The South Carolina Gamecocks continued their winning ways Saturday afternoon, October 31st, as quarterback LaNorris Sellers delivered another outstanding performance, leading the Gamecocks to an impressive 42-25 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.
The win marked South Carolina’s third consecutive victory, improving the Gamecocks to 5-3 overall and 3-3 in Southeastern Conference play.
Sellers was the difference-maker for South Carolina, completing 19 of 24 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns while adding 96 yards rushing and two more scores. The Gamecock quarterback accounted for 397 yards of total offense and five touchdowns against an Oklahoma defense that entered the contest as one of the better units in the country.
South Carolina wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Sellers opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, giving the Gamecocks an early 7-0 advantage.
Oklahoma answered early in the second quarter when Kip Lewis intercepted Sellers and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at seven.
However, the Gamecocks responded in a big way.
Christian Clark scored on a one-yard touchdown run before Sellers connected with DJ Black on an explosive 84-yard touchdown pass. Later in the second quarter, Sellers found Nyck Harbor for an eight-yard touchdown, sending South Carolina into halftime with a commanding 28-10 lead.
The Gamecocks continued to pour it on in the second half as Sellers added an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to extend the advantage to 35-10.
Oklahoma attempted to battle back in the fourth quarter behind quarterback John Mateer, but South Carolina delivered another big play when Sellers connected with Mazeo Bennett Jr. on a 79-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 42-16.
The Sooners added nine more points in the final quarter, but the Gamecocks had already done enough to secure the 42-25 victory.
South Carolina finished the afternoon with 521 yards of total offense, including 212 yards rushing and 309 yards passing. Bennett led the Gamecock receivers with four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, South Carolina held Oklahoma to just 118 yards of offense through the first three quarters, keeping the Sooners from establishing any consistent offensive rhythm.
For head coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks, the victory was another important step in turning their season around. After struggling earlier in the year, South Carolina has now put together three straight wins and appears to be gaining momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Looking ahead, South Carolina will return home to Williams-Brice Stadium this Saturday, November 7th, to face Texas A&M in another important SEC matchup.
With Sellers continuing to play at a high level and the Gamecock defense showing improvement, South Carolina will look to extend its winning streak to four games and take another step toward bowl eligibility.