Nix’s picks cost Auburn
3 interceptions aid S.C.’S first win over Tigers in 87 years
South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn was tired of hearing he didn’t have the ball skills to be a truly exceptional cornerback.
His play against No. 15 Auburn proved he did — and led the Gamecocks to a breakthrough win over the Tigers on Saturday.
Horn had the first two interceptions of his career and his pass breakup led to a third — all which South Carolina turned into touchdowns — for a 30-22 victory that was its first win over Auburn in 87 years.
Horn is a junior who’s been a lockdown corner most of his career.
Horn was assigned to Auburn receiver Seth Williams, one of the best receivers in the Southeastern Conference, averaging 18 yards a catch. Williams finished with four catches for 74 yards, but no scores.
“I heard a lot of people saying I (don’t) have any ball skills, which is crazy to me,” Horn said. “I just knew the day would come when I’d have a lot of opportunities to make plays.”
South Carolina made plenty of them.
Kevin Harris ran for two touchdowns, Smith added a 10-yard TD catch and Horn and the defense did enough to stop Bo Nix and the Tigers’ attack.
Auburn (2-2) had won eight straight in the series
and jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes. But Nix, the sophomore quarterback, threw three picks and the Gamecocks (2-2) cashed in each time to win consecutive games for the first time in more than a year.
Smith had eight catches including his score midway through the third quarter that put South Carolina ahead for good, 20-19.
Auburn was driving on its following series when Nix threw his third interception — and second to Horn — who brought the ball down the left sideline to the Tigers’ 8. Harris was in the end zone a play later for a 27-19 lead and Auburn could not recover.
The Tigers closed to 30-22 on Anders Carlson’s
22-yard field goal with 6:39 left. Auburn got the ball back once more with 2:15 left and drove to the South Carolina 13. Nix, though, was called for intentional grounding trying to avoid a sack and the Gamecocks held on to beat the Tigers for the first time since 1933.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said his team will have to get past this quickly. “We’re just going to have to be big boys and we’re going to have to man up and put it behind us and go into next week and find a way to win,” he said.
South Carolina had not won back-to-back games since defeating Kentucky and then-no. 3 Georgia last season. That win over the Bulldogs was the last time the Gamecocks had beaten a ranked opponent.
Auburn’s offense looked
unstoppable in the first half and doubled up South Carolina in yardage (243119) the first 30 minutes — except when Nix put the ball in danger.
Nix had 272 yards passing and was sacked three times.
Tank Bigsby, the Auburn freshman, had 111 yards rushing and went past the century mark for a second straight game.
Tigers linebacker Owen Pappoe said, “We’re just going to stay together.”
Nix had one interception going into the game.
The Gamecocks got a boost from defensive tackle Kier Thomas, returning after not traveling to the Vanderbilt game due to COVID-19 issues. Thomas had two of the three sacks on Nix, including the one late where Nix was called for intentional grounding.