Recap: Gamecocks battle all day, fall to Texas A&M, 24-13

South Carolina squared off with Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium looking for their first ever-win over the Aggies in three meetings. How did the Gamecocks fare in Week 5?

FINAL: Texas A&M 24, South Carolina 13

TAM: 7-0-7-10 = 24

USC: 7-0-3-0-3 = 10

SCORING SUMMARY

1Q – USC, Turner 75 yard run, 14:47 (7-0)

1Q – TAM, Knight 4 yard run, 12:31 (7-7)

2Q – No Scoring

3Q – TAM, Williams 49 yard run, 11:37 (14-7)

3Q – USC, Fry 43-yard field goal, 3:14 (10-14)

4Q – TAM, White 2 yard run, 11:40 (10-21)

4Q – USC, Fry 43-yard field goal, 4:23 (13-21)

4Q – TAM, LaCamera 35-yard field goal, 1:39 (13-24)

FIRST QUARTER: The game could not have begun on a better note for the Gamecocks as RB A.J. Turner took the handoff on the opening offensive snap, raced over sand through the left side for a 75-yard TD run (his second career TD run) to give the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead just 13 seconds into the contest. It was by far the longest run from scrimmage for the Gamecocks this season (25 yards was previous high). How did QB Trevor Knight and the TAM offense respond? With a 7-play, 75-yard TD drive in 2:16. Completions of 33 and 18 yards keyed the drive. Knight carried from 4 yards out for the tying score. After a potential interception was reversed on review, the Gamecocks punted. The Aggies did the same as Knight was flushed from the pocket on third down and threw the ball away. A deflected pass resulted in McIlwain’s first career interception at the TAM 23 on USC’s third possession. TAM drove to the USC 26 when a third down slant pass was overthrown. PK David LaCamera came on to attempt a 44-yard field goal with less than a minute left in the first quarter. The kick floated right and was no good, keeping the score tied at 7-7. Turner made a nice catch USC’s next to-last play of the first quarter, giving him 78 rushing yards + 2 receptions in opening 15 minutes.

END FIRST QTR: South Carolina 7, Texas A&M 7

SECOND QUARTER: Sean Kelly punted the ball away for the Gamecocks, ending an 8-play possession bridging the first and second quarters. TAM took over at its 18 and with the help of a sensational 1-handed catch dug out a 3rd-and-18 hole. Soon, the Aggies faced fourth down at the SC 45 and elected to for it. Knight’s short pass to Kirk fell 1/2 yard short as the Gamecocks took over at the SC 41. But the offense went backwards as Turner was dropped for a 3-yard loss and McIlwain was sacked on third down. Gamecocks punted the ball away and TAM started at its 32 with 6:32 left in the 2Q. The Gamecock defense came up with a 3-and-out, giving the ball back to USC at the SC 31. Rico Dowdle, playing his first game for the Gamecocks carried the ball three straight times for 24 yards. After McIlwain’s 27-yard run was wiped by two holding penalties, USC faced 3rd-and-20 from the TAM 46. A short pass to Dawkins gained just 3 yards as the Gamecocks seemed content to put the final 1:28 of the first half in their defense’s hands. USC forced TAM to punt after 4 plays. USC had 167 total yards in the first half (92 yards after Turner’s 75-yard TD run), while Texas A&M had 206 yards, 131 after their initial 75-yard drive. Turner finished the first half with 86 yards rushing, while Dowdle had 24 yards on four carries. McIlwain was 7-11 passing for 34 yards.

HALFTIME: South Carolina 7, Texas A&M 7.

THIRD QUARTER: TAM took the opening kickoff and moments after gaining a first down on a fourth-and-1 QB keeper, freshman RB Trayveon Williams shook loose for a 49-yard TD run, hurdling a Gamecock defender at the 2-yard line. The TD run gave the Aggies a 14-7 lead. Muschamp and special teams coordinator Coleman Hutzler gambled with a fake punt on fourth down from the SC 28 and Kelly connected with a wide open Hayden Hurst for 36 yards to the TAM 36. Dowdle carries 3 times for 11 yards, but McIlwain was sacked on third down and Elliott Fry missed a 44-yard field goal attempt to keep the score 14-7. The Gamecocks defense came up with another big play when Darius English jarred the ball loose from Knight near midfield. Chris Moody scooped up the loose football and returned it 20 yards to the TAM 28. However, the Gamecocks offense netted just five yards on three carries and USC had to settle for Fry’s 43-yard field goal with 3:14 remaining in the 3Q, cutting TAM’s lead to 14-10. The defense came up with another turnover within a span of 6 plays when Chris Lammons leaped in front of a TAM WR to make a sensational interception, giving USC the ball at the 11 yard line with 1:10 lef tin the 3Q. Three plays produced little for the Gamecocks.

END THIRD QTR: Texas A&M 14, South Carolina 10.

FOURTH QUARTER: The Gamecocks punted on the first play of the fourth quarter and TAM took over at their 48. The Aggies methodically drove inside the 2-yard line, where they called timeout with 11:44 left. On the first play, RB James White powered over from 2 yards out to give the Aggies a 21-10 lead, forcing the Gamecocks to score twice to win or force OT. White’s TD run was reviewed by the officials and upheld. The biggest play of the drive was a 17-yard completion to Josh Reynolds, TAM’s most productive WR. When the Gamecocks took the field for their next possession, McIlwain had 34 yards passing, while Sean Kelly had 36 on the fake punt. Result? Perry Orth was called upon to lead the Gamecock offense. After a delay of game penalty and incomplete pass, Orth rifled completions to Hayden Hurst (18 yards), Javon Charleston (12 yards for 1st career reception) and KC Crosby (28) as the Gamecocks sped down the field. Rico Dowdle’s 11-yard run moved the ball to the TAM 15. Orth was sacked for a 11-yard loss back to the 26. On 3rd-and-21, Orth’s pass was deflected and almost intercepted by TAM. Fry came on for a 44-yard field goal attempt. His kick ricocheted off the right upright for his second miss of the afternoon with 8:36 left. Thus, the Gamecocks had nothing to show for driving into the red zone. Frye had been 18-of-27 on FGA between 40-49 yards in his career, but just 1-3 today. The Gamecocks defense denied TAM on 3rd-and-2 and forced the Aggies to punt. Orth and the Gamecock offense began at their 18 before a 13-yard completion to Googer and Turner’s 22-yard run moved the ball into TAM territory. But the drive stalled at the TAM 25 and Frye booted a 43-yard field goal with 4:23 left to make it a 1-score game at 21-13. All four of Frye’s FGA today had been from 43 or 44 yards. Trying to drain the clock, TAM gained 19 yards on the first 2 plays to move to the ball to the TAM 37. But the Gamecocks gang tackled the TAM ball receiver and forced a punt. But Jamarcus King, debuting today as a punt returner, muffed the punt and TAM recovered at the SC 30. TAM faced 4th-and-12 at the SC 17 with 1:46 left. They attempted a 35-yard field goal and drilled it to give the Aggies a 24-13 lead. Trailing by 11 points, the Gamecocks didn’t give up as Orth hit Hurst for a 22-yard completion. But two incompletions + short pass set up a 4th-and-9. Orth’s pass sailed out of bounds to end the game with 14 seconds left.