South Carolina got off to a great start in the opening seconds and held on in the final seconds against NC State, earning a season-opening 35-28 win.
"Offensively, very efficient first half," head coach Will Muschamp said. "Threw the ball extremely well throughout the game and just really proud of how our guys fought. Bottom line: We played a really good football team."
The Gamecocks' season started with a bang as Deebo Samuel returned the opening kick-off 97 yards to give the Gamecocks the early lead.
"We knew Samuel was hard to tackle,” NC State head coach Dave Doeren said. “It was a good kick with good hang time. We had two guys there that didn’t make the play and he outran us. Well executed and very good football player.”
NC State wasted little time in striking back as quarterback Ryan Finley capped off a 15-play drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown.
It would be the beginning of a see-saw first half.
South Carolina scored next on a juggling Rico Dowdle touchdown catch for Jake Bentley’s first touchdown pass of the season, capping an 11-play drive.
The Wolfpack responded again. They moved 75-yards in just over three minutes as Nyheim Hines punched it in from close to tie it back up at 14.
Three minutes later, the Gamecocks were back on top as Samuel scored his second touchdown of the game, reeling in a six-yard pass from Bentley.
“He probably won’t ever say it because he’s a humble guy, but I don’t think anyone in the country can guard him,” Bentley said of Samuel. "Especially the way we've trained together, I know where to put the ball when he's covered to put it in a place where he can make a play on it."
A turnover and missed 29-yard field goal by NC State kept the score at 21-14 before the final drive of the half. The Wolfpack started on their own 21-yard line with 1:47 remaining, but after five Finley completions, they found the red zone, before Finley threw his second touchdown of the game, tying it at 21 before the break.
The Wolfpack started with the ball in the third quarter but were forced to punt. Chris Lammons nearly took the punt back to the house before slipping at midfield. That set up the best throw and catch of the day as Bentley rolled to his right to avoid the rush and throw it up to Samuel. He reeled it in with a one-handed grab to put give the Gamecocks the first lead of the second half.
The defense then began a resurgence of their own. Dante Sawyer forced his second fumble on the afternoon on a sack. The Gamecocks recovered, setting up Dowdle to punch it in for his second score on the afternoon.
The next Wolfpack possession ended with a D.J. Wonnum sack, the Gamecocks third of the game. The defense forced the Wolfpack to punt again, shutting out the NC State offense in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter began with NC State on the Gamecocks' 15-yard line following a pair of strong runs by Hines. The Wolfpack then scored on fourth-and-goal from the one as Finley found Jaylon Samuels for his second touchdown pass of the game. The defense finally produced for NC State as Johnathan Alston picked off a Bentley deep ball. Carolina’s defense forced yet another punt, helped by an offensive pass interference penalty on the Wolfpack.
Following a USC punt, NC State set up shop at midfield with only 5:49 remaining. State picked up a first down before turning it over on downs as D.J. Smith stopped Samuels short of the line to gain. That gave the ball to Bentley and the offense with 4:34 left on the clock. The Gamecocks ran less than a minute off the clock as Bentley was tackled out-of-bounds on third down. That set the stage for the Gamecock defense to seal the deal in Charlotte.
The Wolfpack drove the ball down towards the USC endzone, having it first and goal on the 8-yard line with under thirty seconds remaining. The Carolina defense held firm as D.J. Smith tipped Finley’s pass on fourth down to end the game.
Samuel led the Gamecocks with three touchdowns, one on the kick-off return and two receiving. Bentley threw for 215 yards and three scores en route to the win while Finley threw for 415 yards to lead the Wolfpack.
"I think it's been a continuation of spring and fall camp," Bentley said. "We really came out and our goal all — both fall camp and spring practice — was to be able to throw the ball effectively and really use the weapons we have on offense to get after the defense. I think we showed it tonight. There's definitely a lot that we need to work on, though."