Alabama TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 30 at LSU TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Dec. 7 SEC Championship TBA TBA

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New win projections for every SEC team for the 2024 college football season

SEC win projections for the 2024 College Football Season.

2024 will mark a new era of the ever-evolving landscape of college football. The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns make the move to the SEC and face new challenges.

Though if you hear former Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders talk about it, the SEC won’t be much of a challenge.

After a 2023 season that didn’t see an SEC team in the national championship game, there might be something to it. Georgia didn’t make the playoff and lost to an Alabama team that wasn’t necessarily the best of the Nick Saban era.

At the same time, the Georgia Bulldogs have earned the right to be the favorites in 2024. However, if you look at ESPN data analyst Jake Wimberly’s latest win projections for the inaugural season of the new-look 16-team conference, the Dawgs aren’t the favorite. It’s one of the newcomers.

Here’s a look at the projected win totals for the SEC in 2024.

SEC quarterback rankings ahead of 2024 spring football

Where does Jackson Arnold rank among SEC quarterbacks heading into spring ball?

As the SEC expands to 16 teams in 2024, the conference is stacked at the quarterback position. From former five-star prospects to 2024 Heisman contenders to intriguing transfer additions, there will be some fantastic quarterback play on display this fall in the SEC.

Seven of the last nine Heisman winners have come from Oklahoma and the SEC. Two of those seven were non-quarterbacks, DeVonta Smith and Derrick Henry.

Much of what will determine which teams emerge as SEC title and College Football Playoff contenders will be on the shoulders of the quarterbacks who will lead their team in 2024.

There are some quarterback competitions that need to take place, but here’s our pre-spring ball SEC quarterback rankings.

 

How do the Oklahoma Sooners compare to SEC teams in ESPN’s SP+ rating?

The Oklahoma Sooners are heading into a new era in the SEC and come in at No. 8 in the preseason SP+ rankings.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a really good season in 2023 as they bounced back from their 6-7 season in 2022 to win 10 games last year. Now, they prepare for a new era of Oklahoma football with the move to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

But they aren’t the only change coming to college football in 2024. The landscape as a whole has changed. The [autotag]Pac 12[/autotag] is essentially no more as everyone but Washington State and Oregon State left for the [autotag]Big 10[/autotag] or the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag].

With the new changes and the 2024 recruiting cycle coming to a close, it’s time to look at where Oklahoma ranks in ESPN data analyst Bill Connelly’s SP+ preseason rankings (subscription required).

For those that don’t know, Connelly releases a preseason SP+ ranking every February where he bases his projections on three primary factors weighted by their predictiveness. Those would be returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history.

So, let’s take a look at how Oklahoma stacks up against the rest of the SEC.