Samuel’s 3 TDs lift South Carolina over NC State

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Deebo Samuel returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a score and caught two touchdown passes from Jake Bentley as South Carolina defeated North Carolina State 35-28 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

Bentley threw for 215 yards and three touchdowns, including strikes of 39 and 6 yards to Samuel as the Gamecocks won their 17th season opener in the last 18 years.

Gamecocks safety D.J. Smith broke up a pass from Ryan Finley in the end zone on fourth and goal with six seconds left to preserve the win.

Finley threw for 415 yards and two touchdowns on 45-of-64 passing

South Carolina’s Jake Bentley (right) runs for a first down during the first half of Saturday’s game against N.C. State.

for North Carolina State. Jaylen Samuels had 15 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown and Kelvin Harmon had 10 for 114 yards for the Wolfpack.

The game turned in the third quarter. Bob Leverone / Rome News-Tribune

With the score tied at 21, Bentley rolled out to the right, avoided a pass rusher and heaved a perfectly thrown pass to Samuel, who made a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone.

South Carolina 35, NC State 28

On North Carolina State’s next possession, defensive end Dante Sawyer came crashing through the line and sacked Ryan Finley, stripping him of the ball. Bryson Allen-Williams hopped on the loose ball at the Wolfpack 13. Two plays later Rico Dowdle scored on a 7-yard run for a 14-point lead.

State cut the lead to 7 on a 1-yard TD catch by Samuels and had two chances to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. However, Samuels was stopped short of the first down marker on a fourth-and-5 play and Smith knocked away Finley’s pass to save the game.