The South Carolina Gamecocks (2-2) fell to the No. 23 Missouri Tigers (4-0) 29-20 on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, securing the Mayor's Cup for the Tigers.
Redshirt sophomore LaNorris Sellers was cleared to play against the Tigers after taking a hit to the head against Vanderbilt on Sept. 13. Sellers was considered questionable for much of the week.
The first quarter was highlighted by redshirt senior tight end Jordan Dingle catching a 20-yard pass from Sellers for a first down, despite pressure from redshirt sophomore linebacker Josiah Trotter, who blitzed on the play. Despite movement offensively, the Gamecocks was unable to put up any first quarter points, as the score remained 0-0.
Missouri came in hot at the start of the second quarter. Junior wide receiver Joshua Manningput the Tigers on the board with an 8-yard touchdown reception. Missouri freshman kicker Robert Meyermissed his first extra-point attempt of the night, making it 6-0 for the Tigers.
The Gamecocks responded quickly, as Sellers connected with freshman wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr.for a first down, followed by back-to-back successful run plays to keep the chains moving.
Despite a false start pushing the Gamecocks back in the drive, Sellers connected with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs for a 49-yard touchdown pass, giving South Carolina the 7-6 lead.
South Carolina continued to show grit on defense. Missouri junior wide receiver Marquis Johnson stabbed the ball with a one-hand catch, gaining a first down for the Tigers in a crucial short yardage situation. The Tigers capitalized with a field goal, making it a 9-7 game.
The Gamecocks got into some discipline issues, accumulating seven penalties in the first half, including multiple false starts. After getting out of its faulty funk, South Carolina's defense started to shine after an interception by redshirt junior defensive back Gerald Kilgore.
South Carolina's offensive line gave Sellers a clean pocket to pass to Jacobs at the 40-yard line. Another clean pass from Sellers was thrown to Rowe for a touchdown, Sellers' second touchdown pass of the night, putting South Carolina ahead at 14-9.
The Tigers responded after a catch from Johnson, as redshirt sophomore running back Jamal Roberts powered through South Carolina’s defense, setting up a field goal before halftime. The Gamecocks led 14-12 at the break.
The third quarter began with a sack on graduate quarterback Beau Pribula by sophomore linebacker Fred "JayR" Johnson. The Tigers punted after an incomplete pass.
In South Carolina's first drive of the half, the Gamecocks found the red zone after a deep ball from Sellers to Jacobs. Shortly after, Sellers was sacked by senior defensive end Zion Young, making it Sellers' fourth sack of the night. The Gamecocks settled for a field goal from redshirt senior William Joyce, making it 17-12 South Carolina.
Pribula took matters into his own hands, running the ball to the 10-yard line as redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the tackle. Missouri sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy then powered through the defense for a five-yard touchdown, but Missouri's failed 2-point conversion kept the Tigers ahead 18-17 with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Joyce brought the game back into South Carolina territory with a completed field goal, and the Gamecocks held a 20-18 lead.
Missouri started the fourth quarter off strong. Roberts scored a 16-yard touchdown, and the Tigers took the lead back 26-20 ahead of South Carolina.
Later in the fourth quarter, Sellers began to lose connection with his receivers, throwing two incomplete passes. The Gamecocks continued to be shut down and decided to punt the ball.
The Tigers knocked in one last field goal with less than 2 minutes remaining to lead 29-20. South Carolina was unable to get any more points on the board to end the game.
Penalty after penalty
South Carolina struggled to play penalty-free football, a blatant difference between the Gamecocks and the Tigers. The Gamecocks committed 14 penalties for 98 yards, while the Tigers committed five penalties for 54 yards, contributing to the outcome of tonight's turnout for South Carolina.
A large number of the penalties called were pre-snap penalties and holding calls. The Gamecocks totaled 50 yards in penalties from holding alone. South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer acknowledged this as being a contending issue for the team.
"It wasn't just the offense tonight," Beamer said. "It was the offense, it was the special teams ... When you have 14 penalties on the road, something's got to change."
Hardly able to stop Hardy
Hardy controlled the field for Missouri, finishing the game with 138 yards rushing and a touchdown.
The consistent performance from Hardy helped the Tigers keep drives going for extended periods of time. Missouri held possession of the ball for more than 10 more minutes of gameplay compared to South Carolina. The offensive pressure allowed Missouri's defense to stay well-rested and in turn forced pressure on the South Carolina offensive line and Sellers.
Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz talked about Hardy prior to playing South Carolina.
"He's really been special," Drinkwitz said. "His ability to break tackles ... he's got an explosiveness to him."
The overall run Game
The South Carolina run game was outmatched compared to Missouri. The Gamecocks finished the night with minus nine rushing yards. To go even further into detail on the grass gained, South Carolina didn't seem to gain much at all. It ended with 293 total yards while the Tigers finished with 456 total yards.
Sellers did well keeping plays alive in the air. With 302 yards passing and two touchdowns on the board, the night was headed in the right direction for the Gamecocks. However, Sellers began to miss a few open receivers near the end of the second half.
“I told them in the locker room, 'When you get out-rushed 285 to minus nine, you’re not going to win,'” Beamer said. “That was really disappointing."
What's next?
The South Carolina Gamecocks (2-2) will take on the Kentucky Wildcats (2-1) on Saturday, Sept. 27 at home in Williams-Brice Stadium. The game will begin at 7:45 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network.