COLUMBIA — At halftime inside Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina trails No. 14 Oklahoma 14-7, but there have been encouraging signs — particularly from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who delivered one of his most efficient halves of the season.
Sellers was nearly flawless through the air, completing 10 of 11 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. His lone score came on a 12-yard strike to Nyck Harbor, marking South Carolina’s only points of the half. Harbor has been active with three catches for 23 yards, while tight end Brady Hunt has provided steady production with three receptions for 26 yards.
The running game, however, continues to be an issue. Rasul Faison leads all rushers with 44 yards on six carries, thanks in large part to a 36-yard burst, but outside of that, the ground attack has struggled to gain traction. Sellers, meanwhile, has found little room to operate, recording nine carries for zero net yards as Oklahoma’s defensive front has consistently collapsed the pocket.
On defense, Judge Collier has anchored the unit with seven total tackles, while Peyton Williams and DQ Smith have chipped in five apiece. Still, the Gamecocks’ defense has yet to produce a turnover or a sack, allowing the Sooners to control the tempo and win key third-down battles.
Special teams have been a bright spot. Vicari Swain has provided a major spark with two punt returns for 50 yards, including a 31-yard return that flipped field position. Punter Mason Love has also been sharp, averaging 42 yards on two punts, with one pinning Oklahoma inside the 20-yard line.
As the Gamecocks head into the second half, they’ll need to establish more consistency in the trenches — protecting Sellers and extending drives — if they hope to mount a comeback against a disciplined Oklahoma squad.
