NORMAN — Oklahoma showdown with South Carolina featured plenty of horrors for the Sooners on Saturday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
The Gamecocks dominated, beating Oklahoma 42-25 as the Sooners couldn't break the alternating wins and losses pattern that has held true all season.
The position-by-position report card shows the complete nature of the loss:
Quarterback: F
Mateer was only saved by an F because he didn't turn the ball over.
But the problems that had plagued Mateer for much of the season outside of that roared back.
He looked off of open receivers, put the ball in harm's way, took sacks when he needed to just throw the ball away and didn't step up in the pocket to find a receiver downfield when he had the chances.
Mateer narrowly avoided a late turnover when an apparent fumble was reversed to an incomplete pass upon review with 4:01 remaining.
Then he threw an apparent interception in the final two minutes but a roughing-the-passer penalty negated the turnover.
At one point in the second half, the OU student section was chanting for backup Whitt Newbauer.
Mateer finished 26 of 43 for 244 yards and two touchdowns
Running Backs: D
The final rushing number of 115 yards didn't look too bad given the state of the running game all season.
But the Sooners entered the fourth quarter with just 23 yards on the ground with much of the running production Oklahoma did have coming with South Carolina's defense just trying to keep the clock moving and avoid long passing plays.
No OU running back had more than Tory Blaylock's 32 yards on the ground.
The Sooners gave the ball to Lloyd Avant on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the final minute but Avant couldn't cross the plane.
Wide Receivers: D
The good news?
Junior Ivan Carreon had the best game of his career with five catches for a career-high 88 yards including his first two career touchdowns.
Carreon had not recorded a catch this season coming into the game.
He hauled in a 34-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and a 10-yard touchdown late in the quarter. On his second, Carreon bounced off two Gamecocks' defenders to finish off the score.
The bad news?
Everything else.
After his biggest game as a Sooner the week before, Isaiah Sategna had just 13 yards on four catches.
Of course, much of their bad day goes on the struggles of Mateer and the offensive line, but it still could've been much better.
Tight Ends: C-
Oklahoma used their tight ends plenty in the game.
But you wouldn't have known it from looking at the stat sheet until the fourth quarter.
Mateer threw two passes toward Rocky Beers earlier but the Colorado State transfer couldn't haul either in. Beers hadn't had fewer than two catches in a game yet this season.
Beers did finally pull in a 10-yard reception but by that time, OU trailed 42-16.
He finished with four catches for 54 yards but it was all in garbage time.
Jack Van Dorselaer had two catches for 17 yards.
Offensive Line: D
After taking a step forward last week with the return of Michael Fasusi at left tackle, the struggles returned against South Carolina's strong front.
The Sooners used their seventh different combination of offensive linemen in eight games, with Caleb Nitte getting his first OU start at center in Jake Maikkula's absence.
Fasusi was excellent against Mississippi State the week before and though it was clear South Carolina's defense was going to be a greater challenge, the degree of the struggles on the front was stunning.
Fasusi was flagged twice for holding and once for false start in the first half alone. The sophomore actually drew four flags but an illegal formation penalty was declined by the Gamecocks. He was called for another false start in the final two minutes.
Defensive Line: C-
Tackling problems plagued the Sooners early in the season but it seemed as through they had mostly fixed the issue.
But Oklahoma once again missed far too many tackles this time around.
Those struggled particularly showed themselves on South Carolina's first offensive drive of the second half as the Gamecocks converted on a third-and-short and a fourth-and-short after initially making contact behind the line of scrimmage.
On the fourth-down conversion, it was David Stone who couldn't finish it off.
Luckily for the Sooners, the drive didn't result in points but it was still a concerning sight for a team that had been very good at all levels of the defense.
Danny Okoye teamed up with linebacker Kip Lewis for the only sack of the day for the OU defense.
Linebackers: C-
Kip Lewis' third career Pick Six was the unquestioned highlight of the day for the Sooners, tying the game at 7 early before South Carolina quickly answered.
Sellers' ability to make plays with his feet made Oklahoma's linebackers in particular look indecisive.
Owen Heinecke did turn in yet another 10-tackle day.
Defensive Backs: C-
It's a clean sweep for C- in Oklahoma defense.
The Sooners' secondary had been the strength of a very strong defensive unit coming in.
But the group finally buckled under the pressure.
Oklahoma came into the game extremely thin at cornerback with Eli Bowen out yet again and Dakoda Fields and Jacobe Johnson also out with injured.
Courtland Guillory and Trystain Haynes couldn't keep the Gamecocks' receivers in check and the safeties also struggled at times as well.
The Sooners need to get some depth back quickly on the back end.
On the good side, Michael Boganowski had a second-half interception but it was the only pass breakup the Sooners had all day.
Markel Ford had an interception with 1:53 left for the third Gamecocks turnover.
Special Teams: C
Tate Sandell got a bit of his mojo back by hitting field goals of 52 and 34 yards.
Punter Jacob Ulrich averaged 45.7 yards on six punts with two being downed inside the 20.
Oklahoma's grade here looked like it might be better with an apparent onside kick recovery with about three minutes left.
But upon review, it was determined that James Nesta touched the ball before it had gone 10 yards and then Sandell whiffed on the subsequent onside-kick attempt.
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