The South Carolina Gamecocks and the Vanderbilt Commodores met for the 30th time on Saturday afternoon in a very rainy Nashville, TN. The Gamecocks led the all-time series 25-4 and won the last 11 meetings between the teams. Both teams came into the game winless, the last time South Carolina won a game was against Vanderbilt last season.
The First Half
In the last two games the Gamecocks opened their first possessions with a touchdown, but not this week. The first quarter of this game got off to a very slow start with both teams trading downs for most of the quarter.
The Gamecocks put up the only points of the quarter when Parker White put a 42-yard field goal through the posts, 3-0 with a little over five minutes to play in the quarter.
The Commodores tried to answer with a field goal of their own in the next possession, which ended the first quarter, but Pierson Cooke missed it from 29 yards out.
The Gamecocks opened the second quarter with possession of the ball and attempted to put the first points of the quarter up with a 53-yard field goal, but it was a missed kick by White, his first miss of the season.
On the next South Carolina possession, the Gamecocks put a touchdown on the board when Colin Hill finished out a 12-play drive with a one-yard rush into the end zone, 10-0 with 2:09 left in the first half.
Vanderbilt went three and out in their next drive and South Carolina ran off the clock to end the quarter and kept the lead going into halftime.
The Second Half
The Commodores had the first chance to put points on the board in the third quarter and finished the drive with a failed fake punt attempt at first down, giving South Carolina a short field.
The Gamecocks capitalized on their opening drive when Kevin Harris took it 25 yards for the touchdown score and extended the lead, 17-0.
Vanderbilt finally put points on the board on their next possession when Ken Seals connected with Cam Johnson for a 22-yard touchdown catch, 17-7 with nine minutes left in the third quarter.
South Carolina answered on the next drive when Hill took it into the endzone again for another six points. White put the extra point through the posts, 24-7.
Vanderbilt went three and out on the next drive and South Carolina put another three on the board when White put a 40-yard field goal through the posts. The Gamecocks finished the quarter on top 27-7.
The Commodores had possession of the ball to open the final quarter but were unable to convert the opening drive into any points. South Carolina, on the other hand, turned their opening drive into a touchdown when Harris took the ball 88 yards for the touchdown on the first play, 34-7.
This is that “let’s wrap this up” run from #Gamecocks RB Kevin Harris.
USC up 34-7 after an 88-yard dash untouched. pic.twitter.com/14kwqpmIeA
— Mitch B (@MitchBTV_) October 10, 2020
On the very next Gamecocks drive, Dakereon Joyner took the ball to the endzone in the first play for 47 yards and the Gamecocks widened the gap by another seven points, 41-7. The score remained unchanged in the next several drives, despite fumbles and turnovers on each side, and the Gamecocks secured the victory.
Dakereon Joyner to the crib! #Gamecocks rolling 41-7.
This sight here has been a long time coming though. @wachfox pic.twitter.com/sFiPlSz0eh
— Mitch B (@MitchBTV_) October 10, 2020
What’s Next for the Gamecocks?
South Carolina was the stronger team on both sides of the ball Saturday afternoon, which against the last-place team was to be expected. With this Gamecocks squad this year, nothing is guaranteed. The Gamecocks return home next week to face the 13th ranked Auburn Tigers.
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Main Credit Image: Embed from Getty Images
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