2029 Conference Championship Preview - #3 Oklahoma (11-1) Vs South Carolina (8-4)
Boone Tillman // Sooner Born • Published: December 8th, 2029
The Oklahoma Sooners are in the SEC Championship Game for the second time since joining the conference back in 2024 and only the 8-4 South Carolina Gamecocks stand in the way of Armando Leon and Co. from claiming the first SEC Championship for the Sooners, and their 51st Conference Championship as a program.
When we finish previewing how our third-ranked Sooners matchup against the Gamecocks, we'll get into a Championship edition of "Schooner Scoop" with Coach Leon as he talks about the plan to win the Sooners' first conference championship since 2020, among other things.
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#3 Oklahoma Sooners (11-1) | Description | South Carolina Gamecocks (8-4) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 96 Overall // 95 Offense // 97 Defense | Team Rating | 75 Overall // 76 Offense // 74 Defense Armando Leon (22-4) | Head Coach | Jamey Chadwell (23-15) Spread | Offensive Scheme | Spread 3-3-5 | Defensive Scheme | 4-2-5 47.4 (2nd) | Offensive Points Per Game | 29.0 (82nd) 18.6 (5th) | Defensive Points Per Game | 28.7 (74th) 487.9 (6th) | Offensive Yards Per Game | 376.6 (97th) 314.5 (4th) | Defensive Yards Per Game | 360.8 (27th)
Oklahoma Sooners | Description | South Carolina Gamecocks --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 89-67 | Combined Record | 84-72 Oklahoma State (8-4) W 45-3 | Week One | FCS W 31-7 @ Oregon (7-5) W 52-14 | Week Two | BYE @ Vanderbilt (3-9) W 56-21 | Week Three | Indiana (8-4) L 35-14 @ Kentucky (5-7) W 49-6 | Week Four | @ Mississippi State (4-8) W 49-47 @ Florida (8-4) L 52-51 | Week Five | Kentucky (5-7) W 28-27 Missouri (9-3) W 49-17 | Week Six | Texas (5-7) W 38-28 Texas (5-7) W 45-38 | Week Seven | Texas A&M (9-3) W 31-28 Nebraska (5-7) W 49-14 | Week Eight | @ UConn (7-5) L 21-6 Tennessee (10-2) W 56-24 | Week Nine | LSU (7-5) W 28-27 BYE | Week Ten | @ Auburn (8-4) L 37-19 Tulsa (5-7) W 45-7 | Week Eleven | @ Vanderbilt (3-9) W 49-21 LSU (7-5) W 38-14 | Week Twelve | @ Arkansas (5-7) W 31-21 @ Texas A&M (9-3) W 34-13 | Week Thirteen | Clemson (6-6) L 45-24
Oklahoma Sooners South Carolina Gamecocks --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- G Dontrell Jones (90) Upper Arm Fracture (2 Weeks) | Injuries | N/A
Oklahoma Sooners South Carolina Gamecocks --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SR(RS) Cole Welliver (91) 253/368 (68%), 3,116 Yds, 29 TD, 8 INT | QB | JR(RS) Miles Rutter (91) 208/332 (62%), 2,676 Yds, 23 TD, INT JR(RS) Oscar Robledo (89) 189 Att, 1,640 Yds, 22 TD | HB | JR(RS) Enrique Thrash (86) 240 Att, 1,165 Yds, 15 TD SR(RS) Ja'Kayden Ferguson (92) 46 Rec, 626 Yds, 7 TD | WR | JR(RS) Rodney Blade (81) 69 Rec, 1,000 Yds, 2 TD JR(RS) Iosefa Topa (89) 50 Rec, 568 Yds, 6 TD | WR | FR Fredrick Landry (76) 33 Rec, 514 Yds, 12 TD SR MLB Kyle Brink (92) 92 Tkl, 24 TFL, 6.5 Sacks | DEF | SR MLB Anfernee Lamur (83) 85 Tkl, 4 TFL SR DT Karlos Vigil (92) 35 Tkl, 23 TFL, 14.5 Sacks | DEF | SR(RS) DE Jaquavious Dodd (78) 37 Tkl, 12 TFL, 5.5 Sacks SO(RS) DE Leon Britt (88) 42 Tkl, 21 TFL, 9 Sacks | DEF | SR(RS) DT Christian Ingram (84) 33 Tkl, 11 TFL, 2.5 Sacks JR(RS) SS DeMarco Slayton (84) 72 Tkl, 12 TFL, 5 INT | DEF | SR CB Keke Aguayo (88) 55 Tkl, 4 INT
Conference Championship Matchups
C-USA: Missouri State (7-5) vs Sam Houston (8-4)
Pac-12: #24 San Diego State (8-4) vs #7 Boise State (12-0)
Mountain West: #22 Wyoming (9-3) vs Hawaii (7-5)
Big 12: #14 Arizona State (9-3) vs #10 Texas Tech (10-2)
MAC: Miami (OH) (8-4) vs UMass (8-4)
Sun Belt South Alabama (6-6) @ #16 Coastal Carolina (11-1)
American: #19 UAB (10-2) @ #9 Tulane (10-2)
Big Ten: #12 Ohio State (10-2) @ #2 USC (12-0)
ACC: #15 North Carolina (9-3) @ #1 Miami (11-1)
