Sooners Fall to South Carolina, Drop to 4-4

Oklahoma lost at home to South Carolina in Week 9, while its buyout for firing head coach Brent Venables stands at $51.67 million.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football

Sooners Fall to South Carolina, Drop to 4-4

The Oklahoma Sooners lost to South Carolina at home in Week 9 and fell to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the SEC. The loss adds to a difficult stretch that included road defeats to Michigan and Georgia in September and a home loss to Kentucky in October.

Why it matters

The defeat deepens the pressure on a program that has struggled to stay competitive in the SEC this season. Because Venables' contract carries a large buyout, the cost of any coaching change would be significant for the university.

Venables signed a six-year, $63 million contract averaging $10.5 million per year, with a 2026 salary of $10 million. Firing him this season would cost Oklahoma $51.67 million under the current buyout terms.

The players

Brent Venables

Venables is the head football coach of the University of Oklahoma, whose contract and buyout terms are central to the program's current situation.

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma is a public research university in Norman whose football program competes in the Southeastern Conference.

The details

Oklahoma lost to South Carolina at home in Week 9, extending a season in which the Sooners have dropped games to Michigan and Georgia on the road and Kentucky at home, while beating Texas in the Red River Rivalry. In August, Venables and the university agreed to a two-year extension through 2032, and he took a $1 million pay cut in 2025 before leading the Sooners to the playoff.

September 2026: Oklahoma lost to Michigan and Georgia on the road.
October 2026: Oklahoma lost to Kentucky at home.
November 1, 2026: Oklahoma lost to South Carolina at home in Week 9.

Season Trajectory

Venables led the Sooners to the playoff in 2025 after taking a $1 million pay cut, setting a high bar for the program. The 4-4 record after Week 9 leaves Oklahoma far from that level of competition in the SEC.

Oklahoma's 2-3 SEC record leaves the Sooners with a narrower path to a strong conference finish. Fans tracking the team should watch the remaining schedule closely, since each loss now carries more weight.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's season now depends on how it finishes its SEC schedule after a 2-3 start in conference play. The contract figures show that any change at head coach would carry a large financial cost for the university.