When true freshman Tory Blaylock sprinted into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the Oklahoma Sooners’ 26-7 win at South Carolina, it wasn’t just a big moment—it felt like a turning point. Blaylock finished that game with 101 rushing yards on 19 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. The performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors and delivered a signal to the college football world: this kid is for real.
But now comes the harder part. Up next: a home game in Norman against the Ole Miss Rebels, who boast a physical, athletic front and one of the more potent offensive attacks in the conference. For Blaylock to shift from “breakout freshman” to “bell-cow running back,” he will need to show far more than speed and burst. The Sooners will need to lean into him as the identity of their offense begins to take shape. Here’s where the test lies—and why this moment matters.
In his high-school career at Atascocita (Humble, Texas), Blaylock ran for 1,262 yards and 26 touchdowns his senior year, while also producing big numbers in the relay world as a member of a national-record 4×100 team. Physically, he has the tools: 5-foot-11, 203 lbs and track-level speed. But translating that to the SEC is about more than raw talent. It’s about patience. It’s about vision. It’s about running the exact same play 10 times in practice so the 11th time becomes second nature.
Blaylock’s recent praise makes this clear. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle called him “tough as nails” and lauded his ability to get that one extra yard when plays didn’t immediately blow open. That extra yard often separates a run-of-the-mill carry from a 10-yard gain in the SEC. Against a front like Ole Miss’s, Blaylock must show he can consistently make those plays, not just once. He must read angles, set up blocks, and exploit seams. This won’t be about one big burst; it will be about stringing together respectable gains until one breaks.
No running back can go it alone, though—and that’s especially true now. The Sooners’ offensive line, under coach Bill Bedenbaugh, must push from “good” to “physical.” Against South Carolina, the line opened holes, controlled the clock, and helped OU run for 171 yards—its most against a Power Four opponent this season. But Ole Miss presents a different challenge. Their front is faster, their linebackers play sideline-to-sideline, and their scheme invites defenders to shoot gaps and test guards.
For Blaylock to become the bellcrow back the Sooners hope, the line must deliver more than yesterday’s performance—they must dominate. They must generate movement, win individual matchups, and tilt the line of scrimmage. When the line wins early, Blaylock’s patience and vision become lethal weapons. When they’re pushed back, he becomes the test subject for how much the freshman can absorb.
The bigger backdrop here is identity. The Sooners, under head coach Brent Venables and Arbuckle, have centered their early success on defense, physicality, and playing error-free football. But that identity only gets you so far. To become elite in the SEC, you must also matter on offense. That means having a clear identity on offense too—one the opponent respects.
If Blaylock becomes the focal point of that identity, great things follow. A downhill runner who sets the tone, opens up the play-action game, forces defenses to respect the run—that’s how offenses thrive. We’re already seeing Blaylock emerge, and statistically he leads the team with 391 rush yards and averages 4.5 yards per carry. But moments, not just numbers, will define his path forward.
If the Sooners start handing him the ball early, and the offense begins to revolve around his rhythm, two things happen: the offense gets easier to coach and tougher to defend. They become less reliant on big plays and more reliant on controlling the line of scrimmage, finishing drives, and wearing down the opponent.
Here’s the hard truth: A breakout performance against South Carolina earns headlines. A dominant, consistent performance against a top-10 opponent at home earns belief. Ole Miss runs a tempo-driven, physical style—they don’t let their opponent dictate the pace. They will try to keep Blaylock from getting comfortable. They will test OU’s offensive line and his ability to finish runs through contact.
If Blaylock folds under pressure, if he averages three yards and no explosive runs, then the narrative reverts to “talented freshman” rather than “bell-cow.” But if he handles the heat—gets 60+ yards in the first half, shows good decision-making, picks up the blitz, converts third downs—then he becomes a bell-cow. Then the offense can lean on him. Then the identity can shift.
Here’s where I land: The Sooners should ride Tory Blaylock this week—and do so with intent. Not as a gadget, not as a secondary weapon. As the centerpiece of their offense. Because this game is too important to treat like the last one. Against an Ole Miss team that forces you to score early, OU needs to establish the run, impose their will, and let the rest of the offense breathe.
I believe Blaylock has earned the right to get 20+ carries, early first-down looks, and be the guy the defense plans for. It’s one thing to get 14 carries and 100+ yards against a lesser opponent. It’s another to carry 20–25 times against a front that will try to stop the run and then hear the crowd in Norman roar when he breaks one for 15.
If the Sooners don’t lean on him, they risk sending a message that they still aren’t confident in their offensive balance. But if they do, they send a message that the offense has arrived—and that Venables’ defense isn’t carrying them anymore. They’re carrying themselves.
Blaylock isn’t just a freshman anymore. He’s now the bell-cow test case. And this week may define whether he—and Oklahoma’s offense—step into a new tier. If they do it right, the Sooners shift from contender to threat.
Matt Hofeld is a college football & softball analyst and contributor covering the SEC. Follow him for more Oklahoma and conference-wide analysis throughout the 2025 season.
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