COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s protection returned two turnovers for touchdowns inside a span of three performs on Saturday night time and the Gamecocks beat Kentucky, 35-13.
The Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 SEC) had been gashing South Carolina with the run and held a 10-7 lead within the second quarter. Quarterback Cutter Boley was sacked by Dylan Stewart, the ball popped free and defensive lineman Jatius Geer retrieved it, chugging 40 yards for a landing.
Advertisement
Two performs later, Boley solid into the secondary however his cross clanged off the arms of Kendrick Law. South Carolina’s Gerald Kilgore wolfed the carom and sprinted 45 yards to the tip zone.
“Obviously when you score twice on defense, you’re going to be really hard to beat,” coach Shane Beamer stated. “We didn’t just want to win the turnover battle, we wanted to dominate it.”
Trailing 21-10, the Wildcats tried to get their offense again in gear. Boley once more threw deep however was belted by Desmond Umeozulu on the throw.
South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse intercepted to begin one other landing drive. The Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2) added one other landing within the fourth quarter whereas Kentucky solely managed a area purpose after its fast 10-0 begin.
Advertisement
Key takeaways
South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ maligned offense had a good night time, scoring three touchdowns of their very own to one-up the protection’s two, however nonetheless struggled to run the ball (they ended with 48 carries for 178 yards, elevated by a grind-it-out fourth-quarter drive. South Carolina had 18 carries for 76 yards within the first half). Quarterback LaNorris Sellers was higher at escaping sacks however nonetheless took too many avoidable hits by not throwing the ball away.
Kentucky: Boley was leaning on his working recreation and it appeared like the reply early. The turnovers dug him a gap he couldn’t escape, particularly because the Gamecocks’ pass-rushing elevated (six sacks).
He named it
South Carolina’s Jaquel Holman returned the second-half kickoff from the purpose line to Kentucky’s 41. But the play was reversed to the 25.
Advertisement
Nyck Harbor had stretched his arms out within the “T” sign that advised the kicking staff that USC was going to fair-catch it. Even although Harbor didn’t contact the ball, as a result of he signaled it, it coated your complete staff.
The rule modified this 12 months. In the Citrus Bowl final 12 months, the Gamecocks signaled the “T” after which returned the kick anyway, which was later the impetus for a brouhaha between Beamer and Illinois coach Bret Bielema.
It has develop into unofficially generally known as “The Shane Beamer Rule.”
Elder penalty
Kentucky working again Seth McGowan scored the sport’s first landing and threw the ball into the stands within the south finish zone of Williams-Brice Stadium. The ball deflected off a fan’s left shoulder.
Advertisement
The fan, Sellers stated, was his grandfather, who was seated immediately behind the rail subsequent to the hedges that border the sector. “I saw it, I saw everything that happened,” Sellers stated.
Sellers stated his grandfather was good afterward.
McGowan was not penalized in the course of the recreation.
Up subsequent
South Carolina: Following a bye week, the Gamecocks are at No. 4 LSU on Oct. 11.
Kentucky: The Wildcats are at No. 5 Georgia on Oct. 4.