Oklahoma Trails 21-0 After Two Pick-Sixes; Arnold Replaces Hawkins Jr., Burns Redshirt

Oct 19, 2024, 05:08 PM

Oklahoma Sooners are trailing 21-0 against South Carolina Gamecocks at home, with 9:33 left in the first quarter, after a disastrous start marked by turnovers from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. Hawkins Jr. committed three turnovers on the first three possessions, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns by DQ Smith and Nick Emmanwori, and a fumble recovered by South Carolina for a touchdown. As a result, head coach Brent Venables benched Hawkins Jr. and brought in sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold, who was once the No. 1 QB recruit in the nation and last played on September 21 against Tennessee. Arnold's appearance burns his opportunity to redshirt this season. South Carolina capitalized on the turnovers, scoring two defensive touchdowns in less than six minutes and taking a commanding lead despite running only a few offensive plays. The Sooners' offense has gained only 14 total yards and continues to struggle with issues on the offensive line and a lack of healthy wide receivers.