OU finally found its rhythm in the run game.
The Sooners recorded 171 rushing yards in a 26-7 win over South Carolina after averaging 122.3 going into the game. They eclipsed their 48 rushing yards against Texas, beginning with the first drive.
#Sooners have already surpassed last week's rushing total of 48 against Texas. They recorded 50 in the first drive against South Carolina.
— Joshua McDaniel (@JoshuaJ_McD) October 18, 2025
“For the most part, all day, the pile was moving in the Sooners' favor. … (I’m) really proud of the guys, the toughness that they showed up with today,” head coach Brent Venables said to ESPN.
Venables said that his pregame message to his running backs and offensive line translated.
“We tried to paint that picture to our guys — just one yard at a time, one series at a time, one play at a time,” Venables said to ESPN. “And by the time the fourth quarter comes around, we’re going to like the results.”
Freshman running back Tory Blaylock led the way with 101 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Blaylock recorded 45 rushing yards in the first drive, including an 18-yard take into the end zone, before finishing with his second 100-yard performance of the season.
50 rushing yards on the first drive 📈@tory_blaylock6 | 📺 SECN pic.twitter.com/Dgmk4OzrFB
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 18, 2025
“After that run, I knew what type of day it was going to be,” Blaylock said, according to OU Insider. “The O-line had great push for me on that play, wide-open hole for me to run.”
Blaylock bounced back after recording 33 rushing yards on 11 carries against Texas and built upon his status as OU’s leading rusher. He has climbed the ranks over senior running back Jovantae Barnes, senior running back Jaydn Ott and sophomore running back Xavier Robinson.
Robinson added to Blaylock’s production with a season-high 58 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against the Gamecocks. His 11 carries marked a significant rise after only three against Texas. He has recorded 108 rushing yards through seven games after 233 in 2024.
“Handing the ball off to them and watching them go is a lot of fun,” redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer said. “Proud of those guys, … it’s all about the way we practice, the way we finish, the strain and what we emphasize.”
The offensive line created space for Blaylock and Robinson to prosper.
The unit excelled despite dealing with injuries. Redshirt senior tackle Derek Simmons played after recovering from an injury he suffered against Texas, and redshirt senior center Troy Everett, who is out for the season, did not appear. However, the offensive linemen performed well against the Gamecocks after their relationships with one another developed during the week.
“We really played like a team today,” freshman offensive tackle Michael Fasusi said. “There was a lot of connection coming into this game, this whole week. Everybody was spending time together. … It has really increased our aggressiveness.”
Despite the run game success, Ott served as no help in the win. He did not record a carry against South Carolina and his only one in the Red River Rivalry amounted to 2 yards. His recent shortcomings contribute to a disappointing season — 68 yards through seven games — after he put up 1,305 rushing yards for Cal in 2023.
“It’s not necessarily anything he’s doing wrong,” offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said on Tuesday. “It’s what a lot of guys are doing right and being really consistent with. … We have to put the most consistent players on the field.”
Barnes also did not play a snap against the Gamecocks. He is working his way back from an injury and has not appeared since the Sooners’ 24-17 win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He has only 45 rushing yards through seven games in 2025 after recording 577 in 2024.
"We thought it was initially his hamstring or something else," Venables said on Tuesday. "I think it'll be a short-term thing."
Regardless, OU’s run game persevered after struggling in the Red River Rivalry and the games leading up to it.
“Our guys didn't flinch, ... ” Venables said. “Whenever anybody questioned the team a week ago, our guys had the ability, the maturity, to block out that noise and focus on doing the things that winning requires — the energy, the execution and the physicality.”
