S.C. freshman QB lifts team to win

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s offense finally opened things up this season. Freshman quarterback Jake Bentley was a big reason why.

Bentley threw for two touchdowns and 201 yards Saturday in his first college game to lead the Gamecocks to a 34-28 victory over Massachusetts. The victory matched the Gamecocks total from their dysfunctional 2015 season and was the most points they had scored this fall.

“We just really opened up the playbook when Jake was back there, because we know he can throw it very well,” said receiver Deebo Samuel, who had eight catches for 106 yards.

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp was expecting to redshirt Bentley this season before the team’s mounting offensive problems — they entered dead last in points per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision — left the first-year coach open to any solution.

Bentley proved the right answer against the Minutemen (1-7). He led the Gamecocks (3-4) to touchdowns on their first two series, and then threw a pair of pretty fade passes for TD, the first from 16 yards out to K.C. Crosby and later a 24-yarder to Bryan Edwards to lead 27-7.

When UMass cut things to 34-28 with less than five minutes left, Bentley accounted for 30 yards to help the Gamecocks run out the clock.

Muschamp said he and quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper decided Bentley had improved enough from August until now to be a positive change for the team’s attack. Bentley had waited for his shot behind senior Perry Orth and fellow freshman Brandon McIlwain, who had each started three games this season.

“At the end of the day, we felt like he had progressed very well,” he said.

Bentley was not available to the media per Muschamp’s rules against letting freshman do interviews.

Running back David Williams ran for two 1-yard TDs for South Carolina, but said he was excited about Bentley’s debut.

“I’ve just been impressed since I met, his IQ, how comfortable he is,” leading the Gamecocks, Williams said.

Muschamp was frustrated with his defense, especially in the second half when the Minutemen rallied.

“It was an excited locker room because we won,” he said. “But it’s also a locker room that knows it made mistakes and corrections have to be made.”

UMass did its share to help with three turnovers in the opening half, two which led to two South Carolina scores.

Tight end Adam Breneman had two TD catches for Massachusetts, which fell to 0-3 against Southeastern Conference teams this fall.