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Schooner Scoop
BT: "Coach Leon, this year's Sooners team shares a lot of similarities with the last Sooner team to make the SEC Conference Championship back in 2026. That year's team was undefeated, as opposed to your one-loss version, but also boasted a confident defensive-minded head coach, one of the top-ranked defenses in the nation, a top-five scoring offense, and a projected Heisman winner on the roster. That team lost back-to-back games to close out the season, first to the Longhorns in the SEC Championship Game and then to Missouri in the first round. What does this club need to do to make sure the similarities between the two clubs end by your squad hoisting the first ever Sooners' SEC Championship?"
AL: "Execution, Boone, plain and simple. We've got the talent and we've got the scheme; the only thing that will hold us back is ourselves. We may be on a seven-game winning streak, but we aren't looking ahead. The Gamecocks have our full attention and until that clock strikes zero in Atlanta, we aren't going to let up."
BT: "There is a huge contrast between these two clubs on paper, Coach. This year's Sooners' squad has outscored their opponents by an average of 30 points per game this season. By contrast, the Gamecocks have outscored their opponents by a third of a point on average. That isn't a typo, less than five total points separate their scoring differential this season. What have you seen on tape that shows how the Gamecocks survived the SEC gauntlet despite less than overwhelming stats?"
AL: "The Gamecocks this season are kind of an enigma. They lose to UConn and a struggling Clemson squad, then outlast A&M and Texas. The biggest takeaway I've seen so far on tape is that they're scrappy and if the game is close, they find a way to win out. Offensively they are sound, if not explosive, but most importantly they don't turn the ball over. Since they aren't explosive, when they lose, they lose big. We intend to run it up early and often and force them into some uncomfortable decisions. Judging by this season, if we can do that, then we're hoisting the trophy, Boone."
BT: "Not to beat a dead horse, Coach, but the offense continues to be criticized for their over reliance on Oscar Robledo in all aspects of the offense as he currently leads the team in receiving in addition to leading the nation in rushing yards. What have the discussions been like internally about balancing his workload while also keeping the offense humming?"
AL: "I mean, it's easy to point at the numbers and think the entire offense is Oscar, but we've got three other receivers with over 500 yards and a fourth in Elijah Thomas that will eclipse that more than likely. It just means we're balanced outside of Oscar. But, believe me, if push came to shove we have no problem putting the ball in Cole's hands and letting him distribute. It's an easy narrative to cling to due to Oscar's productivity, but the offense itself knows it's more than one guy stirring the drink."
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Listen, the South Carolina Gamecocks are in the SEC Championship Game for a reason, they executed. But at the same time, when you make the conference championship, especially in the SEC, you expect a heavyweight clash. You expect a team that instills fear in their opposition. Not to be crude, but the Gamecocks simply don't do that.
They had a weaker than most SEC schedule and the only non-conference game they won was against an FCS school. They were 2-4 against teams that were over .500 this season.
I don't think this one is going to be close, again, all due respect to South Carolina.
42 Oklahoma, 10 South Carolina.
It's time for the Sooners to take their place with the upper echelon of the SEC.
Still upset at SC being in the SEC game
