South Carolina’s struggles hit a new low Saturday afternoon as the Gamecocks suffered another ugly defeat — this time a 26–7 loss to No. 14 Oklahoma inside Williams-Brice Stadium. The team fell to 3–4 overall and 1–4 in SEC play, with yet another lifeless offensive performance leaving fans and analysts frustrated.
The Gamecocks managed only seven points and 224 total yards, their offensive futility forcing the defense into an impossible position. While the defense fought hard early, it too eventually cracked under the pressure.
The result, as many observers pointed out, perfectly summarized South Carolina’s disappointing season so far.
National voices pile on
During their instant reaction show, On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman barely needed words to describe the lopsided contest. Staples bluntly called it a “thrashing,” saying Oklahoma “beat the crap out of South Carolina.” He later added that USC is “one of the worst teams in the SEC.”
Local columnist Chris Trainor of The Index-Journal didn’t hold back either, suggesting this might be “the most disappointing team ever” in Columbia. He compared the 2025 Gamecocks to the 2014 squad that began the season ranked No. 9 nationally before collapsing — only this time, he believes the 2014 team “would absolutely drag this one up and down the field.”
Offensive misery continues
For offensive coordinator Mike Shula, the outing was another brutal chapter in what’s becoming a recurring nightmare. The Gamecocks gained just 54 rushing yards, with nearly all of them coming on two plays. Former 107.5 The Game host Heath Cline questioned both the play-calling and the offensive line after South Carolina failed repeatedly at the goal line.
“On a week you fired your OL coach, South Carolina choosing to repeatedly run between the tackles on the goal line is a curious choice,” Cline posted on X.
Defense can’t capitalize
On the defensive side, Clayton White’s unit showed fight but missed key chances. Injured Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was far from his best, yet the Gamecocks dropped multiple potential interceptions and allowed the Sooners to convert 50% of their third downs.
Oklahoma writer Mason Young noted, “It feels like South Carolina has dropped three or four potential John Mateer interceptions today.”
Sellers under scrutiny
The criticism didn’t stop with the coaches. ESPN analyst Booger McFarland called out quarterback LaNorris Sellers, saying,
“LaNorris Sellers hasn’t quite been what I thought he would be this year. Add him to the list of quarterbacks that have disappointed.”
Rock bottom moments
Adding insult to injury, a failed fake punt attempt late in the game drew mockery across social media. On3 Clemson reporter Larry Williams simply wrote, “This fake punt oh my,” sharing a clip of the disastrous play that fooled no one.
What’s next
Things won’t get any easier for the reeling Gamecocks. South Carolina heads to Tuscaloosa next Saturday to face No. 5 Alabama at 3:30 p.m. The game will air nationally on ABC, with streaming available via the ESPN app and ESPN+.
After yet another week of offensive collapse and national embarrassment, South Carolina’s season is quickly slipping away — and time is running out to fix it.
