NORMAN, Okla. — Boomer Beatdown.

South Carolina turned Oklahoma’s homecoming game into a laugher inside just five minutes, forcing three turnovers on the first nine Sooner snaps and scoring two defensive touchdowns before some of the fans in Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium had even settled into their seats.

South Carolina won 35-9 at Oklahoma, using an early onslaught to suck the life out of a once hostile road environment and coast to victory in its final game of October. South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC) is now 2-1 on the road this year, and will only need to win two of its final five games to reach bowl eligibility for the third time in four seasons under Shane Beamer.

Beamer’s Oklahoma (4-3, 1-3 SEC) homecoming started as well as possible, literally from snap one. Safety Nick Emmanwori snatched a Michael Hawkins Jr. pass on the opening snap of the game, a leaping interception to set the Gamecocks up with a prime scoring opportunity.

Five plays later Rocket Sanders scampered into the end zone from three yards out, the first of many daggers.

When Vershon Lee snapped the ball on the Sanders touchdown, it was still a 0-0 game.

Next time he touched the football, the Gamecocks led 21-0.

Back-to-back defensive touchdowns in the space of six plays launched the game into blowout mode immediately, and both came via South Carolina’s pass rush. Demetrius Knight Jr. swarmed Hawkins and forced a fumble to start, and Tonka Hemingway scooped it up and ran in untouched for a 36-yard fumble return.

And just when faith in the true freshman quarterback was already teetering within the home faithful, there was Emmanwori again. The junior safety popped up with his second interception of the first quarter and fourth of the season after Dylan Stewart’s pressure forced a hurried throw.

Emmanwori got a little bit of personal vindication with a pick-six after his one against LSU was called back by a penalty, and he streaked into the end zone to make it three touchdowns in less than six minutes.

Game over, for all intents and purposes. Sure, there was more action. A few exchanges of blows as the dizzying nature of the opening minutes settled into something more resembling a normal football pace. But there was no danger of a loss, never any thought that Oklahoma’s battered offense could make a serious contest of it.

An exchange of explosive touchdown passes on either side of halftime added some color to the scoreboard but did little to change the overall tenor. LaNorris Sellers found Joshua Simon on a 33-yard pass, and then Oklahoma answered the score when Jackson Arnold — in for the benched Hawkins — connected with Brenen Thompson from 54 yards out in almost an identical spot on the field.

South Carolina forced one more turnover late for good measure, when Rondarius Porter forced a fumble and Bam Martin-Scott fell on it.

Four turnovers forced, a turnover on downs, nine sacks by nine different players, and one dominant victory.

******************************************************************************************Looking to continue the conversation? Join us on the insider's forum to talk all things South Carolina football.