There's not a college football player in the country better at forcing fumbles this season than South Carolina defensive end Dante Sawyer.

The senior from Suwanee, Ga. has forced five fumbles this season, tying him with Ball State's Anthony Winbush for tops in college football. But Sawyer has accomplished the impressive feat in just 10 games while Winbush has played in 12.

Sawyer's average of .5 forced fumbles per game leads the country. All the more impressive when considering that he splits time with Keir Thomas.

"We just love the ball," Sawyer said earlier this season. "We love going after the ball. Our top priority is to get the ball. We get the ball better than anybody in the country. It just builds up confidence, and we’re going to keep it rolling."

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Sawyer's ability to get the football off unsuspecting opponents is as much art as it is technique.

With quick hands and innate hand-eye coordination, the magician-like lineman did it again Saturday against Wofford when he punched the ball away from quarterback Joe Newman. The turnover, recovered by TJ Brunson, helped put the game away for good.

"Some guys just have that knack and he seems to be a guy [that has it]," head coach Will Muschamp said. "I mean it was a great play. The quarterback cut back on the counter trap and cut back up field and Dante, obviously it takes effort, and he's running to the ball, just like he did against N.C. State and multiple other times.

"A lot of guys have a knack, not just for getting there, but having an awareness to get the ball off. That's something that's a talent, in my opinion. You always talk in terms of guys when they have good ball instincts and things like that and he certainly has a lot of instincts to get the ball off people. It was a fantastic punch out. It was a clinic tape for you."

Sawyer's knack for getting the ball to the grass fits in perfectly within a Carolina defensive scheme and philosophy that prioritizes forcing turnovers and that attacks "violators" -- opponents who hold the football particularly loose.

Sawyer has 28 tackles on the season, including 3 sacks and 5 tackles-for-loss. He also has 3 quarterback hurries and 3 pass breakups.