John Hoover

It’s going to be much harder to run the football this week against a stout South Carolina defense. If the Sooners can continue their upward trajectory against the Gamecocks, they’ll have a chance. If not — if John Mateer has to lead the team in rushing attempts and the Sooners average less than 4 yards per carry, then desperation will set in, Mateer will be forced to make plays — then bad things will happen. But if OU can run the ball just a little, Mateer can relax and guys like Isaiah Sategna and Rocky Beers and Lloyd Avant can help out the defense by moving the chains, changing the scoreboard and winning a home game.

Final: Oklahoma 21, South Carolina 13

Ryan Chapman

John Mateer found a healthy headspace in Starkville, but Saturday will be the first real test to see if he can stick to the plan. South Carolina’s defense is not impenetrable, but it’s a much better group than Mississippi State’s, with difference-makers who can wreck drives and put Mateer into tough situations. It’s likely there will be a turnover, and the test will be if OU’s quarterback can rebound after that. History says he’ll have a tough time. Brent Venables’ defense will get its third look at talented quarterback LaNorris Sellers, but if Oklahoma is unable to finish off drives, the Gamecocks have shown they can notch dramatic victories. 

Final: South Carolina 20, Oklahoma 13

Carson Field

Someone from the future could tell me a plethora of different outcomes from Saturday’s game, and I’d believe them. Oklahoma’s offense certainly made progress against Mississippi State, and it’s possible that the Sooners build on those improvements at home against South Carolina. But it also wouldn’t be shocking if OU’s offense regressed into the turnover-prone unit that it was against Kentucky, Georgia, New Mexico and Michigan. South Carolina comes into Norman on a two-game winning streak after ranked victories over Florida (on the road) and Tennessee — the Gamecocks seem like they’re due for a letdown. While South Carolina’s defense is better than Mississippi State’s was, there are plenty of areas for the Sooners to expose, assuming they can play a similarly clean game on Saturday. Oklahoma needs a win to stay above .500, and I expect the Sooners to earn a close victory over the Gamecocks.

Final: Oklahoma 20, South Carolina 17

Ryan Aber

The Gamecocks are more dangerous than Mississippi State, on both sides of the ball. Last week was a small step forward for the Sooners' offense, not a giant leap. Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer isn't completely fixed just because he had a solid game against the Bulldogs. But with Michael Fasusi back on the offensive line, the Sooners' offense adds layers. They don't have to have every element working in order to be successful. What they do need to do, though, is protect the football and keep up their strong defensive play. This game will be back and forth and figures to go down to the wire, but in the end, Oklahoma does just enough to start its first winning streak of the season.

Final: Oklahoma 20, South Carolina 17

Brady Trantham

The 2026 season is still up in the air. One thing it has told us is that basically no one has been able to handle a big emotional win and follow that up with another win a week later. South Carolina's win over Tennessee was very much an emotional win against a highly-ranked opponent — the Volunteers themselves had just beaten Alabama the week prior. OU has slowly built consistency on offense, just enough that paired with an elite defense, victories against flawed teams are realistic. The Sooners have proven to be great at corralling mobile quarterbacks and will showcase that again, while John Mateer will build off a great performance last week against a dangerous but very gettable defense.