WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsImproved Vols outmatch Gamecocks in rainy Knoxville battle
Member Center:
By Logan Smith - email
KNOXVILLE, TN (WIS) - It was no trick, and it's certainly not a treat for the South Carolina football team: It took the Tennessee Volunteers less than a minute to take an early lead over the Gamecocks Saturday night in Knoxville, and they never let up.
21st-ranked South Carolina (6-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) was outmatched by Tennessee (4-4, 2-3) for the entire game, and ended up losing the rainy contest 31-13 on Halloween night.
After the Gamecocks lost a fumble early in the first quarter, the Vols' opening drive lasted exactly 42 seconds before Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Austin Johnson with 13:34 left in the first quarter. Chad Cunningham's extra point gave the Vols a 7-0 lead over the Gamecocks.
After another Gamecock fumble in the first quarter, Tennessee's offense again took the field. This time their drive lasted 2:08 before Montario Hardesty rushed for a 14 yards for a touchdown. Cunningham's extra point made the score 14-0, Volunteers.
In the second quarter, the Vols recovered yet another fumble by the Gamecocks. With 11:38 left in the half, after a drive of just 2:15, Crompton completed a two-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Cooper. Cunningham made the extra point, putting South Carolina down by 21.
USC punt returner Stephon Gilmore made it all the way to the end zone with only a few minutes left in the first half, but the touchdown was called back due to an illegal block in the back by Carolina.
Then, as time expired in the first half, South Carolina kicker Spencer Lanning made sure the Gamecocks wouldn't go to the locker room with no points on the board. His 47-yard field goal barely made it over the crossbar, putting the score at Tennessee 21, South Carolina 3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the teams traded the ball several times before Lanning made a 32-yard field goal with 6:40 left in the third, cutting the Volunteers' lead to 15. Tennessee responded with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Montario Hardesty with 2:05 left in the third, which combined with Cunningham's extra point brought the score to 28-6.
Then, with 2:05 left in the third quarter, the Gamecocks got their first touchdown. Stephen Garcia hit receiver Moe Brown with a 31-yard pass, and Brown's flying leap to catch the ball got him into the end zone. Spencer Lanning made the extra point, leaving the score at 28-13.
With 4:23 left in the game, Cunningham kicked a 39-yard field goal to put the Volunteers up 31-13, the final score of the game.
USC quarterback Stephen Garcia completed 25 of 50 pass attempts for 300 yards. Tennessee's Crompton had completed 12 of 24 attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Both passers were sacked once in the first half.
After a shaky start under first-year coach Lane Kiffin, the Volunteers are becoming more productive offensively and rank 10th in the nation defensively.
In its past two games, Tennessee has soundly beat Georgia and lost 12-10 to No. 2 Alabama on a game-ending blocked field goal.
The Gamecocks needed a few official reviews to overturn plays and a 99-yard drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown pass from Stephen Garcia to Alshon Jeffery to pull out a 14-10 win against Vanderbilt, the SEC's worst team.
Copyright 2009 WIS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.
