Gamecocks rebound from loss
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Connor Shaw passed for three scores, Jadeveon Clowney forced a fumble and No. 13 South Carolina withstood Vanderbilt’s rally from a four-touchdown deficit for a 35-25 victory Saturday night.
The victory was the 13th consecutive at home for the Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1 SEC), who are tied with Georgia for the second-longest active streak in the nation. South Carolina appeared to have this one finished early, scoring on its first four possessions to lead 28-0. It still led 35-10 when it opened the second half with Shaw’s final touchdown pass, a 33-yarder to Brandon Wilds.
That’s when the Commodores (1-2, 0-2) threw a scare into the Gamecocks, aided by a fumbled kickoff and punt by South Carolina. Vanderbilt scored twice in a 13-second span of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 35-25.
The Commodores reached the Gamecocks 5 after recovering a fumbled punt in the final period, but Austyn Carta-Samuels threw a goal-line interception to Jimmy Legree.
South Carolina started at the 1 with 8:41 left after Legree was ruled to have come out of the end zone on his pick. South Carolina moved 64 yards over the next 7:46 to seal the victory.
Shaw completed 21 of 29 passes for 284 yards and also ran for 84. Bruce Ellington had eight catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Clowney’s sack — his second this season — forced Carta-Samuels to fumble with Vanderbilt at South Carolina’s 17 early in the third quarter.
Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews, who came in leading the SEC in completions and receiving yards, had his third 100-yard game of the season with eight catches for 108 yards.
The Gamecocks hoped to make a loud statement after a disheartening loss at No. 9 Georgia last week, and they did for a half until getting sloppy. South Carolina overwhelmed the Commodores, with the Gamecocks’ fired-up defense getting the stops they didn’t a week earlier.
Shaw was 3 of 3 passing and rushed for 15 yards on the Gamecocks’ opening drive, which ended with Nick Jones’ 12-yard TD catch to start their scoring.
Shaw threw third-down passes of 11 yards to Rory Anderson and 37 yards to Mike Davis to keep things moving the next time South Carolina got the ball. Davis’ 4-yard burst put the Gamecocks up 14-0.
Coach Steve Spurrier switched quarterbacks on the next drive, but it didn’t make a difference as Dylan Thompson went 5 for 5 passing for 67 yards. The backup signal-caller increased the lead to 21-0 with a 3-yard scoring run.
Shaw was back in control a series later, picking apart the Vanderbilt secondary on a 26-yard touchdown throw to Bruce Ellington that put the Gamecocks ahead by four touchdowns.
Thompson looked on the way to a fifth consecutive touchdown drive when he was intercepted by cornerback Steven Clarke, whose 69-yard return to the South Carolina 1 set up Vanderbilt’s only touchdown of the half on Jerron Seymour’s 1-yard run.
AUBURN 24, MISSISSIPPI STATE 20
AUBURN, Ala. — Nick Marshall connected with tight end C.J. Uzomah for an 11-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left to lift Auburn to a victory over Mississippi State, ending the Tigers’ 10game SEC losing streak.
Marshall led the Tigers (3-0, 1-0 SEC) down the field with big running and passing plays in easily his best game.
The junior-college transfer completed his first five passes for 55 yards in leading Auburn 88 yards over the final 1:56. He then ran 11 yards on 3rd-and-10 before lofting the decisive throw to the right corner of the end zone.
The play was reviewed and instant replay officials ruled that Uzomah was pushed out of bounds, enabling him to come back.
Subbing for an injured Tyler Russell for a second consecutive game, quarterback Dak Prescott ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 213 for Mississippi State (1-2, 0-1). Russell sustained a concussion in the opener against Oklahoma State.
Marshall completed 23 of 34 passes for 339 yards and 2 touchdowns.