TAMPA, FLA.—South Carolina must have made a halftime resolution.
Left for dead after an uninspiring first half, the Gamecocks would score the final 23 points of the game to beat Michigan 26-19 and win the 2018 Outback Bowl.
The Gamecocks (9-4) first had to overcome a 16-point deficit to win their first bowl game since 2014.
Also see: Live updates from Tampa
After a lackluster first half that saw both teams pick up less than 100 yards on offense, the second half's pace picked up considerably.
Michigan would score on its first possession of the half and tack on another field goal in the third quarter to take a 19-3 lead.
That's when the comeback started. The Gamecocks would use a 17-yard Rico Dowdle run to cut into the lead and followed it up by forcing a turnover on the next possession.
Momentum fully turned on the next play after the fumble with Bryan Edwards making a leaping grab in traffic for a touchdown on a seed from Jake Bentley.
Bentley would catch fire in the second half going 19-for-32 for 239 yards, including tossing the go-ahead score in the form of a beautifully placed ball to Shi Smith that went for 53 yards.
Then, with Michigan driving inside the Gamecock 10-yard line, JaMarcus King would deliver with his biggest play of his season.
On third down and with defender Daniel Fennell barreling down on him, Wolverine quarterback Brandon Peters threw the ball directly to the senior cornerback.
Dowdle would then bust a big run on the next drive to flip field position. Michigan would muff a punt with 5:43 to play and it was recovered by A.J. Turner.
Parker White kicked a field goal on the ensuing drive to make it a seven-point game.
After a Michigan four-and-out, White missed a long field goal that would have effectively ended the game. But junior defensive back Steven Montac intercepted Peters with 1:05 left to seal the win.
Moment that mattered: Edwards catch in the end zone cut it to a one-score game and gave the Gamecocks all the momentum in the second half.
Player of the game: Bentley started off rough but would finish hitting 9 of his last 11 throws in the second half to help win his team the game.
Up next: Spring practice.
