Gamecock Central breaks down five key moments from Saturday’s loss and hands out game balls.
FIVE KEY PLAYS
1. Feaster’s touchdown run
One of the few bright spots for the Gamecocks was the play of running backs Tavien Feaster and Rico Dowdle, with Feaster providing a highlight reel run in the first quarter. He ran off the left side and met linebacker Chazz Surratt in the hole. Feaster juked Surratt so badly that Surratt actually whiffed on the tackle twice, grasping at the air as he fell backwards. Feaster raced up the sideline untouched for a 34-yard touchdown. It was exactly the sort of explosive run the Gamecocks were hoping Feaster could provide.
2. Punt
You have your choice of two terrible punts:
After forcing a turnover in North Carolina territory, South Carolina went three and out and punted from the North Carolina 38. To repeat: South Carolina punted from the North Carolina 38. The thirty-eight.
On the next possession, after giving up a 98-yard touchdown drive and all momentum, South Carolina had fourth and inches at midfield. Knowing the defense was tired and momentum was lost, and with a senior quarterback, running back, and receiver, South Carolina punted.
Maybe you can rationalize one of those punts in a vacuum, but taken together the punts were the moves of a team afraid to make the plays needed to win.
3. A game of inches
When you play not to lose like the Gamecocks did, you leave yourself susceptible to fluke plays. After the second punt, the football gods punished the Gamecocks. Kingsley Enagbare got a handful Sam Howell’s jersey, but not enough to bring him down for a sack. Howell escaped and flung an ill-advised pass straight to Jaycee Horn. Horn broke on the ball and had it lined up for an interception, only to see the ball go through his hands to Dazz Newsome for a 23-yard catch. Twice on the play, the Gamecocks were an inch or two from a big stop, only to have it end up a big play for the Tar Heels instead. Deflated, the defense gave up the game-winning touchdown three plays later.
4. Too tall
South Carolina had its chance to retake the lead. One play in particular Jake Bentley admitted will haunt him for a long time. On first and 10 from the North Carolina 26 with just over two minutes left, Shi Smith ran a deep slant and got wide open. He beat his defender by five yards, and was streaking all alone toward the goal line in the middle of the field. The pass didn’t have to be perfect, Smith was so open. But Bentley missed. By a lot. He sailed a pass so far over Smith’s head it sailed out the back of the end zone. Two plays later Bentley threw his second interception, seemingly ending the game.
5. The Would-be Hail Mary
Howell finally looked like a freshman in the final minutes. With the Gamecocks out of timeouts, the Tar Heels should have been able to run out the clock on a series of kneel-downs. But Howell was a little too quick getting the snap and kneeling, and the Tar Heels turned the ball over on downs at their own 47 with 11 seconds left. There was enough time for the Gamecocks to get off two plays and a chance, however remote, for a winning touchdown - if they were smart.
To the surprise of absolutely no one in the stadium, they weren’t, and the play was doomed. Bentley dropped back, had nobody to throw to, and was sacked, allowing the clock to run out (he fumbled on the sack, but was ruled down first). It was an embarrassing end to an embarrassing second half.
GAME BALLS
Not much went right for the Gamecocks Saturday, but they weren’t the only SEC team to suffer an embarrassing season-opening loss. With that in mind we give our game balls to players who helped Gamecock fans feel a little bit better about the loss.
OFFENSE
Shawn Elliott, Georgia State
The former South Carolina interim coach bailed out his old team Saturday. Georgia State was a 26-point underdog to host Tennessee. But, coming off a 2-10 season, Elliott revamped Georgia State’s offense, installing the spread, zone-read-based attack he used at South Carolina with Connor Shaw. Georgia State racked up over 200 yards rushing, and quarterback Dan Ellington passed for two touchdowns and rushed for 61 yards and another score. The end result was a 38-30 upset, one of the biggest in Tennessee history.
DEFENSE
Bryce Huff, Memphis
Huff led a Memphis defense that held Mississippi to just 173 yards of total offense. Mid-way through the fourth quarter, with Memphis clinging to a 13-10 lead, Huff sacked quarterback Matt Corral near the back of the end zone for a safety. Memphis was able to run out the rest of the clock to preserve the win.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Cooper Rothe, Wyoming
You can be forgiven for missing this one. Missouri, for some reason, opened the season on the road at Wyoming in a late game televised on the CBS Sports Network. Kelly Bryant threw for 423 yards for Missouri, but it wasn’t enough despite being favored by 16.5 points. Wyoming rushed for almost 300 yards and forced three turnovers, and Rothe was perfect. He made all four PATs and three field goals to boost Wyoming to a 37-31 victory.