Last year’s 10-3 record and the #16 2024 pre-season ranking are memories for a team that has lost three of its last four and is 1-3 in the SEC. OU has been uncompetitive on consecutive Saturdays, outscored 69-12 by the Longhorns and Gamecocks. With five games left—including ‘Bama, LSU, and Ole Miss—can OU’s problems be fixed?
On Saturday, the Oklahoma Sooners suffered a crushing 35-9 home defeat at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks, leaving their bowl eligibility hopes hanging by a thread. It’s not just that OU lost, but how it lost–managing only eight offensive snaps as USC raced to an early 21-0.
Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. looked out of sync and overmatched (three for five passing, 18 yards, two INTs, and a QBR of <1). A bright spot came when backup quarterback Jackson Arnold entered the game, even though his play came at a cost: his redshirt year is now gone. But despite his play (18 for 36 passing, 225 yards, and one TD), Arnold’s performance was hampered by constant pressure as the Gamecocks’ defense overwhelmed the Sooners’ porous line protection, and he finished the game with a sub-par 19.4 QBR.
Fans were already restless when USC decided to attempt a two-point conversion in the second quarter, already ahead 30-3. Maurice Brown’s successful run to the end zone ignited outrage on social media and anger in the stands.
Even though USC scored only a field goal from there, the more critical issue is that the Sooners are “leaking oil.” Will OU win enough games to become bowl-eligible? Will recruiting hit the wall? How many of the current players will hit the portal? On-field struggles exacerbate these questions; the overarching concern is whether this is already at the crisis stage.
This storied program has won nearly 900 games historically while only losing under 350 contests. A consistent 10-11 game-winner almost every season this century, the Sooners have suffered only one losing season during that time (and barely that) at 6-7 in 2022. Indeed, you have to go back a quarter-century (1996-98) to find consecutive years when OU finished under .500.
But this year, the offense lacks rhythm and consistency, and those are two big reasons why OC Seth Littrell is feeling the heat. While bowl eligibility is technically within reach, the upcoming competition suggests achieving that goal is less likely than likely.
The panic button in Norman has all but been pressed.
