Saturday, October 31, 2026 | Norman, Oklahoma
If you’re a believer in this South Carolina football team, then you have to believe the Gamecocks are capable of going into Norman this weekend and beating Oklahoma.
And quite frankly, there’s a pretty compelling argument for why they can.
South Carolina has what I consider the most exciting offensive player and the most exciting defensive player in the Southeastern Conference.
LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart.
Two extraordinary athletes who, when they’re playing at their best, can completely change the complexion of a football game.
We saw exactly that against Tennessee.
Now the question becomes whether those two can deliver another performance like that against Oklahoma.
Because if they do, I believe South Carolina has an excellent opportunity to win its third consecutive game.
THE SUPERMAN FACTOR
I’ve been critical of LaNorris Sellers this season, and I believe much of that criticism has been justified.
His inconsistency, decision-making and accuracy have been legitimate concerns.
But I’ve also said repeatedly that when Superman Sellers shows up, South Carolina becomes a completely different football team.
And right now, Superman appears to be back.
Against Tennessee, Sellers accounted for 306 yards of offense and three touchdowns. More importantly, when South Carolina absolutely needed somebody to make a play, he delivered.
That’s what exceptional players do.
They find ways to win games when everything around them isn’t necessarily working.
Oklahoma presents a considerably different challenge defensively.
The Sooners are allowing just 273.7 yards per game, ranking among the nation’s best defensive units. They’re particularly strong against the pass, surrendering just 156.3 yards per contest.
But here’s the problem Oklahoma faces.
You can defend the passing game. You can defend the running game. But defending a quarterback who can turn a broken play into a 40-yard gain is another matter entirely.
Sellers gives South Carolina an offensive dimension that Oklahoma simply cannot ignore.
If he’s decisive, protects the football and uses his legs effectively, he can create enormous problems for the Sooners.
DYLAN STEWART: THE GAME WRECKER
I’ve evaluated defensive prospects for decades, and I can tell you there aren’t many players with Dylan Stewart’s combination of explosiveness, length and athletic ability.
He’s a freakish talent.
And against Tennessee, he reminded everybody exactly why.
With the game hanging in the balance, Stewart came off the edge, got to the quarterback and forced the fumble that ultimately set up South Carolina’s winning field goal.
That’s a difference-maker.
That’s the kind of play that separates exceptional athletes from ordinary football players.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is a talented player who can create opportunities with both his arm and his legs.
But the Sooners have struggled offensively this season.
They’re averaging just 21.6 points per game and only 105.6 rushing yards.
That makes Stewart particularly dangerous.
If South Carolina can put Oklahoma into obvious passing situations, Stewart has an opportunity to take over this game.
And if he does, the entire Gamecock defense benefits.
THE MATCHUP THAT CONCERNS ME
Here’s where I become a little less optimistic.
Oklahoma has a very good defense, and Brent Venables knows how to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
The Sooners aren’t going to simply sit back and allow Sellers to dictate the game.
They’re going to challenge South Carolina’s offensive line, disguise coverages and attempt to force Sellers into mistakes.
And that’s where Kendall Briles becomes particularly important.
South Carolina cannot afford to become predictable.
I want to see designed quarterback runs, movement of the pocket and opportunities for Sellers to get the football into the hands of his playmakers in space.
The Gamecocks also need a productive performance from Matthew Fuller.
If Oklahoma can make Carolina one-dimensional, this becomes a considerably more difficult assignment.
DON’T OVERLOOK JOHN MATEER
Mateer hasn’t enjoyed the season many expected from him.
But don’t mistake inconsistency for an absence of talent.
Against Mississippi State, he completed 22 of 29 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns.
That’s a quarterback capable of moving an offense.
And South Carolina’s secondary has demonstrated enough vulnerability this season that Oklahoma will undoubtedly attempt to exploit it.
Isaiah Sategna III is another player the Gamecocks must account for.
He’s a legitimate receiving threat who can turn an ordinary completion into an explosive play.
South Carolina cannot allow Oklahoma to establish offensive rhythm early.
Pressure Mateer, eliminate explosive plays and force the Sooners to sustain long drives.
That’s the defensive formula.
THE BIGGEST QUESTION: WHICH SOUTH CAROLINA TEAM SHOWS UP?
This is something I’ve been asking all season.
We saw a South Carolina team against Florida that looked completely different from the one that struggled earlier in the year.
Then we saw the Gamecocks find a way to beat Tennessee.
But let’s not pretend everything has suddenly been fixed.
There are still concerns about coaching decisions, discipline, offensive consistency and defensive execution.
Two victories don’t erase those issues.
And I’m certainly not ready to declare that Shane Beamer has turned this program around.
However, I will acknowledge something.
This team is playing with considerably more confidence than it was a month ago.
And confidence matters.
Particularly when you have two players capable of changing a game with one extraordinary play.
MY FIVE KEYS TO A GAMECOCK VICTORY
1. Let Superman Be Superman.
Sellers needs to play aggressively but intelligently. Use his athleticism without forcing unnecessary throws.
2. Unleash Dylan Stewart.
Get Oklahoma into passing situations and allow Stewart to attack Mateer.
3. Win the Turnover Battle.
Oklahoma enters this contest with a minus-seven turnover margin. South Carolina needs to exploit that weakness.
4. Establish the Running Game.
Fuller and Sellers must give Oklahoma something to worry about beyond the passing attack.
5. Don’t Let Coaching Become the Story.
Manage the clock, avoid unnecessary penalties and don’t give away possessions with questionable decisions.
Sometimes the difference between winning and losing isn’t talent.
It’s simply getting out of your own way.
JB’S FINAL ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Oklahoma is favored, and I understand why.
The Sooners have an outstanding defense, they’re playing at home and South Carolina has demonstrated enough inconsistency this season to make anybody nervous.
But I’m looking at this matchup a little differently.
South Carolina has won two consecutive games against ranked SEC opponents.
The Gamecocks are beginning to develop some offensive confidence.
And perhaps most importantly, their two most talented football players are beginning to perform like the superstars we expected them to be.
I’ve said before that great players can overcome average coaching.
I still believe that.
And South Carolina has two players who can do exactly that.
I’m not suggesting Carolina is suddenly a championship-caliber football team.
I’m not suggesting the problems within this program have disappeared.
But I am suggesting that when LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart are playing at their best, South Carolina is capable of beating just about anybody on its schedule.
Including Oklahoma.
JB’S PREDICTION: SOUTH CAROLINA 27, OKLAHOMA 23
Give me Superman Sellers making another handful of spectacular plays, Dylan Stewart disrupting the Oklahoma offense and South Carolina finding a way to escape Norman with another victory.
Three straight wins.
And perhaps another reminder of just how much talent this football team actually possesses.
